Bentching Gomel Following a Crash

Question: I narrowly missed a serious pile-up on the motorway in which people were seriously hurt. Should I bentch gomel?

Answer: The Gemara (Berachos 54b) teaches that there are four specific scenarios following which one recites the beracha of hagomel. They are crossing a desert or a sea, imprisonment, or serious illness. Nonetheless, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 219:9) writes that there is a machlokes as to whether this list is exclusive or not. The Magen Avraham (219:10), Shulchan Aruch Harav (Birkas Hanehenin 13:7) and Mishna Berura (219:32) write that we pasken that one recites the beracha upon being saved from other potentially fatal situations, too.

Nonetheless, the Chida (Birkei Yosef OC 219:8; Machzik Beracha OC 219:6), Ben Ish Chai (Ekev 1:10) and Kaf Hachaim (OC 219:52) write that we only recite the beracha following these four instances. If one survived a different incident, one should recite the beracha without Hashem’s name.

The Chayei Adam (1:65:4) writes that one who has survived being hit by a heavy falling stone recites the beracha, regardless as to whether the stone hit them or just missed.

However, the Mishna Berura (218:32) disagrees, writing that if the stone fell and just missed them, there is a machlokes as to whether one recites the beracha. Thus, one should recite the beracha without Hashem’s name.

Following this, R’ Yisroel Pesach Feinhandler (Avnei Yashpei 1:46:2) and Piskei Teshuvos (218:10) write that one who narrowly avoided a dangerous car crash should not bentch gomel.

One who was involved in a dangerous car-crash should bentch gomel. One who narrowly avoided such an incident, does not bentch gomel.

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