Road Trip

Question: We are going on a road trip in a camper-van for a few days. Do we say tefillas haderech every day?

Answer: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 110:5) writes that one only recites tefillas haderech once a day even if one stops off during their journey. The Mishna Berura (110:26) adds that only if one stops off to stay somewhere overnight, do they recite a new beracha when they continue travelling. However, if one stops off for a few hours without properly staying somewhere, they omit Hashem’s name in the beracha when reciting tefillas haderech.

The Chida (Birkei Yosef OC 110:9) writes that sailors should only say tefillas haderech with the concluding beracha on the first day. As there is a safek as to whether one should say tefillas haderech on the following days, one should not complete the beracha (See Kaf Hachaim OC 110:47(.

R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Minchas Shlomo 2:60:4) and R’ Yehoshua Neuwirth (Ishei Yisrael 50:n13) explain that if one stops off properly to sleep then it doesn’t matter where one sleeps. However, one who is on a cruise, should say tefillas haderech when saying shema koleinu in the amida, as that concludes with the same beracha.

In conclusion, if one stops off for a proper night’s sleep then one repeats tefillas haderech the following day upon resuming their journey. If one just stops to rest for a few hours, it is best to include tefillas haderech in their amida.

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