[Avodah] sfira bracha

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, May 23, 2023 at 05:43:41AM -0400, Akiva Miller via Avodah wrote:
> I think that an important preface to that discussion would be to talk about
> Baruch Hu Uvaruch Sh'mo in *general*, including examples such as Birchos
> Hashachar and Chazaras Hashatz.
> 
> It seems to me that this phrase has been dropping out of favor over the
> past half-century, to the point where I find myself hearing someone say it,
> and my reaction is, "Oh, yeah, I remember when everyone would say that."

My theory -- Brisker lomdus. The source of most new hanhagos.

My experience included more R Shimondik Telzher Lomdus, rather than
Brisker, and what I am saying is true of Lomdus in general. It just
happens that what became widespread was the Brisker variant. (Which
in turn evolved from R Chaim's original by becoming more centered on
Patterns and a standard Pattern Library. [Capitalized to capture the
nuances of these words in Computer Programming jargon for those who
know it.)

Lomdus is different in kind than the classical analysis one used to
exclusively find in pesaq. Compare the BY, Darkhei Moshe, AhS, or IM,
for examples, with how you were probably taught to analyze "shas and
posqim" in yeshiva.

But now, lomdus has entered the poseiq's tool set.

1- This deprecates the role of accepted practice ("mimeticism"), since
it has no roles in lomdus.

2- Lomdus isn't a tool for deciding why to hold one way and not the other.
It aims at understanding the point of contention so that both sides are
(hopefully equally) reasonable.

Which leads to a greater use of "safeiq logic" in pesaq. (Or perhaps:
... rather than actually pasqening.) Being chosheish for rishon X's
shitah, rov rishonim hold, etc... (And these too could be beyond the
evidence: being chosheish for my lomdus's understanding of rishon X.)

To apply my theory to your example:

1- The fact that everyone used to say BHuVS doesn't drive a search for
why we hold that way. It isn't a machria.

2- Now that a formerly closed question is open, we are deciding to be
chosheish for the Gra's shitah (Tosefes Maaseh Rav) that once shouldn't
answer "amein" if they interrupted the berakhah with it. Never mind not
being yotzei -- eg chazarat hashatz, if you follow R Chaim Brisker's diyuq
that the Rambam is talking about a second chiyuv of tefillas hatzibbur.
And this outweighs the nice-but-non-mandatory fulfillment of "Ki sheim H'
eqra, havu godel Leilokeinu" that dates back at least to the Roqeiach (who
also gives "Barukh Sheim Kevod Malkhuso le'olam va'ed" as an option), and
is recorded in the Tur as shitas haRosh. (The Rosh and Roqeiach being
contemporaries.) And from there to the SA, etc...

I could picture the AhS saying that common practice proves we hold like
the Rosh and not the like the Gra. Done.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

PS: SPeaking of new hanhagos... I recently startled two thirty-somethings
by informing them that when I was a kid, even when I got married, most
men were not careful to find someone else to say VaYekhulu with if they
couldn't say it with the minyan.

In context, it was two brothers. And I pointed out that saying eidus with
your brother shouldn't be much better. Nor is eidus accepted at night. One
can witness something (e.g. a wedding) but one cannot give the eidus over,
anyway. Then I added that there is really no need, as this is a Brisker
thing, not actual din. You won't find it in the MB or AhS, and most people
didn't for much of my life.

-- 
Micha Berger                 Today is the 47th day, which is
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   6 weeks and 5 days in/toward the omer.
Author: Widen Your Tent      Hod sheb'Malchus: What is glorious about
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF             unity-how does it draw out one's soul?