Torah Riddles #14

  1. Question: Why do some hold one can make a shehecheyanu on buying new sefarim but not on a new pair of tefillin?

 Background:

a. The Magen Avrohom (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 223:5 brings the opinion of the Birkas Rm”m, but argues on him, who holds you do make a shehecheyanu on new sefarim but not tefillin. The Mahar”I Bei Rav brought in the Be’er Heitiv says you even make a shehecheyanu on buying a Sefer Torah.

b. The Rambam says you make a shehecheyanu on Tzitzis and tefillin just like you make a blessing on doing an mitzvah from time to time like lulav, Chanukah light, shofar etc.

c. The Tur argues and says you say a shehecheyanu on tzitzis because you bought new vessels or clothes. But not on tefillin because mitzvos are not to get personal benefit from.

Answer: The excitement of acquiring sefarim is not just in order to learn them which would fall into the category of mitzvos are not for personal benefit but there is an excitement in enlarging ones collection of sefarim and now having this specific Sefer or set, or a whole Sefer Torah added to his collection, that excitement according to these opinions would obligate a shehecheyanu but most people are only excited to get a pair of tefillin because now they can perform the mitzvah.

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