One is faced with many questions in regard to the beracha to recite on a fragrance. For example, when one walks into a flower shop and smells a nice fragrance is a beracha recited? Is a beracha recited on the smell of cut grass? What beracha is recited when one smells an esrog? All these questions and many others will be answered in this issue.

Reason

Just as one is not allowed to benefit from food or drink without reciting a beracha,[1] one may not benefit from smelling something without reciting a beracha on it beforehand.[2] The reason is because a fragrance gives the neshama enjoyment,[3] however one who has no enjoyment when smelling an item does not recite a beracha.[4] No beracha achrona is recited.[5]

Nice Voice etc.

Since hearing a nice voice[6] or washing oneself[7] is not something which is enjoyed by the body, no beracha is recited.

Food and Smell

One who has a food item and an item which has a nice fragrance, recites the beracha on the food item first, since it goes into the body.[8]

Unsure if an item smells

One who is unsure if a specific item has a fragrance on which he can recite a beracha may smell the item without a beracha.[9] This is common if one is in a store and he smells a certain item to see if it has a good fragrance in order to buy it. If you can’t smell noberacha is recited.[10]

Intention

Each time one smells an item he should have in mind ריח ניחח אשה לה’.[11] One should say this after he smells the item since otherwise it would be a hefsek between the smelling and the beracha.[12]

Holding it in the Right Hand

According to some poskim just as when one recites a beracha on food,[13] the item is held in the right hand, so too when one holds an item to recite a beracha on the fragrance it is also held in the right hand.[14] The Biur Halacha[15] feels that doing so is not required.

Different Berachos

As we know different foods have different berachos recited over them. The same is true for berachos on a fragrance.

s Atzei B’samim– If an item is from a tree[16] the beracha is boruch ata… Atzei B’samim.

s Eisvei[17] B’samim– If an item is from the ground the beracha is boruch ata… Eisvei B’samim.

s Minei B’samim– If an item does not grow from the ground and is not a tree the beracha is boruch ata….Minei B’samim.[18]

s Asher Nosson Reiach Tov B’Peiros– is the beracha recited on a nice smelling fruit.[19]

There is a dispute as to which is the correct nusach for the beracha made on a fruit which one smells. Some say it is sh’nosson[20]… others say hanosson,[21] while others say it is asher nosson.[22] The custom seems to be that the beracha is hanosson,[23] each one according to his custom.[24] The Ben Ish Chai[25] says because of this dispute one should refrain from smelling any fruit in order to avoid a machlokes haposkim. This is not the overwhelming custom.[26]

On all items which are taken to smell if one recited a shehakol on them he was yotzei b’dieved,[27] just as one is always yotzei b’dieved when he recites a shehakol on a food item which requires a different beracha.[28] Others say one who made a shehakol on an item which was taken to smell was yotzei even l’chatchilah.[29] Some say one who recited a besamim on a fruit was yotzei b’dieved.[30]

Mistakes in the Berachos

One who recited an eisvei.. on a specific spice that grows from a tree whose beracha is therefore an atzei.. was not yotzei.[31] The same is true in the opposite scenario.[32] B’dieved one who smelled something without making a beracha beforehand does not recite theberacha over smelling it, even if he will smell the same item again.[33]

Made to Smell

A beracha is only recited on an item if one has the intention to smell it.

Smelling a Fruit

Even if one enjoys the smell of a specific fruit, a beracha is only recited if it is taken in one’s hand in order to smell, and not if it is lying on the table.[34] Others say it is only if one designates it to smell.[35] One who peels a fruit and smells it does not recite theberacha said on a fruit, but says minei besamim.[36]

Smelling an Esrog

There is a dispute if one who smells an esrog on Succos needs to recites a beracha (since the main purpose for the esrog on Succos is for a mitzvah and not to smell it).[37]  Therefore, it is proper for one not to smell it at all.[38] One who did smell it should not recite aberacha.[39] However, this is only on Succos where the esrog is used for a mitzvah and not for smelling, but after Succos (and after using it on Hoshana Rabbah)[40] it may be smelled and a beracha should be recited.[41] Some say on Yom Tov when the esrog is not being used for the mitzvah (not in shul etc.) smelling it is permitted, but one should refrain from doing so since others argue with this premise.[42] On Shabbos (Succos) smelling an esrog is permitted because it is not used for a mitzvah.[43] Some say the same is true for smelling the esrog at night.[44] One who touched an esrog and wiped the moisture of the esrog onto a garment etc, does not recite a beracha when smelling his garment afterwards.[45] The custom is to recite a beracha on the esrog with cloves which is passed around on Yom Kippur.[46]

Hot Bread – Dish

Many times one passes a bakery and is faced with the question if he should recite a beracha on the smell of hot bread which emanates from the bakery. Some poskim say to recite a beracha,[47] while others maintain that no beracha is recited even if one takes the bread in his hand to smell it.[48] Therefore, it is best to refrain from smelling hot bread,[49] and one who did smell it should not recite a beracha.[50] Similarly, no beracha is recited on a pleasant smelling hot dish (food),[51] or nice smelling cakes.[52]

Coffee

One who smells the fragrance of coffee does not recite a beracha on it.[53] Some say if one has intention to smell it than a beracha should be made,[54] and the beracha is hanosson.[55] According to the opinion of the Gr’a this is only if one designates it to smell.[56]

Entering a Flower Shop

Many times one enters a flower shop and there is a strong smell emanating from the flowers, and the question is if a beracha is recited at that point. The Shulchan Aruch[57] says one who enters a store where there are fragrances and spices recites a minei besamim.[58]One who sits in such a store a whole day recites one beracha which lasts for the duration of the entire day,[59] although others argue with this.[60] If he left and then came right back[61] then the beracha he made at the beginning of the day is still valid.[62] One who walks into a different store would recite a different beracha.[63] The reason why a beracha is recited in such a situation is because the store owner wants to attract customers so he places nice smelling flowers etc. on display.[64] Some say one only recites a beracha if one enters the store and has intention to smell the flowers etc, but if he has no intention to smell them then no beracha is recited.[65] Others say even without having intention to smell, a beracha is recited.[66] No beracha is recited on dry flowers since they have no real smell.[67]

The proper way to act is to walk into the store, have intention to smell the nice flowers and recite the beracha of minei besamim.[68] If there are only flowers in the store (and not spices etc.) then an eisvei besamim should be made.[69] Some say to recite a beracha on flowers in a flower shop would depend if the owner has intention to attract customers with the smell or not, and it would depend on each individual store owners intent.[70] Even according to the lenient view one who takes the flowers etc in his hands to smell would recite a beracha.[71]

Perfumes

A smell which has no real source does not require a beracha. Therefore, one should avoid smelling such items.[72] One who enters a perfume store would not recite a beracha on the fragrances offered for sale because the smell is not a real smell, and is also possibly made form chemicals which according to some poskim would not require a beracha.[73] One who knows how a specific perfume etc is made and knows that it is a real fragrance would recite a beracha upon smelling it.[74] However, in most cases one does not know how it is made and therefore it does not warrant a beracha. Similarly, although aftershave smells nice, no beracha is recited over it.[75]

Toy Smell

A smell from a new toy would not require a beracha.[76]

Strolling Through a Garden

When one takes a walk in a garden and smells flowers, the question arises if a beracha is recited over the flowers etc. Some poskim feel that unless one takes the item in his hand to smell no beracha is recited on it,[77] since in a garden the flowers are not there for nice smell but to look nice.[78] Others feel a beracha should be recited.[79] One does not recite a beracha on flowers placed in front of one’s home (in his garden etc.).[80]

Smelling Besamim of a Woman

One is not allowed to smell besamim of an ervah[81] if it’s on her neck,[82] hand or face because one may come to improper closeness.[83] This applies even to the besamim of a single girl.[84] There is no difference between a Jewish woman and a non-Jewish woman.[85] Girls who have reached halachic maturity are considered an ervah.[86]  The same is true for one’s wife who is in her impure state.[87] Some say if the perfume is not on her but it is in a bottle then smelling the perfume is permitted,[88] while others hold it is forbidden.[89] One should try to be stringent in this area. One is permitted to smell deodorant or other lotions of a woman even when she is impure.[90]

Bathroom Aerosol Sprays

A birchos hare’ach is not recited on a spray that is used to remove any bad smell emanating from a bathroom.[91] The same is true for any nice smelling deodorant or soaps.[92] In a situation that the bathroom is clean and you are placing a pleasant smelling item in the bathroom for it to smell good then a beracha should be made.[93] An air freshener in a car would require a beracha if it’s made with real ingredients and not chemicals.[94]

Smelling Cut Grass

According to botanists, the smell of cut grass is caused by gases emitted from each injured blade. Chopped grass releases a long list of volatile organic compounds, including methane (swamp gas), acetone (as in nail-polish remover), ethanol (grain alcohol) and acetaldehyde, a chemical similar to the toxic preservative formaldehyde. Plants produce the volatile compounds within seconds of being cut. Some also produce the chemicals when they are damaged by frost.

One does not recite a beracha on the smell of cut grass even if one has enjoyment from it.[95]

Smoking

Many times one passes by someone who is smoking and he enjoys the smell. The question arises if such a person recites a beracha on that smell? The consensus of the poskim is that no beracha is recited on the smell of a cigarette[96] (or any good smelling smoke). One of the reasons is because the “good” smelling smoke is not meant for one to smell but is there to drain the smell out of the tobacco.[97]

Besamim at Havdala

The reason for the beracha on the besamim on Motzei Shabbos, is because we are sad that our neshama yesiera is leaving us, and the smell of besamim enlightens us.[98] One may use any spice he has in the kitchen for besamim.[99] According to the opinion of others this may not be done.[100]No beracha is recited over inexpensive perfumes because it is made from chemicals.[101] Whatever one uses for besamim, the beracha is borei minei besamim.[102]

Shehechiyanu

Most poskim say one who smells a fruit or spice for the first time does not recite a shehechiyanu.[103] Although others say one does recite shehechiyanu,[104] this is not the overwhelming custom.

List of Items

Balsam – the correct beracha to recite when smelling balsam is shemen orev.[105] The reason for its own beracha is because it is grown in Eretz Yisroel and is chashuv.[106] One who recited atzei was yotzei b’dieved.[107]

Cinnamon– the beracha made over smelling cinnamon is hanosson…[108]

Cloves– according to some poskim the beracha made over smelling cloves is hanosson…[109] Others say the beracha in minei besamim.[110]

Eucalyptus- the beracha recited when smelling eucalyptus is atzei besamim.[111]

Flowers- the beracha recited on smelling flowers is eisvei besamim.[112]

Frankincense– the beracha recited when smelling frankincense is atzei besamim.[113]

Honey Suckle- the beracha recited on honey suckle is  minei besamim.[114]

Jasmine– the beracha recited when smelling jasmine is atzei besamim.[115]

Lavender– the beracha recited on smelling lavender is atzei besamim.[116]

Lemon- some say the beracha recited over smelling a lemon is minei besamim,[117] while others say the beracha is atzei..[118]

Mint- the beracha recited on smelling mint is eisvei besamim.[119]

Mushrooms- a mushroom that has a good smell would have a minei besamim recited on it.[120]

Olive Oil- the beracha recited on olives which are smashed and have a strong smell is atzei besamim.[121]

Orange- the beracha recited when smelling an orange is atzei besamim.[122]

Roses– the beracha recited when smelling roses is atzei besamim.[123]