Question:
If one makes a bracha while one can see an exposed body part of a woman that is an ervah (e.g. thigh)…
1. Is the bracha valid bedieved?
2. What if one was not directly staring at it, but it was visible in the corner of one’s eye?
3. What if it was one’s wife’s ervah?
Answer:
1. If one did see ervah while he was daveing, it is controversial if he has to say the bracha again or not. The Mishna Berura 75-4 says in the end result, if he didn’t mean to look at the ervah that he doesn’t say the bracha again, but if he meant to look at the ervah then he does.
2. It depends if he knew that he was looking at it or not.
3. It also includes the ervah of one’s wife, (See Shulchan Aruch O:CH 75-1). As a side point regarding seeing the thigh of ones wife, the Mishna Berura 75- 7 says that even if he can see less than a tefach, he may still not say Kriyas Shema or brachos then.
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