A person should try and avoid sleeping during the daytime hours. If necessary one can sleep what the Gemara qualifies as the length of a nap taken by a horse. There is a difference of opinion how this is translated in practice. The Biyur Halacha in Simun 4 brings three opinions. They are: three hours, half hour and three minutes.

It is prudent that one concentrate all action for the sake of heaven. This includes all pleasurable physical activities and deeds. With this attitude one can sanctify the mundane, which, essentially is our primary obligation.

When eating and drinking, one should focus one doing this to have strength for serving Hashem. When engaging in earning a livelihood, the intent should be to support ones family and to have money to give to charity. When relaxing, one should concentrate on regrouping in order to improve on the service of Hashem.

When talking with Torah leaders, one should not view himself as an honorable individual; rather the intent should be to learn from their actions. Someone that does not do this is essentially making the sanctified mundane rather than making the mundane holy. Just as it is easy to do mundane activities with the wrong intentions, it is easy to do Mitzvos and learn Torah with the wrong intentions.

One should not desire children for honor; rather the desire should be to have children so they can serve Hashem. Even when discussing mundane matters, one should try and bring sanctity to it, by intending to bring joy to others, or to strengthen the service of Hashem through it.

In Simun 155 we touched upon the discussion regarding the obligation to support oneself in comparison to spending time learning uninterrupted. The primary goal is that all our actions should be for the sake of heaven.

A person can and should pray for success in all areas of life. However, one should not pray for something that is dependent on a miracle to occur. For example, if someone hears cries coming from within a city, a prayer that the cries should not be coming from ones family and home is considered a prayer in vain. The reason for this is because whatever happened already took place, and one should not pray for miracles.

It would be appropriate to pray that peace and harmony should prevail in one’s home at a time that there is no known danger. When returning home from a trip it is prudent to offer thanks on a safe return.
When engaging in business, one should pray that the business deal should be successful. One should not pray for success in a business engagement after the deal has begun. At that point one should give thanks for the success that has been had from the business deal.

Before going in for medical treatment one should pray that the treatment should be effective and successful. Upon the completion of a medical treatment one should thank Hashem for the success. According to the Taz, and perhaps the Bais Yosef, this Bracha can be said with the Shem Umalchus, however the Mishna Berura says that he has not seen this done.

In addition, the Mishna Berura writes that if someone sees a rainbow, he should not tell other, rather he should privately recite the proper Bracha. The reason for this is that a rainbow is a sign that Hashem in not satisfied with the world, and if not for the covenant that was made with Noach, the world would be in danger of destruction. By telling others, we are publicizing this bad omen.

There is no limit to the amount of times this Bracha can be recited.

The Mechaber teaches us the Halachos of Birchas Hachamah here as well. Birchas Hachamah takes place once every 28 years when the sun is in the exact location it was in at the time the world was created. This Mitzva was done this past Pesach.

When one sees wondrous mountains rivers or deserts, a Bracha of Oseh Maaseh Beraishis should be recited. These Brachos are only recited upon seeing a natural phenomenon that is uncommon. Reb Shlomo Zalman rules that someone who lives near one of these natural phenomena, and they have become commonplace for him, should not recite this Bracha.

Upon seeing The Yam Hagadol, one is to recite a Bracha of Oseh Yam Hagadol. There is a disagreement what exactly the Yam Hagadol is.

According to the Mechaber, the Bracha is recited on seeing the Mediterranean sea. According to other Poskim, the Bracha is recited upon seeing the great oceans that surround the world. Dayan Fisher follows this second opinion. However, he adds that when reciting the Bracha of Oseh Maaseh Beraishis on the Mediterranean sea, one should make a point of adding the phrase Oseh Yam Hagadol upon completion of the Bracha.

Reb Shlomo Zalman writes that one can recite a Bracha on lighting even if the bolt is not seen; but only the light is seen.

If the sky cleared up, and new clouds gathered to create more lighting and thunder, the Halacha is that a new Bracha should be recited. However, if the storm carried on from one day to the next, a new Bracha can be recited on the same storm the next day. A new day regarding this Halacha is morning, and not night time.

These Brachos can only be recited within three or four seconds. After a delay of this amount of time, a Bracha cannot be recited. The three or four seconds is the amount of time it takes someone to greet their Rebbe.

There is a discussion among the Poskim if this Bracha should be recited if one is in the middle of Birchas Hamazon. It would seem that one should not interrupt Birchas Hamazon to recite these Brachos. One may interrupt learning in order to recite these Brachos.

The Mechaber rules that the same Bracha should be recited on thunder.

Mishna Berura writes that if one sees lighting and hears thunder one right after the other, only the Bracha of Oseh Maaseh Beraishis should be recited.

If thunder was heard without seeing lightning, a Bracha of Shecocho Ugevurasoh Malei Olam should be recited on the thunder. When the lighting is then seen, the Bracha of Oseh Maaseh Beraishis should be recited on the lighting.

Both Brachos would also be recited if the lighting is seen without the thunder being heard at that time, but was heard some time later.

Sharei Teshuva points out, that since the nature is for lighting to be followed by thunder, a Bracha should not be recited on thunder, if someone had in mind the thunder when reciting the Bracha on the lighting. However, it is best to recite a separate Bracha on the thunder.

When seeing fruit tress beginning to blossom in the early spring, One should recite a Bracha on the tree blossoming. The Bracha is brought in Orach Chaim 226.

Ideally the Bracha should be recited on blossoming trees that grow edible fruit. Shevet Halevi rules that if someone recited the Bracha on a tree that does not bear fruit, or even if it was recited without looking at a tree at all, the Bracha should not be repeated. The reason for this is because the Shulchan Aruch does not specify that one most look at a tree, rather, the Bracha should be recited during the season when trees are beginning to grow their fruit.

This Bracha can only be recited once every season. If someone delayed the Bracha to the point that the fruit began to grow, there is a discussion if a Bracha can still be said. According to Eliya Raba, the Bracha can be said. However, if the fruit grew to the point that it would require a Shehechiyanu for someone that has not tasted this fruit or seen it for a whole season, the Chaye Adam implies that all would agree the Bracha should no longer be recited.

If someone saw a budding tree, and did not recite the Bracha, he can still recite it, and the Bracha is not lost the next time a budding tree is seen.

Upon seeing a new fruit, one may and should recite a Shehechiyanu. The accepted custom is to recite a Shehechiyanu at the time one eats the new fruit.

A new fruit is defined as a fruit that is harvested seasonally, and is not accessible out of season. The reason for this is because seeing new fruit of a new season brings a person joy. Shevet Haleivi rules that if one does not experience the joy upon seeing these new fruit, a Shehechiyanu should not be recited.

If someone saw the new fruit several times without reciting the Bracha, he may still recite the Bracha at the time of eating. However, if someone forgot to recite the Bracha after eating a new fruit, the Bracha cannot be recited on the second time the fruit is eaten.

Pri Megadiim brings three different times for reciting Shehechiyanu. Ideally, the Shehechiyanu should be recited before the Bracha on the fruit. If the Bracha was already recited, the Shehechiyanu should be recited after partaking of it. If one recited the Shehechiyanu after reciting the Bracha, but before partaking of the fruit, it is considered a valid Bracha, and we do not view it as an interruption between the Bracha and the eating.

The Chazon Ish is brought in Archos Rabeinu to hold that the ideal time for reciting Shehechiyanu is after the Bracha on the fruit; however, if one ate from the fruit, the Shehechiyanu can still be recited.

The Rama writes that when a child reaches the Age of thirteen, his father should recite the Bracha of Baruch Sheptarani Mayonsho Shell Zeh. This Bracha is recited without the Shem.

The reason for this Bracha is because a father is responsible for the sins of his child until the child reaches the age of thirteen, as he should have taught him to refrain from sin. From the age of thirteen he is less responsible. Although, the Chofetz Chaim makes a point of mentioning the dictum of Chazal that one who does not rebuke an older child is considered responsible for his sins, and one who does not rebuke members of a community will be held responsible for their sins as well. Obviously a Halachic authority should be consulted how this should be done.

The Levush brings the exact opposite reasoning for this Bracha. Until a child is thirteen, he is punished on account of the father’s shortcomings. From the age of thirteen, the child does not directly suffer from his father’s inequities.

The Chofetz Chaim writes that the accepted custom is to only recite this Bracha at the time the Bar Mitzva boy is participating like other adults in a Minyan. He can do this, according to the Chofetz Chaim, either by reading the Torah or representing the Minyan as the Chazon. The reason for this is because at that time he becomes known to all as a full fledged responsible member of Klal Yisroel. The accepted custom is to recite this Bracha after an Aliyah to the Torah. Ketzos Hashulchan writes that there is no limit as to when this Bracha can be recited, if delayed.

The Mishna Berura brings the Magen Avrohom that recommends one to make a Seudah on the day a child becomes obligated in Mitzvos. The Chofetz Chaim adds that if the Bar Mitzva boy says over words of Torah, the Seuda becomes a Seudas Mitzva, even if it was delayed. In addition, the Chaye Adam writes that if the child says words of Torah, meat can be eaten during the nine days, as it has the status of a Seudas Mitzva.

If the acquaintance had not been seen in over a year a Bracha of Mechayei Hamaisim should be recited. Mishna Berura explains the reason for this second Bracha. Every person is judged on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. If someone lived through a year, he was obviously granted life on the previous Yom Kippur. For this reason the Bracha is recited.

Although this may seem contradictory to the reasoning mentioned above, Reb Shlom Zalman points out that one who does not see a person that requires the recitation of this Bracha within a twelve month period, but Rosh Hashana did not pass between visits, should still recite the Bracha. This can happen in a leap year.

Reb Shlomo Zalman also writes that it is not clear exactly what type of joy one needs to feel in order to recite this Bracha. Because of this, one should only recite this Bracha when seeing close family.

The Stiepler writes that if the person is reachable in dire circumstances, the Bracha should not be said. We do not look it this as if the friend was not seen, rather we say the acquaintance was accessible, just there was no need for communication.