Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim Siman 216

Siman 216

Presented here for study, not as a practical ruling. The Shulchan Aruch rules by Sephardi custom, the Rema's glosses by Ashkenazi custom, and the Kitzur follows Ashkenazi custom. For a practical question, ask your rabbi.

א אָסוּר לֵיהָנוֹת מֵרֵיחַ טוֹב עַד שֶׁיְּבָרֵךְ קֹדֶם שֶׁיָּרִיחַ, אֲבָל לְאַחֲרָיו אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ.

1 Laws of the Blessing over Fragrance – containing 14 sections: It is forbidden to benefit from a pleasant fragrance before reciting a blessing; however, after smelling it, one does not need to recite a blessing retroactively.

ב אִם זֶה שֶׁיּוֹצֵא מִמֶּנּוּ הָרֵיחַ עֵץ אוֹ מִין עֵץ, מְבָרֵךְ בּוֹרֵא עֲצֵי בְּשָׂמִים; וְאִם הוּא עֶשֶׂב, מְבָרֵךְ בּוֹרֵא עִשְׂבֵּי בְּשָׂמִים; וְאִם אֵינוֹ לֹא מִין עֵץ וְלֹא מִין עֶשֶׂב, כְּמוֹ המוס"ק, מְבָרֵךְ בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי בְּשָׂמִים; וְאִם הָיָה פְּרִי רָאוּי לַאֲכִילָה, מְבָרֵךְ: הַנּוֹתֵן רֵיחַ טוֹב בַּפֵּרוֹת. וְהָנֵי מִלֵּי כְּשֶׁנְּטָלוֹ לְהָרִיחַ בּוֹ אוֹ לְאָכְלוֹ וּלְהָרִיחַ בּוֹ, אֲבָל אִם נְטָלוֹ לְאָכְלוֹ וְלֹא נִתְכַּוֵּן לְהָרִיחַ בּוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא מַעֲלֶה רֵיחַ טוֹב אֵינוֹ מְבָרֵךְ; וְעַל כֻּלָּם, אִם אָמַר: בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי בְּשָׂמִים, יָצָא; הִלְכָּךְ עַל כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא מְסֻפָּק בּוֹ, מְבָרֵךְ בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי בְּשָׂמִים; עַל אֱגוֹז מוסקאד"ה וְעַל קניל"ה וקלוא"ו וְכָל בְּשָׂמִים שֶׁהֵם לַאֲכִילָה, מְבָרֵךְ הַנּוֹתֵן רֵיחַ טוֹב בַּפֵּרוֹת.

2 If the source of the fragrance is wood or a species of tree, one recites the blessing “Who creates fragrant trees” (borei atzei besamim). If it is a herb, one recites “Who creates fragrant herbs” (borei isvei besamim). If it is neither a tree nor a herb — such as musk — one recites “Who creates various kinds of fragrances” (borei minei besamim). And if it is a fruit that is suitable for eating, one recites “Who gives a pleasant fragrance to fruits” (hanoten re’ach tov bapeirot).However, this only applies when one picked it up with the intent to smell it, or to both eat and smell it. But if one picked it up only to eat it and did not intend to smell it — even though it gives off a pleasant fragrance — one does not recite a blessing. For all of them, if one recited “Who creates various kinds of fragrances” (borei minei besamim), one fulfills their obligation. Therefore, for anything whose category is uncertain, one recites borei minei besamim. Over nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and all fragrant spices that are meant to be eaten, one recites “Who gives a pleasant fragrance to fruits” (hanoten re’ach tov bapeirot).

ג עַל הַוֶּרֶד, וְעַל הַקִּנָּמוֹן שֶׁהוּא עוּד הִנְדִּי, וְעַל מֵי הַוֶּרֶד, וְעַל הַלְּבוֹנָה וְהַמַּצְטִיכִי וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶם, בּוֹרֵא עֲצֵי בְּשָׂמִים.

3 Over roses, and over cinnamon (which is the bark of the India tree), and over rose water, as well as frankincense and storax (and similar substances), one recites the blessing: “Who creates fragrant trees” (borei atzei besamim).

ד עַל שֶׁמֶן אֲפַרְסְמוֹן מְבָרֵךְ בּוֹרֵא שֶׁמֶן עָרֵב.

4 Over persimmon oil (shemen afarsimon), one recites the blessing: “Who creates pleasant oil” (borei shemen arev).

ה שֶׁמֶן זַיִת שֶׁכְּתָשׁוֹ אוֹ טְחָנוֹ עַד שֶׁחָזַר רֵיחוֹ נוֹדֵף, מְבָרֵךְ עָלָיו: בּוֹרֵא עֲצֵי בְּשָׂמִים.

5 Olive oil that has been crushed or ground until its fragrance is released — over it one recites the blessing: “Who creates fragrant trees” (borei atzei besamim).

ו שֶׁמֶן שֶׁבִּשְּׂמוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁמֶן הַמִּשְׁחָה, אִם בַּעֲצֵי בְּשָׂמִים, מְבָרֵךְ בּוֹרֵא עֲצֵי בְּשָׂמִים; וְאִם בְּעִשְׂבֵּי בְּשָׂמִים, מְבָרֵךְ בּוֹרֵא עִשְׂבֵּי בְּשָׂמִים; וְאִם הָיוּ בּוֹ עֵצִים וַעֲשָׂבִים, מְבָרֵךְ בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי בְּשָׂמִים; וְאִם סִנְּנוֹ וְהוֹצִיא מִמֶּנּוּ הַבְּשָׂמִים, יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁמְּבָרֵךְ בּוֹרֵא שֶׁמֶן עָרֵב, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְבָרֵךְ עָלָיו כְּלָל, דְּהָוֵי רֵיחַ שֶׁאֵין לוֹ עִקָּר; וְכֵיוָן שֶׁסָפֵק הוּא, נָכוֹן לִזָּהֵר מִלְּהָרִיחַ בּוֹ.

6 Oil that has been infused with fragrance, like the anointing oil (shemen hamishchah): If it was made with fragrant woods, one recites “Who creates fragrant trees” (borei atzei besamim). If it was made with fragrant herbs, one recites “Who creates fragrant herbs” (borei isvei besamim). If it was made with both woods and herbs, one recites “Who creates various kinds of fragrances” (borei minei besamim). If it was filtered and the fragrance was extracted from it (so that the spices themselves are no longer present): Some say one should recite “Who creates pleasant oil” (borei shemen arev). Others say no blessing is recited at all, since it is considered a fragrance without a substance (re’ach she’ein lo ‘ikar). And since this is a matter of doubt, it is proper to be cautious and avoid smelling it.

ז סִימְלָק וְחִילְפֵי דְּיַמָּא, מְבָרֵךְ בּוֹרֵא עֲצֵי בְּשָׂמִים; סִימְלָק יֵשׁ מְפָרְשִׁים רוסמארי"ן; וְיֵשׁ מְפָרִשִׁים יאסמי"ן; וְיֵשׁ מְפָרְשִׁים שֶׁהוּא עֶשֶׂב שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ שָׁלֹשׁ שׁוּרוֹת שֶׁל עָלִין זוֹ לְמַעְלָה מִזּוֹ וּלְכָל שׁוּרָה שָׁלֹשׁ עָלִין; וְחִלְפֵי דְּיַמָּא, הוּא שִׁבּוֹלֶת נֶרְד שֶׁקּוֹרִין אישפי"ק.

7 Over simlak and ḥilfei deimā, one recites the blessing: “Who creates fragrant trees” (borei atzei besamim). Regarding simlak: Some explain that it is rosemary (rosmarin), Others say it is jasmine (yasmin), And some interpret it as a herb with three rows of leaves, one above the other, and three leaves on each row. Ḥilfei deimā is identified as spikenard (shibolet nerd), which is called ishpek.

ח סיגלי וְהֵם ויאול"ש, בּוֹרֵא עִשְׂבֵּי בְּשָׂמִים.

8 Sigli — which are violets (violes) — require the blessing: “Who creates fragrant herbs” (borei isvei besamim).

ט נַרְגִּיס, וְהוּא חֲבַצֶּלֶת, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁהוּא ליריי"ו, אִם גָּדֵל בְּגִנָּה, מְבָרֵךְ בּוֹרֵא עֲצֵי בְּשָׂמִים; וְאִם הוּא גָּדֵל בַּשָּׂדֶה, מְבָרֵךְ בּוֹרֵא עִשְׂבֵּי בְּשָׂמִים.

9 Nargis — which is the narcissus, and some say it is the lily (lirio) — If it grows in a garden, one recites: “Who creates fragrant trees” (borei atzei besamim). If it grows in the field, one recites: “Who creates fragrant herbs” (borei isvei besamim).

י הָיוּ לְפָנָיו עֲצֵי בְּשָׂמִים וְעִשְׂבֵּי בְּשָׂמִים וּמִינֵי בְּשָׂמִים, מְבָרֵךְ עַל כָּל אֶחָד בְּרָכָה הָרְאוּיָה לוֹ. הַגָּה: וְאִם בֵּרַךְ עַל כֻּלָּם מִינֵי בְּשָׂמִים, יָצָא (טוּר רֵישׁ הסי'). וְאִם צָרִיךְ לְהַקְדִּים שֶׁל עֵץ לְשֶׁל עִשְׂבֵּי בְּשָׂמִים, עַיִּןִ לְעֵיל סי' רי"א.

10 If one has before him fragrant trees, fragrant herbs, and various types of fragrances, he should recite the appropriate blessing for each one individually. Rema: However, if he recited “Who creates various kinds of fragrances” (borei minei besamim) over all of them, he has fulfilled his obligation (see Tur at the beginning of this section). And regarding whether one must give precedence to fragrant trees over fragrant herbs, see earlier in Siman 211.

יא הֵבִיאוּ לְפָנָיו הֲדַס וְשֶׁמֶן לְהָרִיחַ בָּהֶם, אִם בִּרְכוֹתֵיהֶן שָׁווֹת, מְבָרֵךְ עַל הַהֲדַס וּפוֹטֵר אֶת הַשֶּׁמֶן; וְאִם אֵינָם שָׁווֹת, מְבָרֵךְ עַל הַהֲדַס תְּחִלָּה.

11 If myrtle (hadas) and oil are brought before him to smell: If their blessings are the same, he should first recite the blessing over the myrtle and it will cover the oil as well. If their blessings are different, he should recite the blessing over the myrtle first.

יב מְבָרְכִין עַל הַמֻּגְמָר (פי' בְּשָׂמִים שֶׁמְּשִׂימִים עַל הַנְּחָלִים לְהָרִיחַ בָּהֶם) מִשֶּׁיַּעֲלֶה קִיטוֹר עֲשָׁנוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּגִּיעַ לוֹ הָרֵיחַ, אֲבָל לֹא יְבָרֵךְ קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה קִיטוֹר הֶעָשָׁן.

12 One should recite a blessing over mugmar (which refers to the incense placed on coals to be smelled) as soon as the steam of its smoke rises, before the fragrance reaches him. However, he should not recite the blessing before the steam rises from the incense.

יג הַמֻּגְמָר, אִם הוּא שֶׁל עֵץ מְבָרֵךְ בּוֹרֵא עֲצֵי בְּשָׂמִים; וְאִם שֶׁל עֶשֶׂב, בּוֹרֵא עִשְׂבֵּי בְּשָׂמִים; וְאִם שֶׁל שְׁאָר מִינִים, בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי בְּשָׂמִים.

13 Regarding mugmar (incense): If it is made from wood, one recites “Who creates fragrant trees” (borei atzei besamim). If it is made from herbs, one recites “Who creates fragrant herbs” (borei isvei besamim). If it is made from other types of fragrances, one recites “Who creates various kinds of fragrances” (borei minei besamim).

יד הַמֵּרִיחַ בְּאֶתְרוֹג שֶׁל מִצְוָה, מְבָרֵךְ עָלָיו; וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְבָרֵךְ, לְכָךְ נָכוֹן שֶׁלֹּא לְהָרִיחַ בּוֹ. הַגָּה: יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דְּהַמֵּרִיחַ בְּפַת חַם יֵשׁ לוֹ לְבָרֵךְ שֶׁנָּתַן רֵיחַ טוֹב בַּפַּת (אַבּוּדַרְהַם וּבֵית יוֹסֵף סִימָן רצ"ז בְּשֵׁם א"ח), וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דְּאֵין לְבָרֵךְ עָלָיו (בֵּית יוֹסֵף), לְכָךְ אֵין לְהָרִיחַ בּוֹ.

14 One who smells the etrog used for the mitzvah of Sukkot should recite a blessing over it. However, some say that no blessing should be recited over it, so it is proper not to smell it. Rema: Some say that one who smells hot bread should recite the blessing “Who gives a pleasant fragrance to bread” (she’asan re’ach tov bapat) (as cited in the Abudarham and Beit Yosef, Siman 236 in the name of **Rav Hai Gaon). Others say that no blessing should be recited over it (Beit Yosef). Therefore, one should avoid smelling it.

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