A Spring Blessing
The Berachah on Blossoming Trees
By Moshe Bleich and Chaya Devora Hammer
One of the loveliest but least observed mitzvot of the springtime is birkat ilanot,
the blessing on the trees.1 The source for the mitzvah is a gemara in Masechet Berachot 43b,
which states: “A person who goes out during the days of Nisan and sees trees in bloom, says,
Blessed are you Lord our God, King of the Universe, Who did not leave anything lacking in His
universe, and created in it good creatures and good trees, to give pleasure to humankind with them.
T he Gemara raises a number
of intriguing questions. Does the
mitzvah only apply in Nisan, or can
trees? What types of trees are worthy
of the blessing? Why does the blessing
only begin to bloom much later in the
year? Or what if you live in Australia
mention good creatures as well as good when the trees bloom at exactly the
you say it anytime you see trees in trees? And how is the statement, opposite time of year, when it is
bloom? Is it enough to see merely one “Who did not leave anything lacking autumn in the Northern Hemisphere?
tree in bloom or must you see many in His universe,” connected to the The acharonim disagree over
other themes of the blessing? whether the blessing may only be said
Rabbi Bleich, a graduate of Beth during Nisan. The Mishnah Berurah 2
Medrash Gavoha, Lakewood, and the
Mir Yeshivas of both New York and
When Do We Say notes that in warm climates, trees tend
to bloom during Nisan, but that the
Jerusalem, is on the editorial board of the Blessing? blessing is not intrinsically related to
Machon Mishnat Rav Aharon. Chaya The Gemara states that a person says Nisan. Consequently, he maintains
Devora Hammer is a tax attorney. They the blessing when seeing blooming that a person should say the blessing
are married and live in Silver Spring, trees during the month of Nisan. But whenever the blooming occurs.
Maryland. say you live in Vermont, and the trees In contrast to the Mishnah
Spring 5762/2002 JEWISH ACTION
Berurah, the Kaf HaChaim 3 decides is it possible that so many people man-
that the Gemara’s use of the word age their affairs of the heart so that they How Many Trees
Nisan does have halachic significance. get engaged in the spring and married
in the summer?
Are Required?
Basing his opinion on the language
of the Gemara and conflicting prior Perhaps it is because of the effect the The rabbis discuss whether it is sig-
authorities, the Kaf HaChaim rules change of seasons has on human physiolo- nificant that the plural form (trees) is
that the full blessing should be said gy. In the springtime, the increasing used in the Gemara. While Rambam
only if one sees a blooming tree in amount of light and warmth—when both doesn’t discuss the question directly, in
Nisan. He adds that if one can only were severely rationed for many months— describing the mitzvah,12 he states that
find a blooming tree after Nisan is has a miraculous effect on the whole one should make a blessing when
over, the words of the blessing should human being. This is experienced especially going out to the fields or gardens, and
be recited without mentioning the by those who live in places where spring seeing blossoming trees. The Halachot
Divine name.4 follows a long, hard winter. In contrast, Ketanot13 infers from the language of
A novel intermediary position is the Rambam that in order to be obli-
held by the Chatam Sofer 5 who states gated in the blessing, there must be
that he has a tradition from his teacher “ribui ilanot,” a multitude of trees.
that the Gemara’s phrase “the days of The Kaf HaChaim14 requires that, at
Nisan” (yemei Nisan) actually refers to a minimum, a person needs to see two
the Nisan season (tekufat Nisan), trees in order to say the blessing, but
which extends into part of the month lechatchila (a priori) it is better to go
of Iyar. While this opinion might to a place that has ribui ilanot.
allow people to say the birkat ilanot in However, other authorities maintain
Vermont, for example, it wouldn’t per- that it is enough to see one tree to
mit the berachah to be said in make the blessing.15 Rabbi Sternbuch
Australia, where the spring begins states that one should go into a field
around Tishrei time! to say the blessing to inspire within
Contemporary authorities, such as oneself feelings of thanksgiving to
Dayan Weiss6 and Rabbi Eliezer Hashem, as a field full of newly blos-
Waldenberg,7 who have written exten- soming trees tends to have a special
sively on this issue, conclude that it is effect on the observer. He adds that
permissible to recite the blessing during although it is not necessary to go to a
the spring in Australia. This is also the place with a profusion of trees to recite
opinion of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.8 Rabbi people who dwell in the more temperate the blessing, it is the ideal way to per-
Waldenberg points out that the general climates in the Southern Hemisphere do form the obligation (mitzvah min
rule is that the birkat ilanot should only not necessarily undergo this annual trans- hamuvchar). Rabbi Sternbuch
be said once a year.9 He emphasizes formation. describes seeing school children in
that the rule applies even if a person Relationships, like living organisms, Jerusalem visiting gardens in order to
happens to be in both the Northern enjoy the transformation that takes make the blessing together. He finds
and Southern Hemispheres during their place in spring. What seemed distant this custom—which teaches young
successive springs in one year.10 and difficult to achieve during the people that all of creation is the handi-
The Birkei Yosef,11 on the other hand, winter months is, in the spring, more work of Hashem—very beautiful.16,17
says that according to the “derech readily attainable. Perhaps this is why Educators should take Rabbi
haemet [the kabbalistic tradition] the there are proportionately more Sternbuch’s words to heart and take
blessing belongs only in the days of Orthodox weddings in the summer in their students to orchards or similar
Nisan.” Indeed, there is something spe- the Northern Hemisphere than in the places during Nisan, thereby integrat-
cial about springtime in the Northern Southern Hemisphere. In the same ing lessons about nature with an
Hemisphere. Have you ever wondered vein, while according to most authori- appreciation of the Creator.
why such a large proportion of ties it is permissible to recite the birkat
Orthodox weddings take place in the ilanot in Tishrei in Australia or South
summer? After all, unlike other people, Africa, there is certainly emet to the What Kind of Tree?
most frum couples do not lengthen kabbalistic tradition that the blessing According to Rabbi Yaakov Emden,
their engagements in order to get mar- belongs in Nisan. Only in those places all blossoming trees are worthy of the
ried during the summer months. If you where there has been a freezing, dark birkat ilanot even if they bear no fruit
assume that people start dating on a Shevat can a person truly appreciate and are not sweet smelling. This is
random basis throughout the year, how the warmth and light of Nisan. because a person is joyous upon seeing
Spring 5762/2002 JEWISH ACTION
any kind of blossoming tree.18 This article is written in memory of
However, the consensus of the author- “Who Left Nothing Michoel ben Yaakov Yitzhak, HY”D
ities is that only productive fruit trees Lacking in His World” (1924-1944), and in honor of the opsh-
warrant a blessing because only they Finally, there are various questions eren of Menahem Tsvi Mikhael, the
are called “good trees,” which is the surrounding the first phrase of the authors’ son, shelo chisar b’olamo kelum.
language in the blessing.19 blessing: “Shelo chisar b’olamo kelum,28 Notes
Who left nothing lacking in His 1. The Aruch HaShulchan laments that
people in his time were lax in the per-
“Good Trees and world.” Why is it used as a preface to
formance of this mitzvah and notes
the blessing? And how is it connected
Good Creatures” to the other themes of the blessing? that God-fearing people are meticu-
Why does the blessing praise crea- The word “chisar” can be translated lous in its performance. OC 226:2.
tures as well as trees? Drawing upon as “to subtract, cause loss or lessen.” 2. OC 226:1.
the well-known phrase, “Ki ha’adam The phrase can therefore be translated 3. Ibid.
eitz hasadeh, Man is the tree of the as “Who did not subtract from or 4. This is because of the principle of
field,”20 the Ben Ish Chai provides cause loss of anything from His safek berachah l’kula, that is, when a
the following answer: Similar to the world.” It is hard to tell whether the person is in doubt as to whether a
tree, which was once dry and with- phrase is referring to the acts of blessing should be recited, the blessing
ered and has now come into full Creation, where nothing was omitted, should not be recited to prevent the
bloom, even the hopeless person can or whether it is describing the world as Divine name from being uttered in
be rejuvenated. Watching the trans- it unfolds daily. Of course, the blessing vain.
formation of nature can provide us may be speaking of both. When the 5. Hagahot Chatam Sofer, OC 226. See
with the courage and inspiration to world was created it was perfect and also Rabbi Yechiel A. Zilber, Birur
lift us out of our despair, and remind lacked nothing. Additionally, Hashem Halachah, vol. 2 (B’nai Brak, 5736),
us that Hashem has given us the “mechadeish betuvo bechol yom tamid 208.
tools to revitalize ourselves.21 ma’aseih bereishit, renews in His good- 6. Minchat Yitzchak, vol. 10:16.
In the spirit of the Ben Ish Chai, the ness every day, eternally, the acts of 7. Tzitz Eliezer, vol. 12:20.
Elya Rabba22 states that those who are Creation.” Both at the conclusion of 8. Yechave Da’at 1:1. See also Birur
careful to make this blessing merit the Creation, and at every moment Halachah op. cit. fn 4 pp. 207-208.
receiving the berachah of Yitzchak to since then, the blessing tells us, God 9. Shulchan Aruch, OC 226:1. The
Yaakov. In Parashat Toledot, the giving has caused nothing to be lost from the Mishnah Berurah, OC 226:5, notes
of the berachah is described as follows: world.29 that the blessing can be recited even in
And his father Yitzchak said to him, For the Jewish people, whose scars the event that a person has previously
“Come near, and kiss me, my son.” And from losses are continually reopened, seen blooming trees but failed to recite
he stepped near and kissed him and he this is a very difficult phrase to under- the blessing. However, there are
smelled the scent of his garments, and stand. Is it true that after every mass authorities who maintain that the
blessed him and said, “Behold the scent of murder and atrocity against the Jewish blessing must be recited the first time
my son is like the scent of the field which people and the Torah, the world is not blossoming trees are seen. For an
God has blessed.”23 lessened in any way? extensive discussion, see Birur
Rashi comments on this pasuk, And yet, even as we bear the burdens Halachah op. cit. fn. 4 pp. 208-209.
“Surely there is no more offensive of our people’s and our own losses, 10. See also Rav Shlomo Zalman
smell than that of washed goat skins! when we go out into the fields and see Braun, Shearim Metzuyanim
But this teaches us that the perfume of the first blossoming trees, we are filled B’Halachah 60:1.
Gan Eden entered [the room with with spontaneous awe and gratitude. 11. OC 226:2. Cf., Rabbi Eliezer
Yaakov].”24 Rashi further explains that God has sent us spring again, the earth Waldenberg, Tzitz Eliezer, vol. 12 no.
the “scent of the field” which Yitzchak has completed its full cycle, “…lo chis- 20:3 notes that there is controversy
sensed on Yaakov was the scent of a ar b’olamo kelum.” With the gifts of the even amongst kabbalists whether or
field of apple trees.25, 26 springtime, we are able to believe that not the blessing is intrinsically related
From here we see Hashem’s power of this world is lacking nothing, and that to Nisan.
transformation: Just as a terrible this is as true today as it was at 12. Rambam, Hilchot Berachot 10:13.
stench is turned into a Divine fra- Creation. God shows us through the 13. Teshuvot Halachot Ketanot 2:28.
grance, and a dry and barren tree in medium of the seasons that life springs 14. OC 226:2, see also Maharsham,
Kislev gives forth an abundance of up over all deaths, and after every Da’at Torah, OC 226:1 and Tzitz
flowers in Nisan, humans, full of destruction there is a renewal_in the Eliezer, vol. 20 no. 20:7.
shame and guilt, can become, through individual, in the community and in 15. Rabbi Avraham Chaim Naeh,
their efforts, “white like snow.”27 the world which sustains us. JA K’tzot HaShulchan 66, Badei
Spring 5762/2002 JEWISH ACTION