Following the helicopter crash in eastern Iran on Sunday when the death of the mass murderer, the Butcher of Tehran, seemed likely but was not confirmed, someone posed an intriguing shaila to HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Zilberstein.
“Should one make a bracha of הטוב והמטיב upon hearing the news of the death of this enemy of Am Yisrael?” the person wanted to know. “On one hand, it’s happy news but on the other hand, they’ll just appoint someone else in his place who also won’t be a friend of the Jews.”
HaRav Zilberstein responded: “What you should do is buy a new fruit and say: ‘Hakadosh Baruch Hu, if I can make a bracha [Shehechiyanu] on this – I’m making a bracha for both of them, and if not, I’m only making a bracha for the new fruit.”
HaRav Zilberstein explained that although Shehechiyanu is recited for good news for an individual and הטוב והמטיב is recited for good news that is also good for others, in this case, we are unsure how the news will turn out and the possibility exists that Raisi’s successor could be even worse for the Jews.
Therefore, someone who feels great joy about the news should be yotzei for himself by saying Shehechiyanu on a new fruit.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
You can make a Brucha Dyan Huemes
Obviously Rav Zilberstein doesn’t seem phased about שהחינו recital during אבילות של ספירת העומר [currently all opinions holding mourning] albeit some hold not to be reciting during this mourning period akin to the 3 weeks
Tough tough shailos. It’s amazing that the presenter has a perfect life, everything is hunky dori, and so much free time on his hands, to go bother a gadol biyisroel with these tough tough shailos that keep him up at night. Mamesh amazing. Ashreinu.
I’ll have this news in mind when making the 4th bracha in bentching.
It’s definitely good news for others including the poor people of Iran who he tortured and killed.
Not getting into the שהחינו discussion but just trying to understand why this is not good news regardless of who takes him over. The mere fact that he died and the way in which he died – probably he was burned to a crisp… and the fact that now he will have his day of reckoning, all that makes this a very good piece of news in and of itself!
Can anyone point out a source for making a hatov or shacheyunu on someone dying?
Did anyone ask the shayla on hitler etc?
Bc I can point to a medrash that we all know that you don’t sing shira on death
To mentsch1 –
It’s brought down that if a relative dies and you will receive an inheritance as a result you would say both דיין האמת and שהחיינו. No reason to suspect that it should be any different in this case where there’s no דיין האמת said.
שלחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן רכ”ג ס”ב
And we say 1/2 Halel on the last days of pesach..