ברכות השחר

These Eighteen blessings have no appointed order. Each blessing is recited at the appropriate time and occasion. For example: If one has put on his girdle, while still on his couch, he recites the blessing, "Who girdeth Israel with strength". When he hears the cock crow, he recites the blessing, "Who hast given the cock intelligence, etc.". Any of the above blessings for which there is no occasion, is not recited.

All of these blessings, if one is not obligated in one of them - for example that one did not hear the sound of the rooster or that one did not go out or he did not get dressed or did not put on a belt - one says that blessing, but does not mention the Name. (Gloss: and there are those who say that even though one is not obligated in them, one blesses them [all], in that the blessing is not just about oneself, but rather we bless that the Holy One Blessed be He created [for] the needs of the world, and so is the practice, and we do not change [it]. (Tur and Tosafot haRosh chapter "the one who sees" and Ran, first chapter of Pesachim and Kol Bo))

The mishna continues: One who is blind may recite the introductory prayers and blessing before Shema, and he may also translate the Torah reading into Aramaic. Rabbi Yehuda says: Anyone who has not seen the luminaries in his life may not recite the first of the blessings before Shema, which is the blessing over the luminaries. It is taught in a baraita that they said to Rabbi Yehuda: Many have seen enough with their mind to expound upon the Divine Chariot, although they have never actually seen it. Similarly, even one who has never seen the luminaries may recite the blessing. And how does Rabbi Yehuda counter this argument? He can say that there, with regard to the Chariot, the matter depends upon the heart’s comprehension, and one can concentrate his mind and understand the Chariot even if he has never actually seen it. But here, with regard to the luminaries, the blessing is recited due to the benefit one derives from them, and one who is blind does not derive any benefit from them, and therefore he may not recite a blessing over them. And the Rabbis maintain that even a blind man derives benefit from the luminaries, in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei, as it is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yosei said: All of my life I was troubled by this verse, which I did not understand: “And you shall grope at noon as the blind man gropes in the darkness” (Deuteronomy 28:29). I was perplexed: What does it matter to a blind person whether it is dark or light? He cannot see in any event, so why does the verse speak about a blind man in the darkness? I continued to ponder the matter until the following incident occurred to me. I was once walking in the absolute darkness of the night, and I saw a blind man who was walking on his way with a torch in his hands. I said to him: My son, why do you need this torch if you are blind? He said to me: As long as I have a torch in my hand, people see me and save me from the pits and the thorns and the thistles. Even a blind man derives at least indirect benefit from the light, and therefore he may recite the blessing over the heavenly luminaries.