After returning from Panama (yes, anyone who knows me is going to hear about this trip for a long, long time), I bentched gomel. As I mentioned in a previous TftD, it seemed obvious to me that I should. Then I found out that it wasn't obvious to everyone. Hmm... what, then, are the parameters for bentching gomel after a flight?
We need to go back to the source. Sometimes that means going back to the gemaras. In this case, though, since air travel is a relatively recent phenomenon. Even the Mishna Brura is pre-air travel. However, the Mishna Brura is still a good starting point, as it is modern enough to clarify the principles. See siman 219, where you will find that Shulchan Aruch brings that one bentches gomel upon being released from a prison (a prison where people often get stuck for life, not like our country clubs in America), upon recovering from a deadly disease (I bentched gomel after recovering from cancer), crossing a desert, and crossing the sea. These last two cases are where the problems occur. Nowadays, it is rare to be in a desert like Chazal meant where you are completely cut off from civilization. That leaves travel over the sea.
The first Biur Halacha there discusses whether Chazal meant these four specifically, or things like them. In particular, he addresses why we never bentch gomel crossing a river; even a big river. Basically it comes down to how likely a whether one should bentch gomel upon crossing a big river. It comes down to a judgment call about how likely one is to be in a seriously dangerous situation. One thing he makes clear: bentching gomel has nothing to do with whether a seriously dangerous situation actually materializes, it depends only on the likelihood of such a situation.
Igros Moshe, O. Ch. II, 59, says it depends on how bad the danger would be in case of an emergency. On that he notes that flying in an airplane is the same situation as traveling across the sea -- in both cases you are in a craft protecting you from a hostile/unlivable environment. In fact, he says, flying is worse because in the sea you can at least tread water, but in the air there is no possibility of survival. Here is my favorite sentence in that t'shuva, after discussing that there is no difference for a flight whether or not you cross water: I have heard some people rule not to bentch [gomel]; their words mean nothing, you need to bentch.
Ok! So I went back to the dayan. I reported on my research that both R' Moshe and R' Shlomo Zalman Auerbach say to bentch gomel after any flight -- crossing water is irrelevant. Right, I was told, but we only bentch gomel when crossing an ocean/sea. I asked who argues with both R' Moshe and R' Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. It turns out there are no poskim who argue, it is just not the minhag to only bentch when crossing an ocean or sea. I showed the dayan several flight paths: Panama to Chicago, Italy to Eretz Yisrael and Miami to NY. They all cross over water. I was told that only if it crosses an ocean or sea, not just goes over it and stays on one side. But, but. .... I protested. R' Fuerst told me that if I really wanted, I have R' Moshe to rely on and can bentch even from Miami to NY!
Just to tie this into the parasha this week, parashas Mishpatim, which begins (as understood by Rashi) with a directive to Moshe Rabeinu to teach all the laws and their reasons until it is layed out in front of the people like a banquet -- ready to eat and already prepared. As anyone who has read a few TftDs will know, I ask the dayan a lot of questions. I ask a lot of clarification questions. I go back and ask for clarification and refinement all the time. One year before Rosh HaShanah, I went to ask m'chila from the dayan; after all, I ask a lot of questions. I try to do my research, but I ask a lot of questions. R' Fuerst smiled at me and said, "Michael, it is your job to ask questions. It is my job to answer them."
That is a rav.
Note: You can hear more details form the dayan on TorahAnytime, recorded Oct 10, 2021; this topic is discussed from minute 20 to 27, or so.
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