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Following on from this question and assuming that you make the bracha of shehechiyanu on new tefillin...

If a barmitzvah boy has the custom to start wearing his tefillin early. So for example, in Litvak circles the practise to wear them a month early (see Aruch HaShulchan 37:4, Piskei Teshuvos 37 - Footnote 26, Nitei Gavriel on Hilchos Barmitzvah), or like others do; 2-3 months prior to barmitzvah (see Magen Avraham 37:4, Shulchan Aruch HaRav 37:3, Chayei Adam 66:2).

Is it better for the boy to say the shehechiyanu:

  1. The first time he puts on the tefillin on - i.e. the same way he makes the bracha on putting tefillin on even though he is not yet barmitzvah (refer to Nitei Gavriel 34:3)

or

  1. Does one wait until the boy actually becomes barmitzvah and then says it as a fully fledged "man"? i.e. Regardless of the fact that he puts on tefillin early he still does not count towards a minyan (Piskei Teshuvos 37:5)
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  • If you know that it's a Mahlokes, why do you ask? And when do we refer to Halachah as "better"?
    – Al Berko
    Dec 26, 2021 at 11:39
  • @AlBerko - I am asking for those who hold that one does make a bracha what does one do in the scenario of a barmitzvah boy?
    – Dov
    Dec 26, 2021 at 11:57
  • And @AlBerko for the record there are times when you can do the halacha in a "better" way e.g. to do it lechatchila rather than b'dieved, or to do a mitzvah in a more mehadrin way...
    – Dov
    Dec 26, 2021 at 13:28
  • Why not ask regarding a tallit gadol, which unambigously gets a shehechiyanu? Dec 26, 2021 at 19:03
  • olamot.net/shiur/… Dec 26, 2021 at 19:18

1 Answer 1

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So after searching high and low I came across the Halachically Speaking (Vol. 13, Issue 2) on the topic of Barmitzvah and Tefillin - see p.7. Rav Moishe Dovid Lebovitz there makes a clear distinction and helps to provide a very comprehensive answer and I have tried to link most the footnotes so everyone can easily access the sources.

He writes as follows:

Shehecheyanu


There is a discussion in the poskim if a bar mitzvah boy recites a Shehecheyanu when placing the tefillin for the first time. On one hand, he should recite a Shehecheyanu since it is an exciting time.1 On the other hand, this brachah was only instituted for a recurring mitzvah.2

If he starts before his bar mitzvah, no brachah of Shehecheyanu is recited.3 Before bar mitzvah he is still a child, so he does not recite Shehecheyanu. When he becomes bar mitzvah, it is no longer his first time.4 If he starts when he becomes thirteen, there is a debate regarding Shehecheyanu. Therefore, he should buy a new garment and make a Shehecheyanu on it, and have the tefillin in mind.5


1 Rambam Hilchos Brachos 10:2. Others say it is not a joy since one has to make sure to have a clean body (Bach, O.C. 22; Sha’arei Teshuvah 22; see Bar Mitzvah [Kroizer] pages 116-117). Refer to Mor U’ketziah 27; Chinah D’chaya 89; Keren L’Dovid, O.C. 57; Chasam Sofer, O.C. 55.

2 Refer to Shach, Y.D. 28:5; Y.D. 289:1; Levush, O.C. 22:1; Taz 1; Elyah Rabbah 2; Aruch Hashulchan 3; Machzik Brachah 2; Kaf Hachaim (Palagi) 10:8; Yufei L’lev 22:1; Me’asef L’chol Hamachanos 19; Birur Halachah 22; Chanoch L’na’ar page 37; Halachah Berurah 22:5:footnote 12; Piskei Teshuvos 22:footnotes 7, 10 in depth; Yechaveh Da’as 2:31; Chayei Moshe 37:page 182; Mishneh Halachos 6:6; Bar Mitzvah [Kroizer] pages 116-120 in depth.

3 Eishel Avraham Butchatch 37; Likutei Maharich 1:page 19b (old); Birur Halachah 22; Natei Gavriel Bar Mitzvah 37:6; Lehoros Nassan 2:9.

4 Eishel Avraham Butchatch 37. See Chanoch L’na’ar 10:footnote 3.

5 Biur Halachah 22, “koneh”; Likutei Maharich 1:page 19b (old), 22:page 31; Yechaveh Da’as 2:31; Mishneh Halachos 6:6; Bar Mitzvah [Kroizer] pages 123-124; see Yalkut Yosef 37:7. In regard to reciting a Shehecheyanu on tefillin of Rabbeinu Tam which one puts on for the first time, see Bar Mitzvah [Kroizer] page 124:footnote 18.

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    "Before bar mitzvah he is still a child, so he does not recite Shehecheyanu." This sentence is baffling. Children say shehechiyanu lots of times.
    – Double AA
    Jan 2, 2022 at 4:01
  • @DoubleAA - I think it means that he is a child and therefore not technically at an age when he is ראוי to put on tefillin and that is why is he doesn't recite shehechiyanu like I asked in my question.
    – Dov
    Jan 2, 2022 at 9:52
  • That's not what you wrote in your question and it also makes no sense. He's doing the mitzva midin chinukh just like hearing shofar etc. When reading Megillah for a katan does he say Al Mikra Megillah and not shehechiyanu?? Of course not.
    – Double AA
    Jan 2, 2022 at 13:44

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