The Blessing on Pleasant Fragrances
Before inhaling the aroma of any item that emits a pleasant fragrance, one should recite a blessing for the fragrance. There are several different blessings of this sort, and the appropriate blessing depends on the type of item.
The blessing on fragrant herbs or grasses, such as mint leaves, is, “Blessed are You … Who creates fragrant herbs.”
For fragrant leaves that grow on plants considered by Jewish law to have the status of “trees,” the blessing is, “Blessed are You … Who creates fragrant trees.”
For any other type of fragrant item, whether it is derived from an inanimate object or a living thing, the blessing is, “Blessed are You … Who creates species of fragrances.” This blessing is also recited whenever one is in doubt as to the appropriate blessing on a particular fragrance.
Before reciting the blessing, one should take hold of the object in one’s right hand. One should then recite the blessing and proceed to smell the object.
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- If you encounter an unfamiliar plant and you are not certain whether it has a pleasant fragrance, you are permitted to smell it in order to determine whether it does. If it does possess such a fragrance, you should then recite the blessing and smell it again.
- A blessing is recited only on a fragrant item whose purpose is to produce an aroma. Thus, for instance, when a pleasant aroma is produced by food cooking in a kitchen, no blessing should be recited on that pleasant smell, since the food is intended for consumption, and the pleasant aroma is merely a byproduct of the cooking process.
The Blessing on Trees
This is a blessing recited once a year, during the month of Nissan, when one sees trees that have blossomed and begun to produce flowers.
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- It is preferable to recite the blessing upon seeing two trees, but it may be recited even in the presence of only one tree.
- The blessing should be recited only when one sees a fruit tree.
The text of the blessing is: “Blessed are You … Who has not caused anything to be lacking in His world and has created in it good creations and good trees, for people to derive benefit from them.”
The Blessings on Thunder and Lightning
When the weather is stormy, we often have an opportunity to recite two unusual blessings that describe the power and strength of G-d and remind us Who is really the Master of this world.
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- Upon seeing lightning, one should recite the blessing, “Blessed are You … Who makes the work of Creation.”
- Upon hearing thunder, one should recite the blessing, “Blessed are You … for His strength and power fill the world.”
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- These blessings should be recited only once a day, not for every instance of thunder or lightning that one observes. If the storm ends, the clouds disperse, and the sun shines, and then it becomes stormy again, one may recite these blessings a second time even on the same day if one sees lightning or hears thunder again.
- The blessing on lightning may be recited only after one has heard the thunder. No blessing should be recited on lightning that is not followed by thunder. This means, in practice, that the two blessings are always recited together.
The Blessing on a Rainbow
After the great flood that destroyed the world during the times of Noah, G-d swore that He would never again bring such a flood upon the world. Instead of a devastating deluge, He promised that He would indicate to mankind when they had sinned by showing them a rainbow in the sky as a sign of His wrath.
A person who sees a rainbow should recite the blessing: “Blessed are You … Who remembers the covenant and is faithful in His covenant and fulfills His Word.”
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- Unlike the blessings on thunder and lightning, this blessing may be recited more than one time even on the same day, whenever a rainbow is seen, but it may be recited only once for each rainbow.
- One should refrain from gazing at a rainbow for an extended period of time.
The Blessing on the Sun
The blessing on the sun is a very special blessing that is recited only once every 28 years, when the sun returns to the same position where it was when the world was created, on the same day of the week and at the same time of day.
A quick calculation should reveal that even if we live 120 years, we will have at most five opportunities to recite this rare blessing.
Both before and after the blessing, it is customary to recite a number of chapters of Psalms that describe G-d’s greatness and the tremendous kindness He has shown to us by giving us the sun, which provides us with light and warmth.
The text of the blessing is: “Blessed are You … Who makes the work of Creation.” It is followed by the blessing of shehecheyanu (See next page for explanation.).
- In order to dispel any misconception that we are praying to the sun, Heaven forbid, it is customary to touch the tzitzit at the conclusion of the blessing in order to demonstrate that we serve G-d alone.
