Blessings over Natural Phenomena

He who beholds a place where miracles have been wrought for Israel says, "Blessed [art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe] Who wroughtest miracles for our fathers in this place." [He who beholds] a place from which idolatry has been uprooted says, "Blessed... Who hast uprooted idolatry from our land." For shooting stars, earthquakes, thunders, storms and lightnings he says, "Blessed...Whose strength and might fill the world." For mountains, hills, seas, rivers and deserts he says, "Blessed... Who hast made the creation." R. Judah states: He who beholds the ocean says, "Blessed... Who hast made the ocean," but only when he beholds it at intervals​...

Meteors, earthquakes, and thunders - The Gemarah defines these;

Fills the world - Since these are seen or heard from afar;

Blessed...the one who has made creation - And in the Gemarah (59a) it argues that because those [listed phenomenon] of above are not from the original Creation;

In intervals - The Gemarah defines this (59b) and since it [the Mediterranean Sea] is the most important and largest of them all, Rabbi Yehuda instituted upon it its own [separate] blessing;

On [over] the winds one says... - The Yerushalmi teaches that when they [the winds] happen in turbulence but when they happen in calm one says Blessed...the one who has made creation;

On the rivers - Not on [over] all of the rivers does this apply but rather the four rivers that the verse mentions, such as Chidekel and Prat;

On the thunders and on the storms and on the lightnings etc. one says Blessed...that His Strength and Might fill the world - It is taught in the Yerushalmi, if in constant occurances [thunder, storm, lightning], one time suffices. If in halts, one blesses on each time and time. And we learn it [this halacha] from a spice store. And if you will say, and does not one who sees the Mediterranean Sea require a time lapse of thirty days [to recite the blessing again]? There [the blessing over the Mediterranean Sea] what one sees for the first time is what one sees now. However, here [the blessing over thunder, etc.] it is a new thing and each one on its own. And if you will say and is not a spice store something in which one smells one time and [yet one] goes back and blesses? There [the blessing over the spice store] on the enjoyment that occurs now anew one blesses [whereas on the Mediterranean Sea...]. And [the term] constant refers to that the dark clouds have not dispersed. [The term] halts, that the dark clouds have dispersed in the interim. (In Tosafot) [In the Ro"sh see ad loc];

Our Rabbis have taught : Who beholds an elephant, or monkey or long-tailed ape says, "Blessed... Who variest the forms of Thy creatures." If he beholds beautiful works of creation and fine trees he says, "Blessed... to Whom it is thus in Thy universe." For shooting stars [Zikin]. What means Zikin ? Samuel said : Kokeba di-Shebit. Samuel also said : The paths of heaven are as familiar to me as the streets of Nehardea, with the exception of the Kokeba di-Shebit, for I know not what that is. There is a tradition that it never passes through the constellation of Orion, for if it did the world would he destroyed. But we see that it does pass through ! It is its brightness that passes through, and so it seems as though it does actually pass through. Rab Huna b. Rab Joshua said ; It is the Veil [ Vilon] which is rent and rolled up, so that the light of the heaven [Rekia'] appears. Rab Ashe said : A star disappears from one side of Orion and [the beholder] sees a companion star [appear] on the other side and is bewildered ; and thus it seems as though it had passed through [the constellation]. Samuel asked : It is written "Who maketh the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades" (Job ix. 9) and it is written "That maketh the Pleiades and Orion" (Amos v. 8) ! How is that ? Were it not for the heat of Orion, the world could not exist because of the coldness of the Pleiades, and were it not for the coldness of the Pleiades, the world could not exist because of the heat of Orion. There is also a tradition : Were it not that the tail of the Scorpion was placed in the Fire-River, nobody who had been stung by a scorpion could live. That is what the All-merciful said to Job, "Canst thou bind the chains of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?" (Job xxxviii. 31). What means Kimah [the Pleiades]? Samuel said : About a hundred [Keme'ah] stars ; some say : Which are gathered together, but others say : Which are scattered. What means 'Ash [the Bear]? Rab Judah said : Juta. What is Juta? Some say : The tail of a ram ; others say : The head of a calf. But the more probable view is that of him who said, "The tail of a ram" ; for it is written, "And the 'Ajish will be comforted for her children" (ibid. 5:32). Hence it seems as if something is lacking [in the tail]

Our Rabbis have taught : He who sees the sun [starting] on its new circuit or the moon in its strength, or the stars in their courses, or the planets in their order says, "Blessed...Who hast made the Creation." And when is it [that the sun starts on its new circuit]? Abbai said : Every twenty-eight years when the cycle begins again, and the Spring equinox falls in Saturn on the night of the third day of the week, which is the beginning of the fourth day. R. Judah states : He who beholds the ocean says, "Blessed...Who hast made the ocean" [but only when he beholds it at intervals.] At intervals of what length? Rammi b. Abba said in the name of R. Issac : Of thirty days. Also said Rammi b. Abba in the name of R. Isaac : Who sees the Euphrates up to the Babylonian bridge says, "Blessed...Who hast made the Creation" ; but nowadays since the Persians have altered it, [that benediction is only to be said] from Be Shapor onwards. Rab Joseph said : From Ihi Dekira onwards. Further said Rammi b. Abba : Who sees the Tigris from the bridge of Shaporstan says, "Blessed...Who hast made the Creation."