Birchas Ha'ilanos: Reaping the Divine Fruits of Blessing of Pesach

Okay, good morning everyone. Shalom aleichem. Baruch haba'im. This is the last Sunday of bein hazmanim, right? So, I first I wanted to speak about a lamda share topic or all the bachurim hashuvim are here, but then I realized it's also the last Sunday of Nissan and it may be the last time to say birkas ilanot in chodesh Nissan. We have the whole week, but it's your last Sunday. So, the first thing I want to point out is there's a entire siman in Shulchan Aruch regarding birkas ilanot. There are many brachas that we say. There is no siman in Shulchan Aruch specifically on thunder or specifically on lightning or specifically on tall mountains or specifically on seas or on any other phenomenon that you see. However, on birkas ilanot, there's an entire siman in Shulchan Aruch on the parameters of these halachas. That alone demonstrates how important it is. Actually, this is a point brought in sefer piskei teshuvos. The fact that the Tur was kovea an entire siman on this halacha obviously shows how important it is. Now, what is amazing here is that if you look in the Gemara about the parameters of this bracha, the Gemara only says nine words. The entire all of the parameters of these halachas are encapsulated in nine words. Amar Rav Yehuda. >> [clears throat] >> Rav Yehuda said, Haiman, okay, we we're now starting the nine words. Haiman dinofik biyomei Nissan. This guy who goes out in the days of Nissan v'chazi ilanai d'kama lavlavi and he sees trees that are flowering. That's the whole thing. And then the Gemara says, what bracha do you make? What bracha do you make? O mer baruch ata Hashem Elokeinu Melech ha'olam shelo chisar b'olamo klum. Hashem did not make anything missing from his world u'vara bo he created in it briyos tovot good creations v'ilanot tovot and good trees l'hisna'os bahem bnei adam for people to have pleasure from. We don't We have a little bit of a different nosach. We say some in some siddurim it says shelo chisar b'olamo davar u'vara bo briyos tovot v'ilanot. Some siddurim say tovim. L'his l'hisna'os bahem bnei adam. Okay. Um the Shulchan Aruch says in siman resh chof vov, you only make this bracha once a year. Now, we're going to I'm going to ask you a little trivia question. How's it possible to make the bracha twice a year? How? If you made the bracha before you heard the shiur and then you realized after the shiur that you made it too early, so then maybe you'll be able to make it twice a year. But next year you'll only do it once. But we'll see because you'll have to see flowers. If you didn't see flowers, then the bracha doesn't work. Doesn't matter that they put up a sign. In other words, the fact that the owner of the tree put up a sign does not determine the halachic status. You know what else doesn't determine halachic status? What it says in a siddur. Many times it says a certain nosach in a siddur or certain word in a siddur and people get very caught up, but it says it in the siddur. A siddur is not a halachic uh code. You have to follow Shulchan Aruch, Mishna Berurah, not what it says in a siddur. Anyway, the Mechaber says that you only make this bracha once a year and if you delayed making it after the fruit already grew, you can you don't you don't make the bracha anymore. We're going to see that you do not make this bracha on a barren tree. If you delayed making the bracha, if the fruit did not grow, you could make the bracha even let's say you saw the tree and you saw the flowers and you didn't make a bracha, you could you could make it the second time you see it or the third time you see it or the fourth time. If you didn't make it the first time you see it, you could continue to make the bracha um many many times as long as the fruit didn't grow. Says Rav the Sha'arei Halacha, if the fruit began to grow, but was not nigmar kol tzorko, um then you could continue to make the bracha. Okay, so let's discuss this bracha a little bit. What Why are we making a bracha on a fruit tree? You don't make a bracha on grain. If you see grain starting to grow, wheat, barley, spelt, rye, oats, there's no bracha that you make. So, why do you make a bracha on a apple tree? What is so important about an apple? You could survive without apples. You can't survive without wheat, so why are you making a bracha on the fruit tree? So, the Aruch Hashulchan explains that from the new fruit, you see the following idea. You see Hashem's chesed that Hashem gives us even what we don't need. Obviously, if he gives us food, uh Hashem has to give us food. The you know, he created us, so what are we supposed to do? He needs to give us gasoline. We have to we need fuel. But he doesn't have to give us luxury. The fact from the fruit tree, we see that Hakadosh Baruch Hu is even showering his chesed on us that he's giving us uh those things that are not hechrech, that are not absolutely necessary. Rav Zalman Auerbach, uh printed in Halacha Shleima, was very zariz and zahir in this bracha. He would always remind other people to do it and not to slacken off. I know uh in other words, let's say today you're going to say, "Okay, as soon as this shiur is over, I'm going to go straight I'm going to be learning the whole day. I don't even have one millisecond." No, you're going to have to take off some time today and find a a fruit tree to make a bracha of birkas ilanot. In fact, Rav Zalman said that miyom umdai al d'ati, from the from his bar mitzvah, he never missed making the bracha of birkas ilanot. Now, says the Mishna Berurah, you only make the bracha if you see a flower. But if you just see a leaf, a leaf, you don't make a bracha. It's not enough to see leaves. So, by the way, it's an amazing thing. Don't look. Don't look. Don't look. I just want to point out that yesterday during pirkei avot, right after we said ilan naya, the tree blossomed. I'm just pointing out. Now, I've told you it wasn't exactly the same minute. It wasn't that minute mamash, but b'erech. Right when we said ilan, we said the words ilan naya, all of a sudden the tree If you see the leaf, uh it's not enough to make the bracha. You have to see a flower. And also it's only of a fruit tree. Only a tree that is uh destined to grow fruit. A barren tree, you do not make the bracha. Ah, based on this, we could understand the very important psak of Rabbi Akiva Eiger, which in my opinion disqualifies some of the trees that they have in the neighborhood. Namely, since it has to be a tree that you could eat from, could you eat from orlah? Nope. Does orlah apply in chutz ha'aretz? Of course. I, but it's mitzvah she'as tuiya b'karka, so what? It's an exception to the rule. So, therefore, it can't be a tree in its first 3 years. So, you say, that's what Now, in some places what they do is they they transport from Home Depot a tree and they bring it to the place. Well, according to many poskim, the shot clock starts again. So, it's orlah. So, you can't eat it. So, you can't make a bracha. Plain and simple. Now, what if you're not What if it's a safek? Rabbi Akiva Eiger says safek orlah, you can make a bracha. Why? Cuz safek orlah is mutar in chutz ha'aretz. Okay, that's interesting halacha. Safek orlah mutar b'chutz ha'aretz. Now, what if it's a So, that's one thing to bear in mind. It's not so pashut that you could just go to a place where they you know, they transported some tree from a store and they put it there cuz it could be that it's chayav in orlah again. The shot clock starts again. However, that's if you have an old tree or a sick tree that's not producing fruits, you can't make birkas ilanot. It's got to be a viable tree. Now, here's where the fun starts. If you look carefully in the Gemara, the Gemara says as follows. Haiman, we're going to be medayek in every word of the Gemara. It says haiman dinofik biyomei Nissan v'chazi ilani. What does the word ilani mean? Plural. A euro? Plural. Translate the word. Trees. Trees. Yes, plural. Trees. So, do you need to see more than one tree? The Gemara says ilani. Why didn't the Gemara say v'chazi ilan? Why did the Gemara say Elon E? Says the Kaf Hachaim, you don't have to have two species of trees >> [snorts] >> as long as you have two trees, even if they're both avocado, cherry, orange, plum, pear, it's and that's good enough, says the Kaf Hachaim. How do I know you don't need two different species? Cuz it says Elon E. Elon E is plural. However, as the Kaf Hachaim says, you should try to find a place that has a multitude of various trees and bushes in order to bring up the various sparks of Kedusha from all the various trees. Let's just focus on the Halachic thing he says. The Kaf Hachaim holds you need to have at least two trees. You're required to otherwise it seems like you don't make a Bracha. That's also the opinion of the Marsham in the Das Torah in the name of the Ish Avraham Buchach. However, the Chida, if you take a look in number 12 in the Ma'areches Etzba, um he says the number 12, the Hamad Kim Makpidim She beneath enough the Hamad Kim are Makpid that it's two trees. That implies it's not absolutely necessary, it's just a Hiddur. And the Titz Eliezer makes this Diuk that from the Kaf Hachaim it's Mashma that you need to have two trees. However, from the Chida it's uh the implication is that it's only a preference to have two trees. And Mhm. Rav Zalman Auerbach was Mahader to look at two trees. However, the Haskama of the Poskim is you do not need two trees. You could make a Bracha on one tree. And Rav Moshe Feinstein, as reported in the Rivevois Ephraim, um would would make Birchas Ilanos on one tree. But if you could be Mahader, you could try you should try to do two trees. I will bli neder send out a special location for only for the membership of Kehilas Tiferes Mordechai. Provided that you don't have your phone in the Shul right now, I will let you know about this. Now, if you do have your phone in the Shul and you get the text, you have to delete it. Please delete it. It's Keilu you never received it. Thank you very much. Okay. What if you have three like I have three in my front yard, which is a wild apple? I don't eat, but I see Time out. eating So, is it like what's the So, when I ask >> You You saw the birds? Yes. Firsthand or somebody told you they saw birds? >> eating. What kind of birds? Uh some parrots or whatever. Parrots? Yeah, you know the parrots. You know, three years ago teacher fell in the Jeff game. There are parrots flying in The green guys? Yeah, green guys. The green guys come to your house? To my house, my front yard. To my house, too. They come to Steve's house, they don't come to my house. I only have cardinals and bluebirds and woodpeckers. Yeah. The answer is it doesn't matter that the birds eat it cuz the Bracha is Lehanos Behem Bnei Adam. Okay? So, it has to be fit for human consumption. Okay. Now, so that's the first interesting point. The Gamara says Elon E. Is Elon E Davka or Lav Davka? Halacha Lema'aseh, it's Lav Davka. It's just it's just a typical way to speak. You because typically in the month of Nissan you'll see trees. But even if you see one tree, you can still make the Bracha. It's better to to try to find two trees. I will tell you about a place that has how many? Five? Five different kinds of trees. Now, next point. The Gamara says Haiman Dinofak Biomei Nissan. A guy who goes out in the days of Nissan. Does that mean Davka? Could you make the Bracha in Adar? Could you make the Bracha in Iyar? Otherwise, why did the Gamara say Haiman Dinofak Biomei Nissan? The Gamara should have said Haiman Dinofak, a guy that went out. Why would the Gamara say extra words Biomei Nissan? By the way, the Rambam also says a Lashon of Biomei Nissan. The Rambam says Haroeh Hayotzei Lasados Biomei Nissan. Is it coming to include other months? Um Lema'aseh, says the Titz Eliezer, no, Lav Davka. It doesn't have to be the month of Nissan. So, to the Rivevois Ephraim, says it doesn't have to be the the month of Nissan. Oh, I'm sorry. Time out. No, I jumped the gun. I jumped to the month of Nissan. It says Haiman Dinofak Biomei. Could you only make the Bracha in the day or could you even make it at night? That's the Shaila. Why does the Gamara say Biomei Nissan? It could say Haiman Dinofak in Nissan. Why Biomei Nissan? The Rambam also says a Lashon of Yomei. However, the Titz Eliezer and the Rivevois Ephraim say Lav Davka. Typically, most people go out during the day. In the night most people are not out on the out and about. So, Halacha Lema'aseh, you don't have to do it in the day. You could also do it at night. Here's another amazing Shaila. Could you make Birchas Ilanos on Shabbos? Why not? Comes the Kaf Hachaim. And the Kaf Hachaim says an interesting Chiddush that you you should not make Birchas Ilanos on Shabbos. Why? Cuz you might move the tree or take a flower to smell it or or you might uproot something. And especially according to the Mekubalim that the purpose of this Bracha is to extract the sparks of Kedusha, if you do Birchas Ilanos on Shabbos, it's Borer. Yom Tov, too? No, otherwise they're they're good Jews. But What if you bring Kedusha in the house? You're extracting. They all go out. It's Borer. Okay. So, here you're taking the good from the bad, but you're not eating it. It has to be Beyad, with your hand. You're not doing it with your hand. Yeah, you're extracting the Kedusha from the fruit from the tree. There are souls in the tree. There are souls in the tree. You're extracting the Kedusha from the tree and it's Borer. So, you who is asking, but it's the good from the bad. Okay, but you can only do do the good from the bad Beyad, with your hand, Miyad, for immediate use. So, Rav Ovadia Yosef has serious issues with this Psak of the Kaf Hachaim. First of all, regarding the fact that we're afraid you might take off a flower, we are not able to make new Gezeiros. What's that? Are you allowed to smell a flower on Shabbos? Are you allowed to smell a flower on Shabbos? >> [cough] >> They do it on Yom Tov all the time. Again Again, you're telling me what they do in the Chaim B'Shom. We don't talk about other Shuls in this Shul. What? >> [laughter] >> Uh um so, the Halacha is you cannot smell a flower on Shabbos if it's attached to the ground. Because you might pluck it. But if it's not attached to the ground, you're allowed to smell it. However, even when it's attached to the ground, where there's an issue, that's only you're not allowed to smell it because if you come and come close to it, you might pluck it. But you don't need to get close. You don't have to get like touchy-feely with the tree to make Birchas Ilanos. You could just stand at a safe distance and make the Bracha. So, Rav Ovadia says, "What? Meheichi Teisi that we're going to make a Gezeira? You can't make a Bracha Birchas Ilanos cuz you might pluck a flower? You don't have to The Halacha is you're not allowed to smell a flower cuz you might pluck it. But that's because to smell it you have to get into the Dalet Amas of the flower. But where is what's the source that you can't make Birchas Ilanos cuz you might pluck a flower? And then Rav Ovadia has a serious issue with what the Kaf Hachaim says, that it's considered Borer. Borer? What kind of Borer is that? Cuz you're extracting holy souls? Rav Ovadia quotes the Teshuvos Chasam Sofer that anyone who mixes Kabbalah with Halacha is Over Issur of Lo Sizra Kilayim. It's Shatnez. You can't mix Halacha and Kabbalah. The fact that you're extracting The fact that you're extracting souls, that is not an Issur of Kilayim. The Pasuk says Chayiv Mishum Zore'a Kilayim. Chasam Sofer says in Orach Chaim Siman Nun Aleph, "Pen Tukdash Hamaleh Hazera Asher Tizra." By the way, the Chasam Sofer says anyone who mixes philosophy with Torah is Over Lo Al On Choyresh Vachamor Yachdav. Okay, so bottom line is you allowed to make on Shabbos? And the conclusion is that there is no problem says of doing on Shabbos. And the Deborah Cena of said you could do it on Shabbos and said you could do it on Shabbos and the Stifler did it on Shabbos and the Adar is after did it on Shabbos. Why? To get mayor you know, you're you're short on so he did it on Shabbos. But now we're coming to the million dollar question and that is are you supposed to do after in Nissan or is Nissan just a suggestion but really you could do it in Adar or you could do it in ER. So the Yossi discusses this. And the that on trees that ripen early before Nissan do not make a and also you should be after in Nissan. The says since it's a is and the is after in Nissan and we hold you should only make the in Nissan and that's the minute the says. And the safer Pesach explains the reason to do it in Nissan. However how long the Mesa even though we'll be for what the says in the that it's preferable to do it in Nissan bottom line is you could do it even in Adar or in ER. Why did the say Nissan love the when the qualifies the the says like this I didn't have a Nissan. So you may Nissan love each place based on when the tree blossoms. And that's brings from other who other bring the follows. Let's say the I might have a royal show it's you after going to Nissan. That's how the paskins. That's how the paskins. That's how the paskins. The Nissan or the Mesa not that's just the typical situation but in any month that you see it you can make the so you'll ask so why did the say Nissan? If you can make the in any month the shouldn't have said anything it should have said a royal to come a love will be why did the say Nissan? So the Moshe wrote a safer of is called Hashiv Moshe. And he says you know why the said you may Nissan? Cuz if the would have just said man didn't have for royal to come a love will be you would think you could make the every day. So when you go out and you see the tree so the says no in the in the month of Nissan meaning just like Nissan only comes you know, once a year it's a Cooper that comes annually so to it's it's indicating that it's an annual the says even if you say Nissan is after that it would depend on the climate. So in most trees blossom in Nissan but if you live let's say in Brazil most trees blossom in I don't know when in I'm not sure. I'm not sure. Some say a completely different take. Some say the doesn't say you may Nissan it says Nissan you may Nissan means Nissan Nissan is the uh a two-month period to fast Nissan. And so if sometimes Nissan begins on Nissan so then you have then Nissan is the the spring. It's a like uh amount of time you would then have until ER. I don't know when Nissan is this year. Bottom line is the says as follows. The killer you should not make the other wait till Nissan in difference to all the skin the who say that Nissan not only is preferable but according to the you can't make it any other time. However, if the month of Nissan passes and now you're holding in ER you could still make the bottom line is it's it's considered preferable to make it in the month of Nissan. So even if you say Nissan is love that guy they're definitely is a preference to do it in Nissan so you still have today Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Friday. So the The only thing is Thursday is not Rosh Chodesh. No, Friday is not. Yep, Friday is Rosh Chodesh. So Friday is okay? Friday is still Nissan. It's Nissan. Okay, just want to end up with one idea the the rubber brings that someone who's in this will will achieve the that you gave a royal to me Korea soda a sham the local the local So this gives us an insight into the connection between the noise in this time of the year. Because on Pesach we for town the of town is the of how like me to a sham we know that on the of Pesach you came to to to get a a car. And you thought it was a sub and you tells who he thought was a sub you says you know tonight is Pesach tonight the heavens open up tonight I could shower on you from the wellsprings of there's an idea that the that you gave which was the of town you know that the that you gave is the like him me a sham that's why we for town Pesach morning cuz that's the calendar date that you was you with town. That means this time of the year the of royal to me Korea soda a sham the local is available. So if this is a blessing that's available then we need to do something to serve a sham in this area to access the car. So therefore we go out to the fruit tree and we're and as a reward for that a sham is us with the of royal to me Korea soda a sham the a sham the I just want to point out going back to the car. That you see how the literally weigh every word of the car. The says I might have a royal to me someone who goes out in the days okay now let's discuss is the day is the day love that guy. I like the Mesa doesn't have to be the day Nissan is Nissan is the love that guy. It's preferable because the only do you see trees is it better to have two trees? It's preferable you don't have to was not the love will be though is the key ingredient. Not budding flowering blossoming not budding blossoming that's the main thing and as long as the fruit is not fully developed you could still make the car.