- Q. Kvod Rabbenu Shlit”a, I just read that sky gazers across the Northern Hemisphere will have a chance to see an extraordinary celestial event tonight Friday (Feb. 28, 2025), as all of the planets in our solar system will appear together in the evening sky.
This phenomenon known as a "planet parade," will feature Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune all visible at the same time along a line or arc in the sky, NASA says. Though "planet parade" is not an official astronomical term, it typically refers to when four or more planets are seen together in the sky.
The chance to observe all planets simultaneously is rare. Does one have to recite the bracha of Ose Maaseh Bereishith if he actually watches it?
A. See questions 3702, “A Mask on the Moon” regarding the full lunar eclipse of Sunday May 15 2022, and question 1418 regarding the full solar eclipse of August 2017, that we we wrote:
“We do not find in Talmud or Shulchan Aruch our sages instituted any blessing for eclipses. Although a bracha is recited on other constant ‘Niflaos’ and wonders of Hashem’s Creation such as thunder, lightning, meteors and comets and according to many Poskim even earthquakes.
Contemporary Poskim maintain that we do not recite a brocho on eclipses. (Orchois Rabbenu (1 p. 95) and Shaarei Brocho (21: n. 73- Shaar Hoayin 7: 6 n. 13, mentions that Shevet Halevy was in doubt).
Ase Lecha Rav (5: 7) explains that ‘Ose Maaseh Bereishis’ is only recited for natural events, which are also part of the positive Creation of Bereishis.
On question 708 in regards to the Aurora Borealis lights, we wrote that: Although the Northern Lights is a display of one of the most striking and magnificent phenomena in nature, Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that since this event is not recorded in the Talmud or Poskim directly, one should recite Ose Maase Bereshis without the name of Hashem.
It is usually the opinion of Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a to avoid making a brocho with Hashem’s name on unusual extraordinary natural events as there are various points of doubt in the necessity of the blessing.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by, Horav Yaakov Hirschman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit'a
Important Numbers
