Question :
What is the halacha if one did not recite Asher Yatzar immediately?
Answer:
However, if one did not say it immediately, many authorities hold that one can still say it for 72 minutes after going to the bathroom. Yet, other authorities say that one should not say it if 30 minutes past after going to the bathroom.
There are gedolim achronim that write that one has up to 72 minutes after having used the bathroom, as long as one doesn’t need it again. On the other hand, the Sh”t Be’er Moshe (2:10 2; 4:4 1) writes that one could say the bracha even up to an hour or two after using the restroom, as long as one does not have the urge to once again use the restroom.
The Rivevot Efraim 8:2 writes that he originally ruled that one may say it up until 72 minutes, however, after seeing many others who argued he said that one should be concerned for the opinion that says that one should not say it past 30 minutes after going to the bathroom. See also Ben Ish Chai (Vayetze #12) who writes that one should not say Asher Yatzar 30 minutes after having gone to the bathroom. This is also the opinion of Rav Ben Tzion Abba Shaul (Or LeTzion 2:1:19 those that argue say that had Rav Ben Tzion seen the Ritva in Pesachim, he would have agreed.
The Ritva Pesachim 46a s.v. viy writes that the expiration of Asher Yatzar is the amount of time it takes to walk 4 mil. He explains that even if a person goes to the bathroom in the morning he can say it in shul even though some time elapsed.
The Maharach Or Zaruah responsa n. 101 writes that the expiration of brachot achronot are connected to the time it takes to digest food since the bracha is connected to the enjoyment of having eaten food. However, Asher Yatzer isn’t for that purpose. He doesn’t know exact amount of time Asher Yatzar expires but it is certainly less than four hours.
If one used the bathroom and forgot to say Asher Yatzar and then used the bathroom again, only one bracha should be recited to cover both uses. Additionally, the Aruch HaShulchan says that if one went to the bathroom but forgot to say Asher Yatzar and subsequently needed to relieve oneself again, one should first relieve oneself and then say one bracha of Asher Yatzar.If a person is unsure whether he recited Asher Yatzar or not, he should not recite it. One may however, think the beracha in his head without reciting the words.
Asher Yatzar vs. Other Berachot
If one uses the bathroom and additionally needs to recite boreh nefashot on food that he ate, asher yatzar should be recited first. If one uses the bathroom and then needs to recite asher yatzar as well as birkat hamazon or al hamichya, birkat hamazon or al hamichya take precedence.
One may recite asher yatzar after the beracha of hamapil if he uses the bathroom. If one left the bathroom and then heard thunder or saw lightning before reciting asher yatzar, he should recite the beracha on the thunder or lightning because the time for those passes quickly.
In the morning, one who goes to the bathroom should make the bracha of Asher Yatzar. If one slept (more than 30 minutes) then, according to Ashkenazim, one should make the bracha of Asher Yatzar even if one did not go to the bathroom. One must have slept in one’s bed for at least a half hour after halachic midnight. According to Sephardim, one should not say Asher Yatzar unless one went to the bathroom. If one woke in the middle of the night and went to the bathroom, one should make Asher Yatzar then and another Asher Yatzar in the morning. |