Halacha Date: 14 Cheshvan 5777 November 15 2016
Question: If one forgets to recite the “Asher Yatzar” blessing and remembers at a later time, how long after one has become obligated to recite this blessing may he still recite it?
Answer: In the previous Halacha, we have explained in a general manner that our Sages have enacted that anyone who uses the facilities must wash his hands and recite the “Asher Yatzar” blessing.
In one of his responses, Rabbeinu Chaim Ohr Zarua (one of the Rishonim, Chapter 101) writes: “I asked my master, Rabbeinu Meir zt”l, until when can one recite the “Asher Yatzar” blessing, for this is not comparable to Birkat Hamazon which can be recited until the food is digested in one’s stomach (meaning that one may recite Birkat Hamazon whenever one remembers that he did not yet, so long as one does not feel hungry again), for there, one is benefitting from the food in one’s stomach until one becomes hungry again; however, here this is not the case. I did not hear a specific time for this from my holy master.”
The Disagreement Between the Levush and Ya’abetz
The Acharonim disagree regarding this law, for some say that one may recite this blessing whenever one remembers that he has not yet done so, for the “Asher Yatzar” blessing is not a blessing for enjoyment (a blessing recited before having enjoyment such as the blessing of “Boreh Peri Ha’Etz” and the like); rather, it is a blessing of praise and thanksgiving to Hashem and once one becomes obligated to recite it, one must recite it and there are no time-constraints. This is seemingly the opinion of the Levush and the Peri Megadim as well.
Hagaon Ya’abetz writes in one of his responses (Chapter 15) that as long as one does not yet feel the urge to use the restroom again, one may still recite the “Asher Yatzar” blessing, for one still benefits from his prior usage of the facilities and must praise Hashem for this. Clearly, he disagrees with the aforementioned opinion of the Levush and the other Poskim, for according to him, the time for this blessing to be recited is only while one still benefits from his prior use of the restroom. Nevertheless, Maran Ha’Chida in his Birkei Yosef (Chapter 6, Subsection 3) writes in the name of Maharam di Lunzano that if some time passed, one may no longer recite this blessing. He does not explain though how much time must elapse.
The Opinion of Rabbeinu Eliyahu Mani and Rabbeinu Yosef Haim
Hagaon Harav Eliyahu Mani (Chief Rabbi of Hebron approximately one-hundred years ago) writes in his Sefer Zichronot Eliyahu in the name of his teacher, Hagaon Harav Abdullah Somech (leading Torah luminary of the generation who lived in Iraq approximately one-hundred and fifty years ago), that when the Chida writes that if some time passes one may no longer recite this blessing, this refers to a time-span of seventy-two minutes, for we do not find any importance to an amount of time that is less than this. On the other hand, Rabbeinu Yosef Haim in his Ben Ish Hai (Vayetze, Section 12) writes that if a half-hour passes, one may no longer recite the “Asher Yatzar” blessing with Hashem’s name; before this time passes, however, one may still recite it.
Maran zt”l’s Opinion at First and Why He Changed His Mind
Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l writes in his Responsa Yabia Omer (Volume 1, Chapter 9) that one should be concerned with the opinion of Rabbeinu Yosef Haim and not recite this blessing with Hashem’s name once a half-hour has elapsed, for we have a great general rule, “When in doubt, do not bless.” Since according to Rabbeinu Yosef Haim reciting this blessing after a half-hour’s time entails a blessing in vain, one should not recite this blessing after a half-hour has elapsed. However, upon authoring his Responsa Yechave Da’at, Volume 4 at a later time, Maran zt”l writes that he saw in the Ritba’s (one of the foremost Rishonim) commentary on Pesachim (46a) who writes clearly that if one has no water to wash one’s hands, our Sages obligate him to trouble himself to walk a “Parsah” (seventy-two minute distance) in order to obtain water to wash his hands and recite the blessing. It is clear from the words of the Ritba that as long as seventy-two minutes have not elapsed, one must still recite the “Asher Yatzar” blessing. Certainly, if Rabbeinu Yosef Haim and the other Poskim would have seen the words of the Ritba, they would have no doubt whatsoever whether or not one should recite this blessing during this time-span or not. Thus, halachically speaking, as long as seventy-two minutes have not yet elapsed from when one became obligated to recite the “Asher Yatzar” blessing, one must still recite it.
Nevertheless, Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l writes that if one feels the urge to use the facilities again during the seventy-two minute period since the previous usage of the restroom, one should not recite the “Asher Yatzar” blessing immediately upon remembering that he did not yet do so; rather, one should use the restroom once again, wash his hands, and only then recite this blessing.
