Question:Can tefillas haderech be recited before embarking on a journey, or can it only be said once one has already started to travel? Discussion: The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim Siman 110) discusses the halochos of tefillas haderech. In Se’if 6, the Shulchan Aruch writes that when the Maharam would embark on a journey in the morning he would recite tefillas haderech after “yehi rotzon” (the yehi rotzon of hama’avir sheino) in order to juxtapose tefillas haderech [which does not begin with “boruch atoh”] to the brocho of hagomel chasodim tovim… so that tefillas haderech should be close to another brocho [and thus it would be considered as if tefillas haderech began with “boruch atoh”, which is a more ideal way of reciting a brocho]. In the next se’if (se’if 7) the Shulchan Aruch writes that tefillas haderech should only be recited once one has “established” his journey. The Taz (s.k. 7) writes that one can recite tefillas haderech even inside the city of departure before he begins his journey and explains that the requirement to “establish” his journey mentioned by the Shulchan Aruch means that one has to have clearly decided to travel. The Magen Avraham (s.k. 12) has a different approach to the Taz and explains that the Maharam would juxtapose tefillas haderech to birkas hashachar in a situation where he would recite birkas hashachar while on the journey (e.g. if he embarked on the journey before davening – Mishna Berura s.k. 27), because it is not possible to recite tefillas haderech until one has “established” himself on the journey (Shulchan Aruch ibid Se’if 7), i.e. by beginning the journey. The Pri Megodim (Mishbetzos Zohov s.k. 7) writes that the Elya Rabbah and other Acharonim (as well as the Magen Avraham) argue on the position of the Taz and maintain that one cannot recite tefillas haderech until one has embarked on a journey. The Mishna Berura (s.k. 29) begins by quoting the view of the Magen Avraham, who maintains that one should not recite tefillas haderech while one is within the city of departure. He then quotes the view of the Taz who allows reciting tefillas haderech within the city of departure and writes that various Acharonim argue on the Taz and maintain that ideally (l’chatchilo) one should not recite tefillas haderech while in the city of departure, but ex post facto one can rely on the opinion of the Taz [and does not need to repeat tefillas haderech]. It should also be mentioned that although it is ideal to refrain from reciting tefillas haderech until one actually begins his journey, it is also preferable to recite tefillas haderech immediately after another brocho, to cause tefillas haderech to be considered a brocho that begins with “boruch atoh” (Magen Avraham s.k. 13). Therefore, the Magen Avraham advises one to precede tefillas haderech with another brocho e.g., to eat or drink something and then recite a brocho acharona, or to recite tefillas haderech after asher yotzar. The Mishna Berura (s.k. 28) writes that if a person has no option of preceding tefillas haderech with another brocho, he should still recite tefillas haderech without a preceding brocho, and rely on the Rishonim who maintain that tefillas haderech does not need to be juxtaposed to another brocho. Conclusion: Tefillas haderech should only be recited after one has already embarked on a journey and began to travel, according to the Magen Avraham and most other Acharonim. The Taz allows reciting tefillas haderech within the city of departure and the conclusion of the Mishna Berura is that ideally (l’chatchilo) one should not recite tefillas haderech while in the city of departure, but ex post facto one can rely on the opinion of the Taz. |
Tefillas Haderech
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