Bentching with a Knife on the Table

The minhag is to cover knives that are on the table before bentching.(1) There are two reasons given for this: 1. The seforim say that barzal is something which kills, and a mizbe'ach is something that gives life. Since our tables are compared to a mizbe'ach, the knives should be covered during bentching.(2) 2. The poskim relate that someone was bentching, and when he reached U'vinei Yerushalayim he took a knife from the table and killed himself out of anguish over the loss of the Bais Hamikdash.(3) According to this second reason, one would have to completely remove the knife from the table and covering it would not be enough. Although this is what some poskim suggest,(4) the custom is to just cover the knives.(5) Some have the custom to cover the handle of the knife as well.(6) One who is traveling on an airplane is usually given plastic knives with his meal. One does not have to cover a plastic knife before bentching.(7)

Footnotes
(1) Sefer Chassidim 102, Shulchan Aruch 180:5, Shulchan Aruch Harav 6, Chai Adom 46:4, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 44:4, Mishnah Berurah 11, Aruch Ha'shulchan 180:5, Sheilas Rav 2:17:4. Refer to Shevet Ha'Levi 8:168:3 who says removing the knife is not meachev the bentching, see Rivevos Ephraim 7:220. The V'yan Dovid (1:28:4) says that if one is sitting at a table with many people he only has to cover the knife that belongs to him, and not other people's knives. One should not put it in a place that can be seen (Sheilas Rav 2:17:6). (2) Be'er Heitiv 4, Ben Ish Chai Balak 1:4, Mishnah Berurah ibid, Aruch Ha'shulchan ibid. The Shulchan Aruch Harav ibid only quotes this reason. Refer to Magen Avraham 180:4, Kaf Ha'chaim 15. (3) Poskim ibid, Sharei Teshuva 3. The Kaf Ha'chaim 15 says other reasons for this custom. (4) Ben Ish Chai Shelach 1:4, Kaf Ha'chaim 167:41, 180:15. (5) Poskim ibid, Taamei Haminhagim page 82, Bais Boruch 46:4. (6) Orchos Rabbeinu 1:78:page 85, Sheilas Rav 2:17:5. (7) Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see Rivevos Ephraim 3:132, Bais Avi 3:145:5, Toras Haderech 12:10:footnote 19. Opinion of Horav Elyashiv Shlita (This was heard from someone who was there when the question was asked).

Copyright 2008 Halachically Speaking

Halachically Speaking is a bi-weekly publication compiled by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits, a former chaver kollel of Yeshiva Torah Voda'ath and a musmach of Horav Yisroel Belsky, shlit"a. Rabbi Lebovits currently works as a Rabbinical Administrator for Kof-K Kosher Superivison.

Each issue reviews a different area of contemporary halacha with an emphasis
on practical applications of the principles discussed. Significant time is
spent ensuring the inclusion of all relevant shittos on each topic, as well
as the psak of Horav Yisroel Belsky, shlita on current issues. Detailed
footnotes are provided for further study.

For a weekly email subscription to Halachically Speaking, please send your
email address to mdl@thehalacha.com. A nominal fee will be charged.

Halachically Speaking is distributed to over 40 shuls in Brooklyn reaching
over 1000 readers on a weekly basis. It is also sent to email subscribers around the globe. Your generous sponsorship will enable
us to expand the scope of this project. For more information on sponsorship opportunities please call: 718.744.4360.

Please note that these articles are back issues only.