Can one make Shehecheyanu on Vegetables?
Question:
Is it a rule that we do not make a שהחיינו on vegetables (for example a fresh tomato)?
If yes what is the גדר of vegetables in this context? (is it the same things which would make it העץ or האדמה?)
Answer:
Such a rule does exist, but this is not the opinion of the Alter Rebbe and therefore not accepted Chabad practice.
There is however a halacha which excludes many vegetables from Birkas Shehechiyanu: we don’t make the Brocho on any fruit or vegetable which can be stored from season to season.
Sources:
ראה: שו”ע או”ח סי’ רכ”ה סעי’ ו’, פרישה בטור שם ס”ק ה’, של”ה שער האותיות כלל י”א, סדר ברה”נ פרק י”א סעי’ י”ב וט”ו, ביאוה”ל בסי’ רכ”ה ד”ה פרי חדש ובמשנ”ב ס”ק י”ח, חיי אדם כלל ס”ב סעי’ ט’, ועוד. וראה סה״ש תשמ״ט ב ע׳ 745.
ולהעיר מהליקוטים בסוף הפס”ד צ”צ ד”ה בסדר קריאת המגילה.
#20835
If so I can never make Shehecheyanu on peaches, dates and the like, even if it is niker that it is new because they can be stored from season to season?
Unless niker doesn’t just mean that it is fresh and in a case that it is niker will be a exception and I can make a bracha?
If so, how will I be able to tell if it is new?
If the new fruit noticeably looks different and tastes different (better) than the ones stored from last season, the Shehecheyanu is made.
כמבואר בסדר ברה”נ שם
See also:
https://asktherav.com/19156-is-one-allowed-to-make-a-shehechiyanu-on-fresh-guava-if-they-had-dried-guava-that-season/
https://asktherav.com/hebrew-shehechiyanu-on-new-fruits/
Peaches do not keep from season to season. Dates only keep if they are dried, therefore a fresh date is noticeably different both in look and taste than a dried date.
Radishes and beets are examples of foods that can be stored over the winter without significant change in taste and texture.
The Alter Rebbe in the previously noted source specifically states that we only consider the common length of time that we store the fruit even if there are methods of keeping them for longer.
Meaning, we calculate the popular current shelf life and disregard the possible shelf life that is less common.
How to find out: ask the vendor.