Shehechyanu Blessing

Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim

The Shehechyanu blessing is said on annual mitzvos: Shofar, Succos, Lulav, Channuka, Megilla, Pesach and Shavuos. But the questionable exception is Sefiras HaOmer, over which we do not recite Shehechyanu. The reason is based on the essence of the blessing: “God sustained us to reach this time.” Meaning, “this time” refers to a day of divine providence: something miraculous occurred. But Sefira has no event, no providence, it has no unique quality as nothing occurred in this time. What is its significance? Not itself, but another day: Shavuos. We count 49 days in anticipation of receiving Torah. As Sefira is of no significance in itself, and it focuses on something other than itself, there is nothing in this mitzvah of Sefiras HaOmer for which to bless God. We cannot bless God for arriving at a time-bound mitzvah, where that mitzvah focuses on another day. We cannot say we are happy to have reached “this time,” when this time is insignificant in itself.