If someone missed a day of sefira and is unable to recite the brocha, we have seen that it is possible that he can recite a brocha on behalf of someone else. But the rule of thumb is that one can only recite a brocha on behalf of someone else if he himself is also required in the mitzvah. Is someone who missed a day considered still required in the mitzvah?
The Shaarei Teshuva quotes a machlokes in the poskim. The Pri Chodosh was asked this very question, and rules that he is no longer considered required in the mitzvah, and cannot be motzi others. However, there are many poskim who maintain that he is still considered required in the mitzvah, and rule that he can be motzi others.
The Pri Chodosh explains that once he missed a day, and he can no longer perform the mitzvah of counting sefira, he is not considered required in the mitzvah. Once he cannot fulfill the mitzvah, he can no longer be motzi others.
The acharonim explain that the other poskim who do allow one to be motzi others hold that the person is still considered required in the mitzvah. It is just that he is unable to fulfill the mitzvah for technical reasons.
Halachically Speaking
Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach ruled that one can rely on the opinion that allows the chazzan or rav to be motzi someone else with the brocha. The Har Tzvi quotes a story where the Beis Halevi actually did so, and when he missed a day, he asked someone else to be motzi him with his brocha.
On the other hand, the Sefardic poskim, such as the Chida and Kaf Hachaim, follow the ruling of the Pri Chodosh, and do not allow this practice.
Permissibility to Save One from Shame
The Shevet Halevi and Rav Moshe Halbershtam add that when it comes to a rav, there is another possible heter. Since he may suffer embarrassment from the fact that he missed a day of sefira, to save the honor of the Torah, one can rely on those who allow him to be motzi someone else with the brocha.
Interestingly, this scenario of missing a day of sefira once happened to the Satmar Rebbe, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum. The Chasidim were very concerned that it would be embarrassing if he would not be able to count out loud, as was his custom. They went and asked a rav, who ruled that the Rebbe can continue to count with a brocha, and rely on those who allow him to be motzi someone else with the brocha. However, when they related this to the Rebbe he replied that he did not plan to use this heter. It is important for people to see, he added, that a Rebbe is also human and can miss a day of sefira.
Rav Moshe Feinstein even took this idea a step further and, as quoted in my father’s sefer, Darkei Moshe, he allowed any chazzan to recite the brocha. He ruled that one can rely on those who allow him to be motzi someone else with the brocha, even if not a rav, in order to be saved from the embarrassment that he missed a day of sefira.
Allowance for a Rav to Recite the Brocha Without Being Motzi Anyone
Rav Moshe Halbershtam takes the concept of embarrassment even further. He adds that it is possible that a rav, who will be embarrassed by the fact that he missed a day of sefira, can recite the brocha even if he is not being motzi someone else. They explain that, in such a case, one can rely on the many rishonim who allow reciting the brocha if one misses a day of sefira, even if he is not being motzi someone else with the brocha.
Summary
In a case that an entire day of sefira was missed, one must continue to count, but must not recite the brocha. Preferably, he should hear the brocha from someone else. There is a machlokes if one can recite the brocha to be motzi others. Some allow it in a case that the rav will be embarrassed. Some allow it even in a case of any chazzan who will be embarrassed. Some allow the rav to recite the brocha, even if he is not being motzi others.
Rabbi Scheiner
