[Avodah] Haetz and Shehecheyanu

[Akiva Miller]

On Jan 30, 2018 3:00 PM, "Zev Sero" <zev at sero.name> wrote:
> On 30/01/18 12:52, Micha Berger via Avodah wrote:
>> Grapes are ha'eitz, and because they're at the first of the 7 minim they
>> have priority over any other fruit you might be making ha'eitz on. So,
>> why not make ha'eitz on some grapes, having in mind the shehechiyanu
>> fruit, and only make a shehechiyanu...

> actually olives & dates have priority over grapes.  But the simple answer
> is that the MB doesn't presume either that you have grapes at that moment,
> or that you have already eaten grapes that season.

> But I don't get why we need this whole alternative in the first place.
> What's wrong with saying Shehecheyanu first, since the chiyuv comes first?

The "problem" with saying Shehecheyanu first (and I put it in quotes,
because one could argue that it is more of a perception than a reality)
is that we are accustomed to bundle brachos together, davka to demonstrate
that it is NOT a hefsek.

Examples: She'asa Nisim after Ner Chanuka. Achilas Matza after Hamotzi.
Lots of things after Hagafen.

In most or all such cases, little or nothing would be lost if the brachos
were rearranged to be less of a hefsek. But we don't. Except here. And
that surprises me.

Akiva Miller