[Avodah] Aromatherapy

[kennethgmiller at juno.com]

R' Micha Berger wrote:
> There is no berakhah achronah on rei'ach, because the hana'ah
> from smells doesn't linger. Unlike food, which makes you feel
> less hungry and (hopefully) nourishes after you eat it.

I can see that as a reasonable explanation of the d'Oraisa criterion of "v'savata". But on a d'Rabanan level, I don't see it. On a mere kezayis or revi'is, the lingering is minimal, yet we do say the berachah achronah. See below for my alternative idea.

> Given this, why shouldn't a person smelling these aromas for
> this purpose be chayav to make a berakhah achronah? And if
> so, what would it be? Borei nefashos, and a poseiq in doubt
> would probably add: without sheim umalkhus?

I think that a very problematic point in instituting a berachah achronah on aromas would be establishing a shiur. To say a berachah achronah on a mashehu just doesn't seem right, and I can't imagine how a shiur above that might be measured. So, perhaps we'd leave off the berachah achronah for this reason.

Akiva Miller

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