FW: Or Menorah - Birkat Ha-Ilanot update - other locations & copy of blessing.

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From: 'Or Menorah' via Or Menorah <OrMenorah@googlegroups.com>

Date: 5/5/20 7:07 PM (GMT-06:00)

To: 'Or Menorah' via Or Menorah <OrMenorah@googlegroups.com>

Subject: Or Menorah - Birkat Ha-Ilanot update - other locations & copy of blessing.





בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא חִסַּר בְּעוֹלָמוֹ כְּלוּם וּבָרָא בוֹ בְּרִיּוֹת טוֹבוֹת וְאִילָנוֹת טוֹבוֹת לֵהָנוֹת בָּהֶם בְּנֵי אָדָם.

Transliteration: Baw-rooch ah-taw Ah-doh-noi Eh-loh-hei-noo meh-lech haw-oh-lawm sheh-loh chee-sar beh-oh-law-moh keh-loom oo-vaw-raw voh beh-ree-yohs toh-vohs veh-ee-law-nohs toh-vohs lei-haw-nohs baw-hem be-nei aw-dawm.

Translation: Blessed are You, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, Who has made nothing lacking in His world, and created in it goodly creatures and goodly trees to give mankind pleasure.

We are happy to inform that the two pear trees located in front yard (facing Touhy Ave near Sacramento) of the Birkat Mordechai Learning Center of Ohel Shalom have blossomed and Birkat HaE'lanot may be recited upon them. 
A few points:

• According to Maran Rav Ovadia Yosef, Birkat HaE'lanot may, without issue, be recited as well during the month of  Iyar and therefore those that haven't made the blessing may do so now.
• Don't delay making the blessing for too long, as the window for it can pass. 
• Due to the current situation, we will not be saying Birkat haE'lanot communally, as we have done in the past, but rather it should be recited individually. Please do not congregate! 
• Although the Bet HaKinneset is closed, you should be able to easily find the blessing in your Siddur. If you are overwhelmed by the size of the section and/or unsure what to say, be aware that the essential recitation is the blessing itself. Reciting the blessing alone suffices, as the rest, while important, are additions.
• The blessing may be recited at night, as long as the blossoms are clearly visible. 
• The blessing may be recited by women as well.   

Here is an update list of some of the fruit trees available to say Birkat Hailanot on. Please make sure you see flowers on the tree before making the bracha.    We are also enclosing a summary of the halachot and the blessing.           Albany Park 5127 N. Drake pear tree in neighbor's backyard can be seen   Buffalo Grove 14 Crestview Terrace- Cherry Tree in frint yard PetersonPark 3540 W. Thorndale-Pear tree-can be seen from ally and street 6019 N. St. Louis - mulberry bushes-can be seen from alley 6137 N. Lawndale in backyard 6239 N. Drake Ave-Pear tree 6319 N. Central Park- 2 cherry trees, 2 pear trees, apple tree in backyard Northeast corner of Monticello and Rosemont West Rogers Park 2725 W. Birchwood pear tree next door-can be seen from alley 2754 W. Estes pear tree in yard 2826 W. Estes cherry tree in front of house 2828 W Coyle an apple and a pear tree in the backyard 2841 W. Greenleaf- Schaffel backyard- cherry tree 2848 W. Fargo cherry tree in yard. Blooms late May/early June 6201 N Whipple Berry tree growing in front yard. 6341 N. Kedzie pear tree in yard, can be seen from alley 6509 N. Whipple St. grapevine in backyard 6521 N. Sacramento- Friedman backyard. 3 apricot trees. 6534 N. Sacramento- apple tree in backyard. 6551 N. Mozart- pear tree in backyard 6554 N Francisco Avenue three apple trees in back yard by the fence. 6630 N. Francisco in front yard 6704 N. Francisco apple tree in yard 6737 N. Francisco-cherry tree in yard 6742 N. Mozart Liberman backyard. Pear tree, can be seen from alley. Next to Sephardic Center on Touhy. Pear tree. Lincolnwood 6649 N. St. Louis. Dauber front yard. Edible berry tree. Flowers come at the end of Chodesh Nissan. The corner building on the east side of Kimball at Pratt, on the southern border of the property near the alley. An apple tree is on privately owned property, but large branches hang over the alley. Usually blooms late April to early May, with apples visible in June. Skokie Northwest corner (on parkway of Crain St.) of Crain and Hamlin Southeast corner of Monticello and Crain. A few fruit trees. Chicago Botanical Gardens - Glencoe BIRKAS HA-ILANOS: THE BLESSING OVER TREES IN BLOOM Rosh Chodesh Nissan marks the beginning of the season for Birkas ha-Ilanos - the blessing we recite upon seeing fruit trees in bloom. Since this blessing, which extols Hashem's ongoing renewal of creation, is recited only once a year, its halachos are difficult to remember. Women, too, may recite this blessing since it is not considered a "time-related mitzvah" from which women are exempt. THE TEXT OF THE BLESSING: The text of the blessing, as quoted in all of the early sources, is as follows: Boruch ata Hashem Elokeinu melech haolam shelo chisar baolamo klum uvara vo beriyos tovos vilanos tovim lehanos bahem bnei adam. In several siddurim the word davar appears instead of the word klum. But since all of the early sources indicate that the original text had the word klum, not the word davar, and the reason for the change is unsubstantiated, it is, therefore, proper to follow the early sources and recite the word klum and not the word davar. WHEN IS BIRKAS HA-ILANOS RECITED? The l'chatchilah, preferred time to recite this blessing is immediately upon seeing a fruit tree in bloom during the month of Nissan. Most poskim agree that the halachah mentions Nissan since generally, that is the month in which trees begin to bloom. Accordingly, in an area where they start blooming in Adar, or where they do not bloom until Iyar or Sivan, the blessing should be recited in those months. In the countries where fruit trees blossom in Tishrei or Cheshvan, the blessing should be said at that time. If a tree bloomed in Nissan, but one did not see it until later, he may recite the blessing the first time he sees the tree as long as the fruit of the tree has not yet ripened. Once the fruit has ripened, the blessing may no longer be said. One who saw the trees in bloom during Nissan, but forgot or neglected to recite the blessing, may recite the blessing at a later date but only until the time that the fruit of the tree has begun to grow. The blessing is said upon seeing the actual blooming (flowering) of the tree. The growth of leaves alone is not sufficient to allow one to recite the blessing. Some poskim hold that this blessing should not be said on Shabbos and Yom Tov, since we are concerned that it may lead to shaking or breaking a branch off the tree. All other poskim who do not mention this concern, apparently do not forbid reciting this blessing on Shabbos and Yom Tov. It is customary, though, to recite the blessing only during the week, unless the last day of Nissan falls on Shabbos. The blessing may be said at night. WHICH TREES REQUIRE BIRKAS HA ILANOS? Birkas ha-Ilanos is said only on fruit-bearing trees. If one mistakenly said the blessing on a barren tree, he need not repeat the blessing on a fruit-bearing tree. The poskim debate whether one is allowed to say the blessing on a tree which has been grafted from two species, since the halachah does not permit such grafting. It is preferable not to make the blessing on such a tree. Some acharonim prohibit the recitation of the blessing on an orlah tree. A tree is considered orlah for the first three years after it is planted. Many other poskim, however, permit reciting the blessing on an orlah tree. During the year of shemittah in Eretz Yisrael, it is permitted to recite the blessing even on a tree which - in violation of the halachah - has been cultivated.

The blessing: "Blessed are You, Lord, Our God, King of the Universe, for nothing is lacking in His universe, and He created in it good creatures and good trees, to cause mankind pleasure with them." Transliterated, the blessing is: Baruch Ata Ado-nay Elo-heinu Melech Ha-Olam she-lo chisar b'olamo davar, u-vara vo beriyot tovot v'ilanot tovim, l'hanot bahem b'nei adam.

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