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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