Brachos on Seas and Mountains
Seas, Rivers
1. Upon seeing seas, rivers, mountains, hills, or deserts, one should say, “ברוך אתה ד' אמ"ה עושה מעשה בראשית” (שו"ע או"ח רכ"ח ס" ). This is only if one has not seen them within the past 30 days (במ"ב סק" ).
2. Thus, on all seas that have existed since Creation, one says, “עושה מעשה בראשית.”
3. If one saw one of these sights, left without saying a brachah, and sees them again before 30 days have passed, it could be he can no longer say the brachah (ביה"ל סי' רי"ח ס"א ד"ה במקו ).
4. On the Mediterranean Sea, the Mechaber holds one should say, “בא"ה אמ"ה עושה הים הגדול,” or in the past tense, “שעשה את הים הגדול” (ר מג"א וא" ). However, many Acharonim maintain that one should only say “עושה מעשה בראשית” (במ"ב סק" ).
5. On the oceans, [the Atlantic or Pacific], all poskim agree that one should say “עושה הים הגדול” or “שעשה את הים הגדול,” since they encompass most of the world (מ"ב ש ).
6. On the Kinneret, one should say, “עושה מעשה בראשית” (מור וקציעה, הליכות שלמה פכ"ג הכ"ז).
7. Although the Dead Sea is one of the geographic wonders of the world, it is unclear if it gets a brachah so one should not say “עושה מעשה בראשית.” The reason for this is because it is apparent from Chazal (עי' רש"י בראשית י" עה"פ עמק השידים) that the Dead Sea did not exist since Creation; rather, channels of water flowed to the area, resulting in the Dead Sea (שו"ת שבה" ח"ט סי' מ"ז).
Mountains, Waterfalls
8. The brachah “עושה מעשה בראשית” is also said on extraordinary mountains and hills that reflect the might of their Creator (שו"ע רכ"ח ג ). This is subjective: it all depends if a person is moved, based on how accustomed he is to seeing such mountains.
9. One can say a brachah on the towering Alps (שו"ת אור לציון ח"ב פמ"ו ס" ), as well as on the mountains that surround Hungary (שולחן הטהור סי' רכ"ח, נמוק או"ח סי' ער"ב).
10. Regarding the mountains next to Bad Ragaz, Switzerland, my rebbi the Kenei Bosem told the Toldos Avraham Yitzchok Rebbe shlit”a that the brachah can be said (היכל הוראה ח"א הוראה ט" ).
11. The leading rabbanim say a brachah on the Niagara Falls, as it is clear that they have been around since Creation and remain unchanged by human intervention (ויהי בנסוע פי"ד הערה כ" ).
Going to a Pool or Beach
Devarim Shebikdushah
12. In a swimming pool, one may say devarim shebikdushah. Even if the water is heated, it does not have the status of a bathhouse since it is not heated so much that it produces steam and haze. Also, people do not bathe unclothed in a pool (אשי ישראל פנ"ג הכ" ).
13. A changing room on a beach where people get undressed and dressed does not have the status of a bathhouse even if people also shower there in cold water. Thus, when there is no one unclothed present, one may say devarim shebikdushah there (אשי ישראל פנ"ג הכ" ).
14. Strictly speaking one may say a brachah wearing only a bathing suit and a head covering even if his chest is bare (שו"ע ע"ד ס" ). Nonetheless, the Mishnah Berurah writes (שם סקכ" ) that lechatchilah it is improper to do this.
15. One may speak words of Torah in a bathing suit (הגרח"פ שיינברג הובא בחי' בתרא) and doing so fulfills the mitzvah of “ובלכתך בדרך,” but his head must be covered (מ"ב סי' ב' סקי" ).
Davening on a Beach
16. Mincha. One must lechatchilah daven Minchah before going to the beach after midday since going to a beach or pool is one of the activities that may not be started before davening Minchah, just like going to a bathhouse (שו"ע או"ח רל"ה ס" ). This is to prevent a person from lingering and not davening on time.
17. At beaches [in Eretz Yisroel, at separate beaches approved by rabbanim], there are often Minchah minyanim close to shekiyah. Even so, it is better to daven earlier since these minyanim fulfill several halachos in a bedieved fashion, as will be explained.
18. In appropriate clothing. Based on the posuk, “הכון לקראת אלקיך ישראל,” Chazal derive that when davening, one must act as if he were standing and speaking in awe before a king (שבת י ). Thus, one must be dressed respectably. A ben Torah and yerei Shomayim especially must make sure to always daven with a hat and jacket (שו"ת דברי יציב ח"א סי' ס', ושו"ת תשוה"נ ח" סי' כ"ו).
19. Lechatchilah a person’s heart must be covered when davening (שו"ע צ" ס"א). The Mishnah Berurah (בסק" ) adds that this is true for the entire body. Thus, lechatchilah one should not daven in shorts or short sleeves (הגרש"ז , הליכות שלמה פ"ב סט"ו). One may be meikel when necessary in a place where people commonly wear such attire in public (לקט הקמח החדש סי' צ"א סק" ).
20. In a bedieved or one is in a situation where one did not have anything to cover himself with and he davened, he is yotzei as long as he covered his ervah (שו"ע ש ). However, lechatchilah it is better not to daven at all in such a situation (ביאה"ל סי' צ" א).
21. Shailah: Is it better to daven with a minyan, wearing a bathing suit and shirt, or by yourself later with a hat and jacket? Answer: The Gaavad of Yerushalayim shlit”a answered that it is better to daven alone with a jacket and hat.
