Question:
I have heard that there is such a concept to recite 100 blessings a day? is this correct and where is the source for such a custom?
Answer:
There is a special mitzvah which is an aspect of the mitzvah of reciting brachos, that is to specifically try to recite 100 brachos a day. In fact, it is considered by the poskim to be an obligation. The mitzvah is according to most opinions rabbinic and its purpose is to inspire a person think of the greatness of hashe as many times a day.
The Chida (Machzik Bracha 290:1) writes that going out of the way to complete a hundred Brachos daily is only a virtuous practice.
However Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 6:7 writes that it’s a complete obligation. Tur 46 also says this obligation is also rabbinic and the pasuk brought in menachot 43b is an asmachta. The Arizal in Shaar Ruach Hakodesh 4a says that there is a level in blessing in heaven that the only way to get to it is saying 100 berachot each day. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 6:7 writes that a person is obligated to make a hundred brachos daily
Rambam (Sefer Hamitzvot Shoresh 1) quotes the opinion of the Behag that one of the 613 mitzvot is to make 100 berachot daily. However, see Sdei Chemed Maarechet 8: Klal 34 who discusses if indeed the Behag holds that this is a mitzva from the Torah or only Rabbinic. The Sefer Hamanhig pg. 6 says that it is in fact a Biblical obligation but was earlier forgotten and in the time of Dovid when the plague occurred Dovid re-instituted it.
Some poskim say that women aren’t obligated in making a hundred brachos daily, while others say that they are as obligated as men.
In sefer Teshuvot VeHanhagot 2:129 and Vezot HaBracha (pg 185, chapter 20), they write that women are exempt from making one hundred brachos each day. The sefer Halichot Bat Yisrael holds the same and brings a proof to this aswell as mentioning that the Shevet Halevi 5:23 who agrees to this ; that the poskim starting with the Bet Yosef 46:3 who counted the amount of brachos never counted how women would get to a hundred brachos. It is also mentioned in the name of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach that it is reasonable that originally women were never obligated since on a fast day it isn’t possible for them to do it since they can’t put on Tefillin or Tzitzit.
Rav Elyashiv in Yashiv Moshe (pg 19), write that women are obligated since it’s a obligation that applies the whole day and is renewed every day similar to the Shagat Aryeh regarding Zecher Yetziat Mitzrayim in Shema. There are poskim that want to say that women can fulfill their obligation with praises of Hashem or by answering Amen to the brachos of others.
There is a dispute whether we count a day for the purposes of this halacha starting from the night or starting from the day. The majority of poskim hold that the count of a hundred Brachos starts at night. If one brought shabbos in early, there is a discussion among the poskim for which day the berachot count.
Sh”t Atret Paz 1:1 writes that it seems from most rishonim that we count from the day to the night. It seems from Bet Yosef and Mishna Brurah 46:14 that we count from the night to the day based on the fact that they begin their count of the brachos from HaMapil. Additionally, Sh”t Betzel Chachmah 4:155 proved from the poskim’s counting of the brachos on Shabbos that we count from the nighttime.
Sefer Ha’itim 195 says that the count starts from the morning and finishes the next morning. But he then quotes some who say it is from night to night and he likes that opinion
Rav Mordechai Eliyahu (quoted in Mikraei Kodesh Hilchot Yom Kippur 12:5:note 58) holds that one only has the hours of daylight to reach 100 brachos, from the simple meaning of the word “yom.” |