Shome’ah Ke’onah With Tefillas HaDerech
There is a dispute amongst the poskim if one can fulfill his obligation to recite Tefillas HaDerech via the principle of shome’ah ke’onah, on the one hand, some say it is no different to all other times when shome’ah ke’onah works, and even though it’s request for mercy (בקשת רחמים ), shome’ah ke’onah works (Eishal Avraham, MiButchach 110, Mahadura Tinyona and Shu”t Kinyan Torah Vol. 2, siman 119, s.k. 2). On the other hand, some say that it’s better for each person to recite his own Tefillas HaDerech just like Shemonah Esrei where we find that each person should recite his own tefillah, like it’s clear in Shulchan Aruch HaRav (59:4) and Mishnah Berurah (59, s.k. 15, and 124, s.k. 1). Nonetheless, it’s clear from the Taz (110:6) that there is an advantage for many people to recite Tefillas HaDerech at the same time, as זכות הרבים עדיף – the merit of the public is better (see the Noheg KeTzoin Yosef, pg. 73 who brings that the minhag is that everyone should recite Tefillas HaDerech individually at the same time as everyone else).
