Q: I have boiled cloves. The resulting liquid has the pungent smell of cloves. What Brachah, if any, is said upon smelling the liquid? Does it make a difference if the cloves are still in the liquid?
A. Mishna Berurah (216: 19) rules that rose water that was created either by extracting the moisture from the roses or by soaking or boiling the flower you would recite the blessing intended for the flower itself. In the case of cloves it would be bore miney b'samim.
Shaarey Tzion (ibid. 25) debates whether it is necessary to have pieces of the flower in the ensuing liquid to be considered "an aroma that has a source" or no. Piskey Teshuvot (ibid. 8 note 58), quotes several Poskim (Shiurey Knesses Hagedolah, Bais Dovid O.H. 91 and others) that maintain, that if there is no source material left in the liquid, no brocho should be recited.
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit"a opinion is that if the cloves were boiled to the point that the resulting liquid has a strong and pungent aroma, if possible one should make bore miney b'samim on regular cloves and be yotze (comply) with the needed brocho. If they are not available, the one who is lenient and makes a brocho on the liquid, lo hiffsid (it is still acceptable).
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a
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