Reciting a Blessing at President Trump's Inauguration

Hi, I am planning to attend the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump. I would like to know, when I see him, am I required to recite the blessing one says when seeing a monarch? Is there any halachic difference between a monarch and a president?

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Thank you for your question.

Indeed, it is brought in the Talmud that one is not only required to recite a bracha (blessing) when seeing a king, but one should also go out of their way to see a king—even a non-Jewish king. This is a quote from the Talmud, Tractate Berachos, page 58a.

תלמוד בבלי מסכת ברכות דף נח עמוד א
הרואה מלכי ישראל אומר ברוך שחלק מכבודו ליראיו, מלכי אומות העולם - אומר ברוך שנתן מכבודו לבשר ודם. אמר רבי יוחנן: לעולם ישתדל אדם לרוץ לקראת מלכי ישראל, ולא לקראת מלכי ישראל בלבד אלא אפילו לקראת מלכי אומות העולם, שאם יזכה - יבחין בין מלכי ישראל למלכי אומות העולם.

Rabbi Yochanan explains that the reason one should make an effort to go out and see a non-Jewish king, along with all the display of honor and pageantry, is that if one merits to live in the World to Come ( Olam Habah ) and behold the honor of the Melech Hamoshiach and that of the Tzadikim , they will then be able to discern how much greater the honor is for those who receive the reward for mitzvos (commandments) compared to the honor that the nations had in this world (according to Rashi’s interpretation, page 58a and 19b).

Nowadays, monarchs are not the same as they once were; their power has diminished considerably. In fact, one could say that a prime minister or president holds more power than monarchs. Therefore, the question is: Does this halacha still apply today with regard to monarchs? Additionally, what about seeing a president—does that constitute the equivalent of seeing a king? I will, Be’ezrat Hashem , address each case individually: the modern-day monarch and the president.

Modern-day monarch:
The Shulchan Aruch , Siman 244 Seif 8, writes that when seeing a king, one should recite the bracha . The Mishnah Berurah adds that officials of a town who have the authority to judge a person and sentence them to death are also considered as kings, and one recites the blessing when seeing them.

Since in our modern day and age kings no longer have the capability to sentence someone to death, and as we explained they don’t have any legal power we therefore say that when seeing a modern day Monarch one should recite the blessing without “shem Umalchat” as follows;

ברוך שנתן מכבודו לבשר ודם

Translation: Blessed is He who has given of His glory to flesh and blood.

Transliteration: Baruch she’nasan mi’kvodo le’basar va’dam

The President:

We find that in the American constitution, the president is given a lot of power for example;

The president has the right of pardon:

"The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices , and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment. " ( https://constitution.congress.gov )

He is also considered the chief of command:

"Under the Constitution, the President, in addition to being Chief Executive, is Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy. He holds the prime responsibility for the conduct of United States foreign relations. These duties carry very broad powers, including the power to deploy American forces abroad and commit them to military operations when the President deems such action necessary to maintain the security and defense of the United States." ( https://constitution.congress.gov )

We see that the president does have great power and legal rights specifically given to the office of the president. Do such powers constitute a reason that, when seeing such a person, one should recite a blessing?

However, Le’halacha , we say that since the people elect the president and he has a fixed time allocated to be president this differentiates him from an olden day monarch and therefore one should recite the blessing without “Shem Umalchut” ;

ברוך שנתן מכבודו לבשר ודם

Translation: Blessed is He who has given of His glory to flesh and blood.

Transliteration: Baruch she’nasan mi’kvodo le’basar va’dam

In both cases, there is no obligation to have to go and see them as mentioned in the Talmud, since that was only with the olden-day monarchs as explained above.

Wishing you all the best.

Talmud Bavli, Tractate Berachos, 58a

Rashi on Berachos, 58a and 19b

Shulchan Aruch, Siman 244:8

Mishnah Berurah, Ibid

U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section 2 on Presidential Roles and Powers