[Avodah] bracha on megilla

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

R' Zev Sero wrote:
> OTOH those who do say a bracha might argue that this svara
> would be all very well if the bracha specified "vetzivanu
> al mikra megilat ester". But the bracha just says "al mikra
> megila", and we were indeed commanded to read *a* megilah,
> just not this one, and not today, so we can say a bracha.

According to that reasoning, then the following case would also be okay: Suppose I see a particularly beautiful apple, and I am moved to praise HaShem for making such a beautiful fruit, so I look at the apple, and say the full text of HaEtz, but I do not eat it. Surely everyone would agree that this is a bracha l'vatala, no?

So what is the difference between the cases? In one case I am not allowed to say HaEtz on looking at a beautiful apple, because that's not what Chazal wrote the bracha of HaEtz for. In the other case, I *am* allowed to say Al Mikra Megilla on reading Shir HaShirim even though that's not what Chazal wrote the bracha of Al Mikra Megilla for. Why is one allowed and the other not?

Akiva Miller

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