(Shiur and complimentary dinner were generously sponsored by Steven Sieratzki, Esq.)
1. What does the term
min sheva
refer to?
a.Varieties of fruits that the Torah praises eretz yisroel.
2. What does the term
chaviv
mean in relation to hilchos brachos?
a. One has a preference and liking for a particular food. This gives kedima, precedence in bracha recitation.
3. What if a species of fruit is
chaviv
now but not regularly
chaviv
? On which fruit should he make a bracha (if one has multiple varieties on the table?)
a. He would first make a bracha on the variety of fruit that is regularly chaviv. Alternatively, he may make a bracha on the "old" chaviv, taste a little, then consume the "new" chaviv, then return to the first fruit.
4. If one has fruit and a vegetable on the table and wishes to eat both but the vegetable is more
chaviv
, which bracha comes first, the ha'adama or ha'etz?
a. The ha'adama.
5. In the preceding question, instead of
chaviv
, the ha'adama is
min shiva
(e.g. toasted kernels of wheat,) what to do?
a. One would favor the min sheva even though it's ha'adama.
6. If one has multiple varieties of fruits before him on the table, including ha'adama, ha'etz, min sheva and chaviv, on which fruit should one make a bracha first?
a. The chaviv takes precedence.
7. If one has a new fruit to recite the shechiyanu bracha, does this give precedence over any other species of fruit?
a. No. There is no kedima for a fruit/vegetable that one recites shechiyanu.
8. Would one recite shechiyanu over a "new" species of bird, fish, bread or vegetables?
a. No. These items are readily available and difficult to distinguish between new and old. One would recite shechiyanu over fancy, exotic vegetables but not on ordinary ones, such as lettuce.
9. If a fruit enjoys two seasons a year, would one recite shechiyanu twice?
a. Yes.
10. Why don't we recite shechiyanu over potatoes?
a. Since they are stored throughout the year and readily available.
11. If one doesn't feel joy over a new fruit or he simply doesn't like it, would he recite shechiyanu regardless? Give two reasons if yes.
a. Yes. The bracha is about YOU being present, shechiyanu...b'zman hazeh, and the availability of the species - not exclusively about personal simcha. Additionally, if the Rabbis imposed the bracha upon us, we truly are b'simcha, even if we don't feel it...
12. If a particular fruit is imported and thus available all year long would one recite a shechiyanu? What if they freeze/refrigerate the fruit and make itreadily available but it is technically out of season? Make the shechiyanu anyway?
a. One would not make the bracha at all.
13. What if fruits are available from other countries but sold locally at exclusive stores and at a premium, would this be considered out of season/scarce and shechiyanu recited?
a. No, it is considered available and no bracha is recited.
14. What if varieties of fruits are available year-round in one country but imported seasonally in another country, would the second country recite a shechiyanu?
a. No, they would not recite the bracha.
15. Should one recite shechiyanu over carob/buckser?
a. According to Rav Eliyashev, z"tl, one would not since people do not regularly eat it.
16. If one cooks or pickles new fruits, does he say the shechiyanu?
a. Yes.
17. If one recited an ha'etz over an apple (and a date and pomegranate are on the table) and now wants to eat a (new) date and a (new) pomegranate, must he be
makdim
to recite the shechiyanu over the date before the pomegranate (since the date appears in the verse before the pomegranate?)
a. No, there is no kedima insofar as shechiyanu is concerned.
Have a great shabbos!
Rabbi Aaron D. Mehlman
Erev shabbos kodesh beshalach - shira 5779