The blessing for 600,000 Jews

Question

The Gemara (Berakhot 58b) mentions that upon seeing 600,000 Jews one says the blessing "Baruch...Chacham HaRazim" (Who knows all secrets), and this is halacha (Sh.A. O.C. 224:5).

Does any know of any time in history (besides Har Sinai) when this has happened? I would think that such a large gathering liklier in the State of Israel, but has the blessing been said?

[A separate question would be how you even count such an event. Besides the sheer mass, we can't count Jews to begin with (perhaps we would go through ticket stubs).]

I'd love to hear if anything of the sort has been organized.

Well from that same gemara we see that Rav Chanina said it on 2 ppl so that another time ,but u are asking on the 600000 as opposed to the bracha. — sam, Sep 12 '12 at 18:37
I remember once (around 2006) there was a rally (maybe pro-Israel?) on the Mall in DC and they were estimating and trying to get to 600k, but fell short. — Charles Koppelman, Sep 12 '12 at 19:00
What about Meron during Lag BaOmer? Last year there were half a million Jews over there (myself not included), maybe they said it: http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=174455 — Aryeh, Sep 12 '12 at 19:20
And yet somehow, Reshuyot haRabbim were so common that Chazal still felt a need to make incredibly restrictive Gezeirot lest someone accidentally carry. I'd have to assume this Bracha was said all the time! — Double AA, Sep 12 '12 at 19:21
The Gemara there says that one of the Tanayim said it during the aliya leregel — ertert3terte, Sep 12 '12 at 20:56
@Aryeh In Meron, people come and go the entire 24 hour period of Lag B'Omer. There is not half a million people at one time. — Michoel, Sep 12 '12 at 21:35
@sam Who else was living in Israel? Recall that the first takkanot of Eiruvin were made by King Shlomo according to the Gemara. But my point stands for the Tanaaim as well. — Double AA, Sep 12 '12 at 23:58
@sam Hundreds of thousands of them?! Recall that the entire population of Rome around Churban Bayit Sheni was only about a million. — Double AA, Sep 13 '12 at 04:48
@Ariel Well, not all agree to 'per day', but you are right that it doesn't mean all at once. Touchee! I guess they didn't say the bracha all the time. :/ — Double AA, Sep 13 '12 at 07:16
@DoubleAA I've seen a Tzemach Tzedek where he says that the whole Gezeira of Rava (or was it Rabba) was to avoid carrying in a karmelis (kind of a gezeira to a gezeira). — ertert3terte, Oct 08 '13 at 06:10
@DoubleAA Also, the Gemara there says that there was no "ochlosia(?)" in Bovel. It's a Gemara used by those who argue on the 600,000 requirement for a reshus harabim, as there were quite clear Reshuious harabim in Bavel (as in the debate in the beginning of Eiruvin whether one must close the door of a public domain to make it private, and they brought a proof from Nahardah, or the Mavoi Akum, etc.) — ertert3terte, Oct 08 '13 at 06:14
@DoubleAA 600000 isn't mentioned in the gemara, and there are different views on it, but it would probably mean in an entire area in a day, such as a large city. — Ariel K, Oct 08 '13 at 15:39
@ArielK Of course it's not in the Gemara. The Gemara wouldn't say such incredulous things. — Double AA, Oct 08 '13 at 17:17
@ShmuelBrin Almost anything can be justified with sufficiently dachuk svaras. — Double AA, Oct 08 '13 at 17:18
@DoubleAA The view in the rishonim of 600k may be difficult, but since its discussing a city, it still wouldn't be like seeing 600k together for a bracha. — Ariel K, Oct 08 '13 at 17:52
@ShmuelBrin I mean understanding שמא יעבירנו ד אמות ברשות הרבים as a Karmelit to be very dachuk. — Double AA, Oct 08 '13 at 19:27

Ypnypn · Answer 1 · 2014-05-13T21:16:03.060

4

At the rally about drafting yeshiva bachurim on March 2, 2014, over 600,000 Jews attended, and the blessing Chacham HaRazim was said. (two links)

The blessing was led by Rav Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi, and introduced by Rav Elimelech Tirnauer. (Hamodia)

edited May 13 '14 at 21:16

answered May 13 '14 at 20:58

Ypnypn

8,283
1
17
44

1

Oh, the irony of such Israeli unity! Is there anymore info on this. Only the headline mentions the bracha was said, but the article doesn't give any explanation (i.e., how did they know the protestors were 600K at the time, who authorized saying the bracha, etc.) – Aryeh May 13 '14 at 21:08
@Aryeh I added more info (from Hamodia) – Ypnypn May 13 '14 at 21:16
One of your links claims there was really only 300000 and hence the bracha was levatalla I guess. – Double AA May 14 '14 at 02:15

score 3 · Answer 2 · edited Oct 08 '13 at 19:31

3

According to a contemporary news report, on October 7, 2013 Rabbi Ovadia Yosef was laid to rest with 850,000 people attending the funeral.

edited Oct 08 '13 at 19:31

Double AA

98,894
6
250
713

answered Oct 08 '13 at 05:47

astone26

189
6

1

I've seen many different estimations. These things tend to be over-estimated in the initial reports. Can you source definitively that more than 600K were there? – Double AA Oct 08 '13 at 05:56
2

What @DoubleAA said. Also, were they gathered in one place (or, say, 'attending' via watching and listening on screens)? And do you know about whether the b'racha was said (by anyone of halachic authority, say)? In any event, welcome to Mi Yodeya! I hope you stick around and post good questions and answers, and may we share s'machos in the future. – msh210 Oct 08 '13 at 05:57
It would be interesting to know if the blessing was said. It could be that they were spread over a large enough area that one wouldn't be able to see all of them in one shot (unless one were to be in a helicopter). – ertert3terte Oct 08 '13 at 06:12
It seems like it answers the first half (that more than 600,000 people came) while not answering the (IMO more important) second half (whether a bracha was said). – ertert3terte Oct 08 '13 at 06:16
I didn't see any report that less than 600k people were there. However, they were spread out over many streets, so not sure what would qualify for the beracha. See the pictures here: http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/70336000/jpg/_70336470_70336469.jpg http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/10/08/rabbi-ovadia-yosefs-death-stirs-up-israeli-politics-brings-jerusalem-to-a-standstill-as-700000-people-attend-funeral/ http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/half-million-at-rav-ovadias-funeral/2013/10/07/ – Ariel K Oct 08 '13 at 15:43
1

@ArielK, in what context would 600,000 people fit in a single venue? – Seth J Oct 08 '13 at 20:13
I did see someone write that he said the Berachah for the first time in his life in the context of yesterday's funeral. – Seth J Oct 08 '13 at 20:14
@SethJ I don't know how together they need to be. But maybe they need to be in one specific area that's visible at once as opposed to spread out over many different streets. – Ariel K Oct 08 '13 at 20:20
(i.e. in an square that can fit 775 people on each side, so say 1550 feet per side.) – Ariel K Oct 08 '13 at 20:22
@ArielK, whether we go with your estimate or a more formal one, that strikes me as rather unrealistic. – Seth J Oct 08 '13 at 20:28
@sethJ, that's a building code, and it only adds a couple inches. at some events, 1 person gets even less than 4 square feet. – Ariel K Oct 08 '13 at 20:43
@ArielK FWIW the Temple mount is about equivalent to 1250 feet per side, so it would have to be totally full to get a blessing. – Double AA Jan 10 '17 at 01:17

The blessing for 600,000 Jews

2 Answers2

Linked