- Shabbat and Holidays
- Havdalah
benching
Question
does one say migdol or magdol when benching for melave malka?
Answer
ב"ה
Shalom
The Abudraham is the Rishon who mentions the custom of saying Migdol in the Benching on Shabbat.
ספר אבודרהם ברכת הלחם זימון ברכת המזון))
The Magen Avraham ( מגן אברהם סימן קפט ס"ק א) quotes the Abudraham but adds Rosh Chodesh as well as another time to say Migdol during benching.
It would seem from this alone, that the custom is limited to Shabbat and Rosh Chodesh only and not extended to other occasions.
However, there is a discussion among the Achronim, mostly from the Kabbalistic aspect if Migdol should be said at a Melave Malka. The Ben Ish Chai and others
ספר בן איש חי - הלכות שנה ראשונה - פרשת חקת) ) claim it should be said.
On the other hand there are those that disagree with the Ben Ish Chai.
הגאון ר' משה כלפון הכהן באר משה על השו"ע א"ח סי' ש') ) and others.
In Piskei Teshuvot (סי' קפט ) they refer Rav Yisrael Chaim Friedman (1852-1922 from Rachiv in the Ukraine ) in his Likutei Maharich (ליקוטי מהרי"ח) who says that there are those who have the custom to say Migdol for Melave Malka.
Rav Yitzchak Yoseph Shlit"a , the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel, in Yalkut Yoseph says ( ילקוט יוסף קצוש"ע אורח חיים סימן קפז סעיף ז) that there are those who do say Migdol for Melave Malka, however he says the Sephardi custom is to say Magdil for Melave Malka. He adds however, that if someone did say Migdol, it does not interfere with the Benching.
Therefore, it seems to me if you have a known minhag to say Migdol, you should continue with it. However, if you don't have such a minhag, then perhaps it is better to say Magdil. However, if in any case you do say Migdol it does not interfere with the Benching.
All the best

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