Dear Rabbi. You wrote a few Shailos on the brocho said on the blooming fruit trees. Does one really have to go and look for such a tree in order to make the brocho? Is it no just a voluntary blessing?

Indeed, there is in principle no obligation to recite this brocho as we similarly wrote regarding women on question 4227: “Teshuvos Vehanhogos (1: 190) and others maintain that there is no obligation for women to leave their homes and seek the blooming trees to recite this blessing. (See Piskei Teshuvos 226: 1). However, Poskim maintain that they can recite the brocho, especially during Shabbos.” Besides the reasons mentioned on question 4229, there is an additional motive and that is that in our days as we travel or walk in the streets, it is likely that we will encounter a blooming tree that fits the description and conditions necessary to recite this brocho and because of its natural beauty, we will be enjoying its presence and image. Yet because we are not then in the condition and proper timing, we wont be able to thank Hashem with the proper brocho. That is likely another reason to recite the brocho in the proper way. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is similar.