Q. You announced that there will be Birchas Hailonos on Shabbos. Does not the Ben Ish Chai and others rule not to allow Birchas Ilonos on Shabbos?
A. On question 4219 we were asked:
“Is it better to wait to recite the blessing on the new fruit of the blooming trees on Shabbos with all the family present and with more people?
On question 1708 we addressed the following similar questions: “Since the days of Nissan are over can you still say the bracha for blooming trees with Hashem’s name after Lag Baomer? Is it better to wait until Shabbath to recite it? Is it better to recite it with a minyan? Should one say it and have in mind all, as we do in kiddush?”
To what we answered: “On question 288 we wrote; This year, due to the earliness of Pesach, the blooming of trees at this latitude occurred very late on the Jewish calendar. . In regards to waiting until Shabbos on question 287 we wrote; Yalkut Yosef (Shabbos 3, 319,77) quotes some opinions that maintain that this brocho should not be recited on Shabbos either because by engaging one’s attention on the tree one might come to collect some fruit (Moed L’kol Chai 9), or by dint of a Cabalistic injunction on gathering “nitzoitzois” (spiritual sparks) from a tree on Shabbos (Kaf Hachaim 226, 4).
However most Poiskim disagree and permit reciting this brocho on Shabbos. (Yalkut Yosef ibid. – Nitei Gavriel, Pesach I, 6,7). Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit”a opinion is that you can wait until Shabbos (avoid contemplating the tree) and recite together with a larger group “b’rov am” and have it adjoined to the count of the hundred brochos.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that although no minyan is required for reciting this brocho, since we always maintain that “Berov Am Haddras Melreh” or we honor of the King, when many are present, it would be preferred to have others join. However the Rov maintains that each one should recite his own brocho.”
Leave A Comment