Q. Should one make an effort to say sheheyanu on new fruits on Tu Bishvat?
A. Some maintain that it is proper to consume a new fruit that you can recite sheheyanu over it on Tu Bishvat. (Beis Aharon, quoted by Nitei Gavriel – Purim 5: n. 9, et. al.). Others assert that one should avoid reciting sheheyanu today on “new” fruits, since they are usually available all year, and there is no special simcha or joy when eating them. There are additional issues as to if the brocho should be said when first seeing the fruit at purchase time, becoming exempt latter.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that one should recite sheheyanu only if one actually likes the fruit and derives pleasure from eating it.
The Rov also mentioned that the order of the shivas haminim preempts the fruit on which we recite shecheyanu.
Rabbi Abraham Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a
Important Numbers
