Many people have asked us regarding a case where one puts on a Tallit in the synagogue and then, at some point during the prayers, one removes it for a few minutes and then wishes to put it back on. Is one required to recite another blessing before doing so?
The Root of the Doubt
The doubt here is that removing the Tallit for a few minutes creates an interruption and thus, when one wishes to put it back on a few minutes later, this is a new Mitzvah which requires a new blessing.
On the other hand, there is room to claim that since at the time one removed the Tallit, one had in mind to put it back on in addition to the fact that not so much time has passed and one continues to think about the Tallit in the interim, the blessing one made on the Tallit originally should carry over to the second wrapping as well.
The Disagreement Among the Rishonim
Indeed, Maran Ha’Bet Yosef (Ch. 8) discusses this matter and rules that if one removes his Tallit, even with the intention of putting it back on a few minutes later, one must recite a new blessing before putting it back on. This is how he rules in Shulchan Aruch as well.
Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l (Yabia Omer, Vol. 2, Ch. 2, Subsection 3) quotes several Rishonim who clearly side with the ruling of Maran, including Ritba, Nimukei Yosef, and Ra’ah, among others.
On the other hand, the Rama rules that if one intended to put the Tallit back on a few minutes later at the time one removed it, one should not recite another blessing. Several Rishonim rule likewise.
Doubt Regarding Blessings
In general, the custom of Sephardic and Middle Eastern Jews is always to rule in accordance with the rulings of Maran Ha’Bet Yosef, even when many Poskim disagree with him. Indeed, Rabbeinu Yaakov ibn Zur (a great Moroccan luminary) writes in his Responsa Mishpat Utzdakah Be’Yaakov that Sephardic Jews have accepted the rulings of Maran Ha’Bet Yosef even when one-thousand Poskim disagree with him.
Nevertheless, in our scenario which involves a doubt regarding blessings (since the Poskim disagree whether or not another blessing should be recited), since reciting the blessing according to the Poskim who rule not to causes one to transgress the grave sin of bearing Hashem’s name in vain, we must weigh whether or not to rule in accordance with Maran or perhaps we should follow the rule of “When in doubt regarding a blessing, do not bless” even against Maran.
The Opinion of Maran Ha’Chida
Halachically speaking, Maran Ha’Chida writes in his Sefer Chaim Sha’al that he has heard from his teachers that we rule in accordance with the rule of “When in doubt, do not bless” even against the ruling of Maran Ha’Bet Yosef.
Even Maran zt”l, who was the staunchest defender of the rulings of Maran Ha’Bet Yosef, would exclaim that “I wish I could rule like Maran to recite a blessing,” however, in practice, he writes that we must follow the instructions of the teachers of Maran Ha’Chida and not recite a blessing when such a doubt exists, as many Rishonim and the Rama rule not to bless, even though this is in opposition to the ruling of the Bet Yosef. Thus, if one removes one’s Tallit, one must not recite a blessing when putting it back on unless at least half an hour has passed since one removed it, in which case one must recite a new blessing.
Summary: If one removes one’s Tallit with the intention of putting it back on, such as if one exits the synagogue to use the restroom, one should not recite a new blessing when putting it back on, unless a half-hour has passed, in which case one must recite a new blessing.
