Saying a Bracha on Seeing the Sea

For zikin and zeva’ot, for thunder, winds, and lightning, one recites: Blessed…Whose strength and power fill the world. For mountains, hills, seas, rivers, and deserts, one recites: Blessed…Author of creation. Rabbi Yehuda says: One who sees the great sea recites: Blessed…Who made the great sea. [One only recites it] when he sees it intermittently.

[We learned in the mishna that] Rabbi Yehuda said: One who sees the great sea...intermittently. [The Gemara asks:] How much is intermittently? Rami bar Abba said that Rav Yitzḥak said: Thirty days.

R' Moshe ben Maimon (1138–1204)

And the words of Rabbi Yehuda, [that one only says it] intermittently, mean when one sees it after a time, which is an interval of thirty days or more. But the halacha is not like Rabbi Yehuda.

R' Moshe ben Maimon (1138–1204)

For mountains and hills, seas, deserts or rivers, if one sees any of these at intervals of thirty days, he says the blessing "Who hast made the Creation." On seeing the Yam Hagadol at intervals of thirty days or more, one says "Who hast made the Yam Hagadol."

R' Elazar Rokeach (c. 1665—1742)

Our Rabbi [Rambam] rules here like Rabbi Yehuda in the Mishna who disagrees with Tanna Kamma who does not distinguish between general seas, as in the start of the Chapter 'Haroeh'. And in his Peirush Lehamishna, he writes that the halacha is not like R' Yehuda, and here he retracts. It is possible this was because in the Gemara it asks (a question) according to (the view of R' Yehuda) which implies that the halacha is like him. And see Maran and the Rav Knesset Hagedolah there who engages in sophistry, see there.

R' Yaakov ben Asher (1270-1340)

The Rambam writes that on (seeing) Yam Hagadol at intervals of thirty days one blesses BA'Y AM'H oseh hayam hagadol. But I do not know why he rules like the individual, for [although] R' Yehuda establishes that bracha himself, the Rabbis disagree with him.

R' Yosef Caro (1488-1575)

Upon oceans, rivers, hills, mountains, and deserts one says, "Blessed are you, God our Lord, king of the world, creator of the original (first) creations." And upon the great ocean...one says, "Blessed are you, God our Lord, king of the world, creator of the great ocean."

R' Yosef Caro (1488-1575)

Upon oceans, rivers, hills, mountains, and deserts one says, "Blessed are you, God our Lord, king of the world, creator of the original (first) creations." And upon the great ocean, and that is the ocean that is crossed to Israel and Egypt, one says, "Blessed are you, God our Lord, king of the world, creator of the great ocean."

For the western boundary you shall have the coast of the Great Sea; that shall serve as your western boundary. This shall be your northern boundary: Draw a line from the Great Sea to Mount Hor.

R' Abahu lectured: The Ocean is higher than the whole world. R' Elazar ben Menachem said to him: Is this not explicitly stated in a verse, "He calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth" (Amos v, 8 ; ix, 6), which obviously means, like one who pours downward from above?

"He calleth for the waters of the sea" is written twice, corresponding to the two times that the sea came up and inundated the world. How far did it come up on the first occasion and how far on the second? R' Yudan, R' Abahu, and R' Elazar in R' Chanina's name said: On the first it came up as far as Acco and Jaffa, while on the second it came up as far as the coasts of Barbary. R' Huna and R' Acha in R' Chanina's name said: On the first, as far as the coasts of Barbary, on the second, as far as Acco and Jaffa, as it is written, And said: "Thus far shalt thou come, but no further, etc.", "Thus far shalt thou come" means as far as Acco, "And here shall thy proud waves be stayed" intimates as far as Yaffa. R' Elazar said: At the first, as far as Calabria, at the second, as far as the coasts of Barbary.

Rabbi Yisrael Meir ha-Kohen Kagan (1838-1933)

And it is called Yam Hagadol because of the significance of the land of Israel. But many acharonim disagree with [the Shulchan Aruch] and hold that (Yam Hagadol) specifically refers to the Ocean which is the Yam Hagadol of all the seas that surround the world, (and) it is on that that a specific bracha was fixed because of its size. But regarding the sea that passes by the land of Israel, for this matter that is not referred to as Yam Hagadol and it is blessed on like other seas (just with oseh bereishit).

R' Asher ben Yechiel (1250-1327)

And on the question of the Yam Hagadol, on which the Mishna says we bless 'baruch sheasah et hayam hagadol', if that is the 'Ocean Sea' or if it is our Yam Hagadol which passes Israel and Egypt. It seems it is specifically the Ocean Sea even though in the language of scripture our sea is called Hagadol because it is the western border of the land of Israel. And it is known that it is our sea because the land of Israel does not sit on the Ocean Sea. Nevertheless here it implies that it is the Ocean Sea since it is taught in the first part (of that Mishna), 'For mountains, hills, seas, rivers, and deserts one says baruch sheasah maaseh bereishit', and then it teaches that R' Yehuda said that one who sees the Yam Hagadol says 'Baruch sheasah et Yam Hagadol'. Since in the beginning it mentions seas in the abstract, and R' Yehuda explains (that) Yam Hagadol (has its own bracha), the implication is that this refers to the Ocean Sea. And he does not disagree with Tanna Kamma, because Tanna Kamma is referring to all other seas, for there are many big seas in the world, and R' Yehuda comes to say that Yam Hagadol has its own bracha. And Tanna Kamma agrees with this, for if R' Yehuda were disagreeing with Tanna Kamma and saying that Tanna Kamma is giving the general rule for all seas and the Ocean Sea is within that general rule, the halacha would be like the majority (i.e. Tanna Kamma), yet I have not seen decisors rule that the halacha is not like R' Yehuda. And the Ram also writes that one blesses 'Sheasah et Hayam Hagadol' on Yam Hagadol, therefore it seems that it is specifically referring to the Ocean Sea.

All seas are equivalent to a mikveh, for it is said, "And the gathering (ulemikveh) of the waters He called the seas" (Genesis 1:10), the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yehuda says: only the Great Sea is equivalent to a mikveh, for it says "seas" only because there are in it many kinds of seas.

The Sages taught: [On Shabbat,] one may bathe in the waters of Gerar, in the waters of Ḥamatan, in the waters of Asya, and in the waters of Tiveria; however, not in Yam Hagadol, nor in water [in which flax was] soaked, nor in the Sea of Sodom. And the Gemara raises a contradiction based on that which was taught in another baraita: One may bathe in the waters of Tiveria [on Shabbat] and in Yam Hagadol; but not in water [in which flax] was soaked, nor in the Sea of Sodom. This is difficult [because in the first baraita the Sages prohibit bathing in] Yam Hagadol, [and in this baraita they permit bathing in] the Yam Hagadol. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This is not difficult, because this baraita, [which permits bathing in Yam Hagadol, is in accordance with the opinion of] Rabbi Meir, [who deems all seas equal]. That [baraita, which prohibits bathing there, is in accordance with the opinion of] Rabbi Yehuda, [who holds that Yam Hagadol is unlike other seas]. As we learned in a mishna: All seas [purify] like a ritual bath [mikve], as it is stated: “[And God called the dry land earth], and the gathering together of the waters [mikve] He called seas” (Genesis 1:10); this is the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yehuda says: Only the Yam Hagadol purifies like a ritual bath, and the verse states seas only because there are many seas in [the Great Sea, not because all seas purify].

All streams flow into the sea,
Yet the sea is never full;
To the place [from] which they flow
The streams flow back again.

Rabbi Yehuda says: Any place that [is directly] across from Eretz Yisrael, [including the sea itself], is considered part of Eretz Yisrael, as it is stated: “And for the western border, you shall have the Yam Hagadol for a border, this shall be your west border” (Numbers 34:6). And with regard to the islands that are on the sides, one views them as though a string were pulled taut over them [in the north] from Kefalorya, [west of Turei Amnon,] to the Ocean, and [in the south] from the River of Egypt [westward] until the Ocean. [Those islands that lie] from the string and inward are part of Eretz Yisrael, [whereas those] from the string and outward are outside of Eretz Yisrael.

R' Avraham Abele Gombiner (c. 1635 – 5 October 1682)

And in the Sefer Haterumah, Siman 242, he writes that it is the [sea] that surrounds the land of England, as it says at the start of Sefer Yosifun.

R' Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman (1720-1797)

Explained like R' Yehuda because he is consistent with his opinion that a (specific) bracha is given.

[We learned in the mishna that] Rabbi Yehuda says [that one recites over herbs and leafy greens:] Who creates various kinds of herbs. Rabbi Zeira, and some say Rabbi Ḥinnana bar Pappa, said: The halakha is not in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda. And Rabbi Zeira, and some say Rabbi Ḥinnana bar Pappa, said: What is the reason for Rabbi Yehuda’s opinion? The verse says: “Blessed is the Lord, day by day” (Psalms 68:20). [The question arises:] Is it so that one blesses Him by day and does not bless Him at night? Rather, [the verse comes] to tell you: Each and every day, give the Lord [the appropriate] blessings [for that day]. Here too, [with regard to the blessings recited over food, for] each and every type [of food], give the [Lord the appropriate blessings for that food].

R' Shmuel ben Yosef Strashun (1794-1872)

The Magen Avraham in Siman 228 notes that this is the Ocean Sea, see there. And from here there is a proof for what is written above, that for a bracha we follow the language of humans, for in the language of Torah the Mediterranean Sea is called Yam Hagadol.

And it seems that the rationale of R' Yehuda is that because of its significance, a (specific) bracha was established for it, as for bread and wine, and not because we need a recognisable bracha for each sub-category (of a given category). For he also agrees that there is not a specific bracha for every fruit tree, and this is not like the Gra there. And furthermore here the Shulchan Aruch rules like him where on the subject of (having a specific) bracha (the Shulchan Aruch) does not rule like him.

R' Yosef Caro (1488-1575); Beit Yosef 228:2:1

And regarding [the Tur's] puzzling over the Rambam, why he rules like R' Yehuda who says one makes a separate bracha on Yam Hagadol and not like Tanna Kamma who does not distinguish between the bracha on Yam Hagadol and the bracha on other seas. Some suggest it is possible that (Rambam) holds that R' Yehuda does not disagree (with Tanna Kamma) but rather to elucidate his view, (namely) that Tanna Kamma is only saying that one blesses oseh maaseh bereishit on other seas but on Yam Hagadol (he would agree) one blesses baruch sheasah et hayam hagdol. And afterwards I found that the Rosh writes in an answer to a question on the Yam Hagadol, which in the Mishna it says one blesses baruch sheasah et hayam hagadol on, whether this refers to the ocean or our sea that passes by Israel and Egypt, that it seems it is specifically the ocean, even though in the wording of the verse our (Mediterranean) sea is called 'Hagadol', nevertheless here the implication is that it is the ocean since at the start of the Mishna it taught regarding seas and rivers that one blesses baruch oseh maaseh bereishit and then it returns to teach that R' Yehuda says that one who sees Yam Hagadol says baruch sheasah et hayam hagadol. Since the start of the Mishna refers to seas in general and R' Yehuda explains (specifically for) Yam Hagadol, that implies he is referring to the ocean and is not disagreeing with Tanna Kamma regarding all other seas, for there are many big seas in the world and R' Yehuda comes to say that Yam Hagadol has its own bracha and Tanna Kamma agrees with him. And R' Yonah writes that the Mishna taught about Yam Hagadol to exclude smaller seas that are like pools separated from Yam Hagadol which we do not bless on.

In the Gemara (59b) Rami bar Abba says in the name of R' Yitzchak that one who sees the Euphrates River near the bridge of Bavel says baruch oseh bereishit, and Rashi explains that one says baruch oseh bereishit at the bridge of Bavel (because) the Euphrates' path was unchanged by human intervention from there onwards, but from there down people made an alternate route. This implies that one only blesses oseh maaseh bereishit on rivers where one sees them in a place where their route has not been changed by man. And I do not know why the decisors do not write (this).

R' Yonah Gerondi (1200-1263)

Since there are small seas which are like pools separate from the Yam Hagadol therefore one says explicitly on Yam Hagadol for on that alone one blesses this bracha when one sees it intermittently, which is at the end of thirty (days). From the mouth of my teacher the Rav, God will preserve and redeem him.