Chapter 46: Laws of the morning blessings

Paragraph 1 — When one wakes up from his sleep, he should say "My G-d, the soul..." (אלהי נשמה). When one hears the voice of the cockerel, he should recite the blessing: "who gives to the heart/cockerel^[1] understanding". When one dresses, he should recite the blessing: "who clothes the naked". When one places his hands upon his eyes, he should recite the blessing: "who makes the blind see". When one sits up, he should recite the blessing: "who releases the bound". When one straightens up, he should recite the blessing: "who straightens the crooked". When one puts his feet on the ground, he should recite the blessing: "who stretches out the land over the water". When one puts on his shoes, he should recite the blessing: "who provides for me all my needs". When one (starts to) walk, he should recite the blessing: "who steadies the footsteps of a man". When one girds himself with a belt, he should recite the blessing: "who girds Israel with might". Rem"a: or when he puts on his trousers^[2] which separate his heart from his private parts. When one puts a hat or turban on his head, he recites the blessing: "who crowns Israel with splendour". When one performs (the morning) hand-washing, he should recite the blessing: "upon washing the hands". When one washes his face, he should recite the blessing: "who removes sleep from my eyes ... and may it be his will ..." until "Blessed are you, Lord, who performs loving-kindness to his people, Israel". One should not answer "Amen" after "who removes sleep from my eyes" (rather he should wait) until the conclusion (of the blessing at): "who performs loving-kindness to his people, Israel.", because it is all one blessing.

Paragraph 2 — Nowadays, because our hands are not properly clean and also because ignorant persons do not know (the blessings), the custom is (for the leader) to say them in order at the Synagogue and (the congregation) answers "Amen" and fulfils their obligation.

Paragraph 3 — One is obliged to recite at least 100 blessings every day.

Paragraph 4 — It is necessary to recite the following (additional) blessings every day: "who has not made me an idol-worshipper", "who has not made me a slave", "who has not made me a woman". Rem"a: Even a convert can made an appropriate blessing^[3] but he should not say"who has not made me a Gentile" because he was a Gentile originally. And women say "who has made me according to His will."

Paragraph 5 — If one (erroneously) recited: "who straightens the crooked" before "who releases the bound", then he should not recite the latter at all.

Paragraph 6 — Some have the custom to recite the blessing: "who gives strength to the weary", but their words do not seem (correct). Rem"a: But there is a clear custom among the Ashkenazi Jews to recite it.

Paragraph 7 — Some have the custom to recite other blessings in addition to all of the above, but their practice is erroneous.

Paragraph 8 — With respect to all of the above blessings: if one is not obliged to say any one of them - for example because one did not hear the voice of a cockerel or he has not walked or dressed or girded himself - he should say that blessing without mentioning the name of G-d.

Rem"a: Some say that even if he is not (personally) obliged to say them, he should still recite them, because the blessings do not only relate to the individual himself, rather we are reciting blessings which (recognise that) the Holy One Blessed is He has provided for all the needs of the world. That is the proper custom and it should not be changed.

Paragraph 9 — One should not recite scriptural verses before reciting the blessing(s) of the Torah, even though he might be reciting (the verses) by way of supplication. Some say that we should not be concerned about this, if the verses are recited by way of supplication, but it is better to be careful and rely on the former opinion.

Rem"a: But our custom is according to the latter opinion. So, on the days of selichot^[4], we recite selichot and only afterwards do we recite the blessings of the Torah in the normal position with the other morning blessings. And similarly, every day when we enter the synagogue, we say some verses and some supplications and only afterwards do we recite the blessings of the Torah. And furthermore, we have the custom to place the reciting of the blessing(s) of the Torah immediately after "who has formed" (אשר יצר) and this should not be changed. Also, it is good practice in the early morning to say "Blessed is the Glorious Name of His Kingdom Forever" after saying "Hear, O Israel" ("Shema") because sometimes his formal recitation of the Shema may be delayed beyond its proper time, and so one would fulfill his obligation by this (earlier recitation)