Kashrus Kurrents, Spring 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shehecheyanu <\/em>is a bracha\nthat is said on special occasions, which the Gemara defines as something that\nonly \u201chappens from time to time.\u201d[1]<\/a> We\nsay Shehecheyanu <\/em>not only on religious occasions, such as the Yamim\nTovim, but also to express our appreciation for new experiences and pleasures.\nUnlike the obligatory Shehecheyanus <\/em>said on the zmanim<\/em> and their mitzvos,[2]<\/a> these\nbrachos are voluntary; perhaps that is why people are not always careful to say\nthem in every situation that would warrant it.[3]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Shulchan Aruch <\/em>writes, \u201cOne who sees a fruit which grows anew every year says Shehecheyanu,<\/em> even if he sees it in his friend\u2019s hand, or while still on the tree.\u201d[4]<\/a> In other words, the primary motivator for the bracha should be the sight<\/em> of the new fruit. This is indeed how the halacha was originally codified by the Rambam.[5]<\/a> However, the Mechaber<\/em> concludes, \u201cThe custom is to wait to say the blessing until the fruit is eaten.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Why the change? Why wait until it is eaten? One reason given is that many people are much happier to eat the fruit than to just see it, so it is preferable to say Shehecheyanu <\/em>at the time of greatest joy.[6]<\/a> Rav Moshe Heinemann shlita<\/em>, STAR-K\u2019s Rabbinic Administrator, has suggested that it is preferable to delay this bracha, since that way the Shehecheyanu<\/em> will include a longer portion of life and be a vehicle to express even more gratitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since we wait until the fruit is eaten, Shehecheyanu <\/em>may be\nsaid on a fruit that is primarily consumed in a pureed or cooked form, such as\nrhubarb, even if one never saw the whole fruit, although this is not usually\nrelevant, as such products are generally available year-round.[7]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Shehecheyanu <\/em>should ideally be said before the bracha on the fruit is made, or\nafter the first taste of fruit. If one says Shehecheyanu <\/em>between the bracha\non the fruit and eating it, it is not considered an interruption.[8]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A separate Shehecheyanu <\/em>is said for each species of fruit.\nTwo fruits that appear similar but have different names and tastes, such as\noranges and tangerines, are considered separate species for this halacha. Two\nvarieties of the same fruit with different tastes, such as green apples and red\napples, may also be considered different species; one who is happy to enjoy the\ndifferent varieties available may make a bracha on each.[9]<\/a> If\nthe fruits are eaten at the same time, one Shehecheyanu<\/em> suffices for all\nof them, regardless of the species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contemporary logistics make it possible for many fruits to be\navailable to the consumer year-round, either fresh or frozen. Since the\nseasonal cycle is avoided, such fruits are ineligible for Shehecheyanu.<\/em>[10]<\/a> Rav Heinemann\nhas said that if a particular fruit has not been available in local stores for\nat least a month, one may say Shehecheyanu <\/em>upon its return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This bracha should be said on any seasonal fruit, even if it is a Borei\nPri Ha\u2019adama, <\/em>such as pineapple. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Although\none need not say Shehecheyanu <\/em>when he first sees the fruit, and may wait\nuntil eating it, if he forgot to say it when eating the fruit for the first time,\nit should not be said the second time he eats it.[11]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The great 16th<\/sup>-century\nEgyptian posek<\/em>, Rabbi David ibn Zimra, was asked why people do not say\nShehecheyanu <\/em>on the scent of seasonal plants, such as roses and jasmine. He\nresponded that, on the contrary, one should say Shehecheyanu,<\/em> and\ndescribes how he himself would do so.[12]<\/a>\nLater authorities disagreed for a variety of reasons. Some write that pleasure\nfrom a fragrance is minimal, and does not warrant a Shehecheyanu<\/em>.[13]<\/a>\nOthers give a fascinating reason not to say Shehecheyanu<\/em>: fragrances\ngive pleasure directly to the neshama,<\/em> which is eternal. Since the neshama\n<\/em>is not bound to the cycles of life, it is thus inappropriate to say \u201cShehecheyanu\nv\u2019kiyimanu<\/em>\u201d on its pleasures.[14]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n One who acquires new clothing says Shehecheyanu.<\/em>[15]<\/a> If the clothing requires tailoring, then the bracha should be said the first time the clothing is worn. If it was not said then, it may be said the second time it is worn, as long as the wearer is still enjoying the newness of the clothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shehecheyanu<\/em> should only be\nsaid on something significant, such as a new suit or sheitel, and not on more\nmundane items, such as socks or stockings.[16]<\/a>\nSince the joy of a purchase is largely subjective, a good rule of thumb is that\nonly items which the buyer is happy to have, but would not buy more than once a\nyear, require Shehecheyanu.<\/em>[17]<\/a> The\nclothing need not be brand new, as long as they are new to the wearer, and he\nor she is happy to have them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shehecheyanu\n<\/em>(or Hatov\nv\u2019Hameitiv,<\/em> when others benefit)should be said on other significant\npurchases \u2013 such as a new home or vehicle \u2013 as well. When purchasing a new\nhome, the appropriate bracha should be said at closing, since that is when one typically\ntakes legal possession of the new residence. If one does not take possession at\nthe time of closing (due to rent-back agreements or the like) the bracha should\nbe said when one moves in.[18]<\/a> When\nrenting a new home or leasing a new car, Shehecheyanu<\/em> is not said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although, technically, one ought to say Shehecheyanu<\/em> even on smaller purchases \u2013 like furniture or tableware \u2013 the general custom is not to say Shehecheyanu<\/em> on such items. Nevertheless, if a person is truly happy with the purchase, it is appropriate to express this joy with the bracha of Shehecheyanu<\/em>.[19]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Regarding\nnew sefarim, <\/em>the Magen Avraham writes that it is not appropriate to say Shehecheyanu<\/em>,\nsince mitzvos<\/em> lav lehanos nitnu<\/em> \u2013 mitzvos were not given for our\nbenefit.[20]<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rabbi Yaakov Emden makes an impassioned argument that this\nprinciple is limited to a legal sense of ownership of the physical pleasure\nthat can accompany mitzvos, but it certainly does not preclude enjoying the\nmitzvah, for there is no greater intangible pleasure than that which comes from\nthe mitzvos.[21]<\/a>\nPerhaps drawing on his career in publishing, he also points out that there is a\nphysical pleasure in a beautifully written and bound sefer<\/em>, which is\nunrelated to the mitzvah. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The\nChayei Adam makes a similar argument, writing that the bracha is on the joy of\nacquisition and not on the use of the sefer<\/em>.[22]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n In theory, one\nshould say Shehecheyanu<\/em> when seeing a close friend whom they have not seen for thirty days.[23]<\/a> Practically,\nmodern communication technology has made the requirement for this bracha obsolete,\nsince if one has been in contact with their friends during this time, or has\nheard that they are well, it should not be said.[24]<\/a> As\nsuch, the general custom is not to say it.[25]<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n On\nmeeting a friend for the first time, Shehecheyanu <\/em>is not said, even if\nthey have been in correspondence, and consider themselves friends from afar,\nsince a long-distance relationship does not create the same level of closeness\nas an in-person relationship.[26]<\/a> If,\nhowever, one is meeting an immediate family member for the first time, such as\na newborn daughter, it is appropriate to recite Shehecheyanu<\/em>.[27]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n It would seem appropriate to say Shehecheyanu<\/em> on one\u2019s birthday, especially the seventieth, when one reaches the age mentioned in Tehillim.<\/em>[28]<\/a> We find that the Chavos Yair<\/em> was once asked to define what exactly constitutes a seudas mitzvah. <\/em>In that discussion, he writes, \u201cIt is doubtful that a seventieth birthday party should be considered a seudas mitzvah<\/em> even if the celebrant says Shehecheyanu, <\/em>which I believe he should.\u201d[29]<\/a> Since no earlier authority mentions an obligation to say Shehecheyanu <\/em>on the seventieth birthday, it is appropriate to acquire a new fruit or article of clothing to obligate oneself in the bracha on that occasion.[30]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n It is\ninappropriate to say \u201cShehecheyanu\u2026 lazman hazeh\u201d<\/em> during the Three Weeks,\nwhich are a time of sorrow, although on Shabbos one may say Shehecheyanu <\/em>without\ncompunction.[31]<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since Shehecheyanu<\/em> should not be said, one should refrain from eating new fruits or wearing new clothes during this time. If waiting will cause one to lose the opportunity to say Shehecheyanu<\/em>, suchasif the fruit will not be available later, or will cause a mitzvah to be delayed (such as for a pidyon haben<\/em>),<\/em> one may say Shehecheyanu<\/em> as normal.[32] One who needs to eat a new fruit immediately due to a medical necessity should do so, but without saying Shehecheyanu.<\/em>[33]<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Although\nsome customs of mourning are in effect during Sefirah<\/em>, Shehecheyanu <\/em>may\nbe recited then as normal.[34]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n There\nis a startling Yerushalmi<\/em>: \u201cA person will need to give an accounting and\njustify not eating every food he saw.\u201d[35]<\/a> Considering\nall Chazal have said about avoiding immersion in the pleasures of this world, one\nmight think that this statement is an outlier, and is not meant to be taken\nliterally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nevertheless, the Gemara relates that Rabbi Elazar took this\nstatement very seriously and describes how he put it into practice: \u201cHe saved\nhis pennies so that he could eat from every kind of produce once a year.\u201d He\nsaw a different message here: one should seek out and pay attention to all the\ngood things Hashem has put in this world, such as the many different types of\nfood available, and use them as an opportunity to praise Him and thank Him, Shehecheyanu\nv’kiyimanu v\u2019higiyanu lazman hazeh!<\/em> [1]<\/a> Eruvin<\/em> 40b.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [2]<\/a> Refer to Kashrus\nKurrents<\/em>, Fall 5783 (Vol. 45 No. 4), Shehecheyanu: A Timely Blessing<\/em>,\nfor a guide to reciting Shehecheyanu<\/em> on zmanim<\/em> and mitzvos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [3]<\/a> Eruvin<\/em>\n40b. Rema <\/em>223:1. See also Magen Avraham (ad loc., <\/em>5) that since\nthese are not recurring events, they do not fit the criterion of ba\u2019in\nm\u2019zman l\u2019zman<\/em>, cyclically recurring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [4]<\/a> O.C.<\/em>\n225:3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [5]<\/a> Hilchos\nBerachos <\/em>10, 3. See also Rashi Eruvin<\/em> 40b s.v. Akra<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [6]<\/a> M.B. <\/em>225:11,\nTeshuvos Radvaz<\/em> 1:297 See also Aruch Hashulchan<\/em> 225, 7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [7]<\/a> Rav Moshe\nHeinemann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [8]<\/a> M.B. <\/em>ibid.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n [9]<\/a> M.B. <\/em>ibid.<\/em>,\n14. See, however, Shaar Hatziyun <\/em>18 that it is preferable to say Shehecheyanu<\/em>\non a new fruit that is unquestionably a separate species, and to include this\none in the bracha. It seems that on the second night of Rosh Hashana, one may\ncertainly rely on the opinions that differing tastes require separate brachos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [10]<\/a> See Igros\nMoshe O.C.<\/em> vol. 3, 34.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [11]<\/a> M.B. <\/em>ibid.,<\/em>\n13. It seems that as long as one has not finished the fruit, Shehecheyanu <\/em>may\nstill be said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [12]<\/a> Teshuvos\nRadvaz <\/em>1:297. See Magen Avraham <\/em>225:12.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [13]<\/a> Magen\nAvraham <\/em>216:1 quoting Lechem Chamudos<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [14]<\/a> Elyah\nRabbah <\/em>216:2, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch<\/em> 59:18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [15]<\/a> O.C.<\/em>\n223, 4. <\/p>\n\n\n\n [16]<\/a> O.C.<\/em>\n223, 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [17]<\/a> Rav Moshe\nHeinemann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [18]<\/a> Rav Moshe\nHeinemann, based on O.C. <\/em>223:3. See M.B.<\/em> 12 regarding\nrenovations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [19]<\/a> Rav Moshe\nHeinemann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [20]<\/a> 223:5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [21]<\/a> Mor U\u2019ketziah<\/em> 223.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [22]<\/a> 62:5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [23]<\/a> O.C. <\/em>225:1.\nIf a year has passed, he should instead say Mechaye Meisim.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n [24]<\/a> M.B. <\/em>225:2.\nSee Shaar Hatziyun <\/em>3 regarding a friend who has fallen ill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [25]<\/a> See Aruch\nHashulchan <\/em>225:3. Rav Heinemann explains: Since Shehecheyanu <\/em>is only\nsaid upon seeing close friends, people may feel slighted when they realize that\nit is not said upon seeing them. To avoid giving offense, the custom developed\nto never say this Shehecheyanu.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n [26]<\/a> O.C.<\/em>\n225:2 and M.B. <\/em>5. This author is unsure if a Zoom meeting is sufficient\nto create the necessary level of friendship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [27]<\/a> The Mishnah\nBerura <\/em>223:2 writes that one should say Shehecheyanu<\/em>\n<\/a>upon seeing a newborn daughter for the first time, since it is certainly as\njoyous as seeing an old friend. It seems that familial feelings override the\nlack of familiarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [28]<\/a> 90:10: \u201cThe days of our lives\nare seventy years, and with strength, eighty years.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n [29]<\/a> Chavos Yair<\/em>\n70.<\/p>\n\n\n\n [30]<\/a> Rav Moshe Heinemann.\nSee Kaf Hachaim <\/em>223:28, and ibidNew Fruit<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Fragrances<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
New Clothing<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
New Home<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
New <\/strong>Sefarim<\/strong><\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Old Friends<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Birthdays<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A Time of Sorrow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Shehecheyanu<\/strong><\/em> Sensitivity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n