[Avodah] Should a bracha be recited on a solar eclipse?

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

On Tue, Aug 22, 2017 at 07:11:06AM -0400, Richard Wolberg via Avodah wrote:
: Shulchan Aruch (OC 227:1) lists many natural events for which the
: bracha of 'Oseh Ma'aseh Breishis' ('He performs the acts of creation')
: is recited, such as lightening, thunder and great winds. However,
: an eclipse is not included in this list...

The Steipler's students wrote (Orekhos Rabbeinu I pg 93) that the Steipler
held that the reason is that we do not make berakhos on things that
bode bad news. (Igeros haQodah 15:1079) I think you personally would
find it unsurprising that this is true even though the the bad omen of
an eclipse is for others, not Jews.

BTW, those who understand likui chamma in the gemara to refer to solar
flares rather than eclipses... Do they hold one would make a berakhah?
Or do they give a different explanation for why no berakhah is said?

I see the LR mentions just to dismiss as insufficient the idea that the
the reason why an eclipse is a bad omen for aku"m and Jewish chot'im
(mentioned on-list last week) is because they should be moved to see
Creation in it but can't.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

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Micha Berger                 Time flies...
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