What To Do If You Missed A Night Of Sefira And You’re Trapped At The Amud

amudRav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach Zatzal says, that even if you missed a night and can no longer count with a bracha you can still make a bracha if you are being Motzi another person. Therefore if you are the Chazzan and it will be very embarrassing to ask someone else to make the bracha for the tzibbur, Rav Shlomo Zalman suggests, that you ask someone who is counting with a bracha not to make the bracha that night and instead he should let you make the bracha for him. He will be Yotzei with you bracha. Even though the rule is that in order to be motzi someone else, you yourself must be obligated, in this case says Rav Shlomo Zalman, you are obligated in the mitzva only since you forgot you cannot make a bracha. However you are still responsible for others and therefore can make a bracha for them.

Important Note from author at Revach.net: We try to convey the Tshuva to the best of our ability. We admit that our understanding may not be accurate. Please also understand that this Tshuva may not be the final word on this topic. One should consult a Rav before drawing any conclusions.

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11 COMMENTS

  1. R’ Tzvi Pesach Frank says that this story actually happened to the Beis Halevey . He was davening Maariv for the amud and he forgot a previous night of Sefira . He asked one of the Mispalelim to do just what R’ Shlomo Zalman says.

  2. Well if you are davening at the minyan shelanu then you don’t have to be embarrassed. At the minyan no one will look down at you for missing a night !! Go there and you will see for your self marriv is at 10pm every weekday night.

  3. Pretty sure Rav Vosner paskens in Shevet Halevi that in this embarrasing situation, for kovod habreios, one may rely on the Rishonom and poskim that permit a bracha, even if a day was missed.

  4. Attn: Tyrone

    Did you mean to ask me to please look it up? A little tact goes a long way.

    See Shevet Halevy Orach Chaim 3:96. where he indeed paskens exactly that, regarding a Rav who forgot one night.

    Gut Shabbos

  5. Also brought in Midrash Pinchas same thing happened to R’ Pinchas of Koretz [talmid of the Bal Shem Tov] (or to his talmid R’ Refoel) and the Lomdim came up with the same solution, be Motzie somebody in the Tzibbur.

    One of the Rebbes Shlita questioned how is it possible for such a Tzadik to “forget” to count Sfira.

    He explained it with a story, that when the Nodeh B’Yehudah was published, the Boruch Tam received it in the afternoon and went up into the attic to learn it.

    He sat there for 3 days and 3 nights straight and came down when he finished and asked “Nu Ven gait min zich shtellen zu Mincha” [ When are we going to start Mincha]!

    We can also say the same thing about the Bais Halevi ( I think it’s brought about the Gri”z).

    I saw that the Gri’z had a cold and asked someone to be Motzei him with a Brochu on the Succah because he was afraid that M’Ztar Putur Min Hasucah.

    He probably had some concern about the Sefirah, and therefore asked someone to be Motzei him.

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