Jewish families traveled from London to observe the Royal Family arrive at church in Sandringham on Tuesday morning.
As a vehicle carrying Queen Elizabeth passed by, a man made the special Bracha upon seeing a royal figure: “שחלק מכבודו לבשר ודם”.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge passed by lines of spectators as they exited the service. A Jewish family thanked Prince William for his recent visit to Israel, the first ever visit to the country by a member of England’s royal family. A young child was seen handing Duchess Kate a drawing he had made, later explained to be a crown.
[Prince William Visits the Kosel- Did He Get a Mitzvah?]
As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex passed by, the Jewish man called out “Bsha’ah Tova”, a blessing for Meghan Markle who is expecting her first child.
Later, the family was interviewed about their experience on Sky News:
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14 Responses
What s horrific Chillul Hashem for a Jew to publicly say Merry Christmas and make a brocha lvatala.
The accepted matbea is שנתן , not שחלק , when saying לבשר ודם for an אינו יהודי as a monarch or wise person.
זה היה ברכה לבטלה בלא ספק. כי אין להם שום כח של מלך להרוג אנשים וכדומה, וכמו שמפורש בפוסקים, ואין להאריך פה.
thinker123, +1
thinker123: You are mistaken. The UK Monarch has personal power to commute or pardon from the death penalty – which would, in any event, be carried out in her name – and there are still offences which carry the death penalty in both the UK and its colonial dependencies.
She also has a shem of Malchus (unlike, eg, the President of the United States).
I dont think it was a major chilul hashem telling a goy happy holiday for his holiday, but the bracha was probably l’vatalah. Not because of what someone wrote about them not having the power to kill etc. but simply because these people are not the king or queen, they are only granchildren!!! And the fact that William will be king in 20 or 30 years from now, doesnt make any halachic difference now regarding this bracha.
My father A”H had my sister & me take the day off school & wait with our mother – in torrential English rain – along a published route so we could say the bracha on seeing the Queen. He said it was important to show Hakores HaTov to the monarch for us to be able to live as free Jews in the UK. Ironically, we barely caught a glimpse as the car flew past the only 3 people in sight!
I wonder if he would have the same HaKores Hatov today, bearing in mind how demographics and politics have shifted (& not in our favor.) But he was a staunch monarchist & would never hold the constitutionally squashed monarchy responsible for Corbyn etc.
As for the child… why is it so wrong to wish William & Kate good wishes on their holiday? Should a Priest not be allowed to wish us a Happy New Year on Rosh Hashana? But wait…. this is Trollin’ Joseph speaking. I forgot for a moment, I thought I was addressing a rational person. My bad.
When i was in Gateshead Yeshiva in the seventies the Queen and her husband drove through to go open a large new mall in neighboring Newcastle. the whole community turned out to greet them Including the late esteemed Rav, Roshei Yeshiva the Kollel (in full) the yeshiva etc etc and the Brocho was recited! Present were some of the greatest talmidei Chachomim around at the time.
There had been some talk about it prior but the pesak was to say it. i know, I was there.
I am not convinced that saying merry Christmas is a Chilul Hashem, it may just be wrong. Not everything is a Chilul Hashem. It actually looked like the interaction that took place was more like a Kiddush Hashem all told.
Christmas is a “holy”day that celebrates Yushke’s, the ultimate idol’s, birthday. Although this “holiday” has been hijacked by retailers as a time for buying gifts, the reason for the holiday, certainly for those coming and going to church, is the celebration of the getchka Yushka. So OBVIOUSLY when someone wishes “merry Christmas” it is wishing that person to enjoy the day of the getchka Yushka’s birth, and it is OBVIOUSLY ossur.
Reading through all this, including my own contribution, I just thank God I was born on my side of the Atlantic.
After watching the video, it appears that the man did say שנתן as is appropriate, rather than שחלק ; it was only the article that quoted it incorrectly (It does sound like he might have said לכבודו instead of מכבודו , though, but it’s not clear.) It remains a machlokes among poskim as to whether and in front of (notice I didn’t say “to” – the bracha is quite obviously directed to hKBH) which monarchs and heads of state it should be said nowadays, but there are those who hold that it should be said in many cases.
RichardM: The U.K. has completely abolished the death penalty in all instances as of about 15 to 20 years ago, in line with EU requirements. It does not exist for any reason anymore.
Joseph: No it hasn’t. In a time of war it would still apply. It also still applies in peacetime in certain Crown dependancies overseas.
In any event, etzhar has cited (above) a psak which I doubt any ehrlicher Yid would argue with.
RichardM: On the Queen that might be correct. On her other family members it most likely is not correct to make a brocha.
But the Chillul Hashem was for a Yid to have R”L have said Merry Christmas. That was truly terrible.