# 1816 Real Blessings
Do you say this bracha (meshane habrios, see question 1816 above) when watching a match on a screen?
On question 1712 regarding reciting the blessing of birchas hailonos on flowering trees, we wrote; Ateres Paz (p. 224) quotes Horav O. Yosef zt’l that one recites birchas hailonos when observing the flowering fruit trees using binoculars or a monocular tube. Avnei Chen (26: 20), distinguishes between simple straight telescopes and the more evolved instruments that employ mirrors and the reflection of prisms. Pesach Hadbir (224: 10) equally permits their use for the brocho recited on a king.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is similar. The Rov also wrote a teshuva in Maayanei Shlomo (O.H. 77) in regards to different halachos involved in the use of mirrors and lenses.
Poskim therefore agree that watching any phenomena were we recite a special brocho on, is limited to only seeing it directly and not in a screen or a picture. (Betzel Hachochmo 2: 16, Piskei Teshuvos 224: 12).
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a
Answered by: Hagaon Rav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
Published: August 14, 2018