25 Nov GIVING THANKS FOR ELECTION OUTCOMES

I. Thank You
Hashem
We recognize and
thank G-d for the
blessings we receive
in this world, sometimes
in formal ways with a blessing and other
times informally. In a modern democracy,
sometimes elections can turn the tide and
change the country in a positive way. After
such elections, people who support the
victorious party may feel so much joy that
they wish to thank G-d. Is there a specific
blessing to say in such a circumstance?
For example, in 1977, the Likud party
won control of the government for the
first time in Israel’s history, leading to
a dramatic shift to the right. Similarly,
in 1980, Ronald Reagan won a decisive
victory and shifted the U.S. rightward,
as well. Both elections were called
“revolutions” and generated widespread
joy among those who supported the
victorious parties. Setting aside today’s
politics, we can ask whether those who
experienced joy at the election results
could have recited a blessing expressing
thanks to G-d for the electoral victory.
The Mishnah (Berachos 54a) says that
on good news, we recite the blessing
“Ha-tov Ve-ha-meitiv, Who is good and
does good.” On bad news, we recite
the blessing “Dayan Ha-emes, the true
judge.” The Gemara (59b) says that
when two or more people benefit from
the good news, one recites the blessing
“Ha-tov Ve-ha-meitiv.” However, when
only you benefit, you recite the blessing
“She-hecheyanu.”
Since hearing positive election results
constitutes hearing good news, perhaps
you should recite a blessing if you are
very happy from the news. And since
the election results benefit many people,
you should recite “Ha-tov Ve-ha-meitiv.”
Of course, if you did not support this
candidate or party then you would not
recite the blessing but our question is
about those who experience great joy
over the election results.
II. Blessings and Feelings
A few questions arise over this blessing.
Rav Mordechai Yaffe (17th cen., Poland)
distinguishes between joy and benefit.
When multiple people receive tangible

benefit (tovah), then you recite “Ha-
tov Ve-ha-meitiv.” However, if there

is only joy and not tangible benefit,
such as seeing many long-lost friends

seeing each other, then the only possible
blessing is “She-hecheyanu” (Levush,
Orach Chaim 225:1). In the case of
election results, this is a matter of joy and
not tangible results. Therefore, perhaps
you should recite a “She-hecheyanu”
blessing. Significantly, Rav Avraham
Gombiner (17th cen., Poland) and Rav
Avraham Danzig (19th cen., Lithuania)
follow Rav Yaffe (Magen Avraham
225:1; Chayei Adam 62:6). However,
Rav Yehudah Ashkenazi’s Ba’er Heitev
and Rav Yisrael Kagan’s Mishnah
Berurah do not mention this position,
and Rav Yechiel Michel Epstein (19th
cen., Russia) says that even intangible
benefit merits the blessing (Aruch
Ha-Shulchan, Orach Chaim 222:1).

According to them, the “Ha-tov Ve-ha-
meitiv” blessing is appropriate even if

you do not receive tangible benefit. But
would it apply to election results? When
seeing a friend, you do not have tangible
benefit but you are enjoying something
tangible. Election results are not even
tangible to enjoy.
In this imperfect world, no election and
no ruling party engages in only good
activity. Even if we are happy over the
who won election, we know that some
resulting policies and decisions will have
negative impacts. Can we recite a blessing
on good if we know that it will also
cause bad? The Gemara (Berachos 60a)
offers an example of a case in which you
would say the blessing over good even
if it results in bad. If you find something
very valuable that you may keep, it is
a good situation over which you recite
a blessing. However, it is possible that
the government might learn about your
good fortune and decide to take away not
only what you found but everything you
own. Or to make the example a bit more
modern, the government might decide to
audit your taxes, determine that you owe
them millions of dollars in back taxes,
and place a lien on all your assets. Even
in such a case, the Gemara says, you still
recite the blessing over the good fortune
of finding something valuable.
Why would you recite a blessing
over something good that can result
in something even worse? Talmidei
Rabbeinu Yonah (Berachos, on the Rif,
43b-44a s.v. kanah) explain that the
government intervention or audit may or
may not happen. It is only a possibility.
Since it is not definite, we focus on the
good now and leave the bad for if and

when it happens. In contrast, Rambam
(Misneh Torah, Hilchos Berachos 10:4)
says that you recite the blessing even
if the bad outcome is likely. It is not a
matter of uncertainty but simply focusing
on the present. (Rambam’s wording in
his Mishnah commentary is unclear and
subject to conflicting interpretations.)
Translating this to contemporary politics,
if we are worried about negative policies,
that is very uncertain because there are
many variables determining how policy
decisions are made and implemented.
According to everyone, you would recite
the blessing on the good election results.
However, if we are worried about erratic
behavior which is likely to happen, then
according to Talmidei Rabbeinu Yonah,
the likely negative outcome makes the
blessing inappropriate. According to
Rambam, any negative outcome does not
matter and you still recite the blessing.
Significantly, Shulchan Aruch (Orach
Chaim 222:4) uses language similar to
Talmidei Rabbeinu Yonah and unlike
Rambam, implying that in a case of
definite negative outcome you should
not recite the blessing. Meaning, if you
believe that it is likely that the negative
outcome will outweigh the positive
election results then you should not
recite the blessing.
For example, if you believe that the
winning candidate is much better than the
losing candidate, then you might be very
happy with the election results. You can
simultaneously believe that the winning
candidate is still bad, even though he
is better than the losing candidate. You
might even believe that his time in
office will be full of negative activity
that outweighs the joy of his victory. If
so, you would not recite the blessing.
This is, to a large degree, a matter of
personal perception and feelings. In this
case, when discussing whether to recite a
blessing over good news, facts care about
your feelings.
III. When and If to Say the Blessing
How long after the election results can
you say the blessing? Rav Ya’akov
Emden (18th cen., Germany) allows for
saying the blessing up to three days after
hearing the good news (Mor U-Ketzi’ah
124). The current Sephardic Chief Rabbi
of Israel, Rav David Yosef, disagrees
with Rav Emden. Rather, as long as you
still feel great joy in your heart, you may
recite the blessing on the good news

(Halachah Berurah 222:3 and in note 1).
In an undated responsum in a volume
originally published in 2009, Rav Dov
Lior (cont., Israel) rules that someone
who feels joy that his favorite political
party won the elections should recite
“Ha-tov Ve-ha-meitiv” even though
politicians often do not follow through
with their promises. In contrast, Rav
Eliezer Melamed (cont., Israel) seems

to follow Rav Yaffe that only a “She-
hecheyanu” is said on intangible good

news (Peninei Halachah, Berachos
17:3). This would imply that you should
recite “She-hecheyanu” and not “Ha-tov
Ve-ha-meitiv.”
Rav Moshe Isserles (16th cen., Poland)
says that many are lenient and do not
say these blessings (Shulchan Aruch,
Orach Chaim 223:1). Rav Yosef Teomim
(18th cen., Germany) writes likewise
(Peri Megadim, Eishel Avraham 222:1),
and he is quoted in Mishnah Berurah
(222:1). Others, particularly Sephardic
authorities, have pushed back on this
hesitance to recite these blessings (e.g.
Rav Chaim David Halevy’s Mekor
Chaim 92:19). Rav Simcha Rabinowitz
(cont., Israel) writes that someone who
wants to recite the blessing may do so.
And even if he does not say the blessing,
he can still say some words of praise for
G-d and request for future assistance
(Piskei Teshuvos 222:1). Based on all
this, there is at least one opinion that

allows reciting “She-hecheyanu” or “Ha-
tov Ve-ha-meitiv” if you still feel great

joy over the election results. However,
it would be best to say it without G-d’s
name or to recite words of praise for G-d
rather than a blessing.