- Halacha
- General Questions
Can I correct a bracha?
Question
Hi Rabbi.
If you began to make a bracha and you accidently say a wrong word ? for example in the morning on the tefillin shel yud you say asher kidshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu al, can you correct yourself by just saying ?lehaniach tefilin?, or should you start a new bracha?
Answer
Shalom,
Thank you for your question. If someone said the wrong words in a blessing, but corrected themselves immediately (within a few seconds) the blessing is valid. If though some time had passed before correcting yourself, the bracha is invalid and a new bracha is needed. The time frame allowed for a correction is called by the Rabbis "toch k'die dibbur" which is the time it takes to say "Shalom Alecha Rabbi [U'Mori]" – which you can see is a very short time indeed. So, all the more reason for us to pay attention and make sure we say the right bracha the first time!
Blessings.

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