<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:garamond, 'new york', times, serif;font-size:12pt"><div>many frum peopele (especially R"L) when having difficulties in life say things like "IY"Hashem" or "God Willing" or R"L, Lo Aleinu, Hashem YeRachem, "Amen" (in a loud voice) or "Al Tiftach Pech", etc., instead of just plain speaking and/or answering a simple question.</div><div>Case in point: Q. How are you feeling? A. Baruch Hashem.</div><div>The question was never really answered. </div><div>(Hashem is and should be blessed (IMO) no matter how we are feeling at the time, and yes it is true that things could always be worse (or better)....but why does saying "Baruch Hashem" answer the question/issue at hand???</div><div>My question is, are these mannerisms of speaking 1. done out of irrational fear, 2. done to "Al Tiftach Peh" 3. done for other halachic/kaballistic reasons. 4. done
because of common parlance that has developed over the years. 5. done because of superstitions real/imagined. and finally, 5. should all/some of them be eliminated??</div><div>thanks much, </div><div>hb</div><div style="position:fixed"></div>
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