Q. (Regarding questions 2693 and 2694, regarding if a wife can be motzi her husband with elokay neshomo and hamaavir sheino, during Shavuos morning, which are part of the birchos hashachar or morning blessings recited daily. This question and others, was revised by Horav Yaakov Felder Shlit’a, who commented the following;
The only one that I have a comment on is #8 (2693). Reb Shlomo changed his mind about a woman being motzi a man with birchas hashachar. Although originally he said that she could be motzi a man. However, subsequently he said she should not be motzi him. The issue revolves around whether women are mechuyavos (obliged) in birchas hashachar.
A. Mishna Berura (70: 2) deals with the issue if women are obliged to recite birchos hashachar or no, and debates that it may depend on the time given to recite those brochos and seems to lean that they can after the fact, be recited the whole day and are therefore not considered a time dependent mitzva. He also adds that it seems from Shulchan Aruch (46: 4) and clearly from the Levush, that women have to recite them just as men do. Mishna Berura adds that everyone agrees that women can bring on themselves the obligation to recite birchos hashachar.
Similarly, Aruch Hashulchan (70: 1) rules that they are obliged to recite birchos hashachar. So do Yechave Daas (4: 4), Halichos Vehalochos (9: 1), Vekone Lecha Chaver (8), Yalkut Yosef (Birchos Hashachar (46: 17), quoting the Geonim, Chinuch Kotton (p. 73), Halocho Beruro (46: 10), Noshim Behalacha (p. 11) and many others, although some disagree.
Since Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a is out of town, I consulted with his son Horav Aharon Shlit’a, and he told me that as far as he knows, his father did not change his mind. He consulted with his father and he maintains that on the onset it is better that someone else should be motzi him with the brochos, however in need, his wife can do it.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a
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