BE”H, we will be starting Klal 9 on January 1st. Klal 9 is all of the basic rules of meleches Shabbos, and therefore a very important klal. Sponsorships are available for the whole klal or individual concepts or individual shiurim. Please contact Rabbi Reingold at (301)996-5910 or rabbireingold@gmail.com to sponsor
We are beginning siman 26. A person who is unable to smell, whether because of a genetic issue or because they are temporarily sick, should not make a bracha on besamim. Even if the person is being motzi other gedolim, they should not make the bracha. We know that when it comes to birchos hamitzvos, one can be motzi another person in a bracha even though they are not being yotzei themselves. For example, one can be motzi another person in kiddush even though they were already yotzei. Once they are making kiddush, they can also recite the bracha of borei pri hagafen on behalf of the other person, because it is subsumed within kiddush.
If so, when it comes to havdalah, the same way one can be motzi another person in havdalah, including the borei pri hagafen, arguably they should be able to be motzi others in the bracha of besamim as well. However, since the bracha of besamim can be recited separately, it is not an intrinsic part of havdalah, so one can only be motzi others if they themselves are being yotzei.
The one exception is ketanim who have reached the age of chinuch who are unable to recite the bracha themselves. In that case, even though the person making the bracha is not able to smell, they can still make the bracha for the ketanim, because they are making the bracha for the purposes of chinuch (that the children would be confused if a bracha is skipped) and not for havdalah. Others should not recite amen.
In siman 27, the Chayei Adam moves on to discuss the halachos of the ner. The Chayei Adam writes that the Midrash tells us that Adam Harishon was given the wisdom to make fire on Motzei Shabbos. Additionally, the fact that one cannot make fire on Shabbos and is now able to make fire, it is as though fire is being reintroduced to the world every Motzei Shabbos. Therefore, the Chayei Adam writes it is appropriate to make a bracha on fire on Motzei Shabbos.
One is not chayav to seek out fire if they do not have, similar to besamim. One is not chayav to seek it out before making havdalah. If one is able to obtain fire later on Motzei Shabbos, they would make the bracha then, but otherwise do not make the bracha.
Summary
- One who cannot smell does not make the bracha on besamim, even to be motzi others
- The only exception is if one is making the bracha for the purposes of chinuch. In such a case, other adults do not recite amen.
- One is not obligated to wait to make havdalah until they seek out a ner, but can make havdalah without it. If they obtain a ner later on Motzei Shabbos, they would make the bracha then.
