Shehecheyanu on sefiras haomer

Question

Why don't we make a shehecheyanu blessing on counting the Omer? It is a mitzvah which we get to do after a very long break (more than 300 days)?

Some arguments I have heard:

• In a similar situation we make a shehecheyanu on the lulav
• Perhaps Purim could serve as a counter-example - we make a shehecheyanu on reading the Megillah to include all other commandments of the day - so maybe here it's similar. But you usually count for the first time before kiddush, where we make our shehecheyanu. And also mitzvos of Purim day have no independent blessing...

Answer 1

The Levush (489, end of 1) writes: 1) It's part of Yom Tov so it's included in the Shehecheyanu of Yom Tov, 2) Since Sefira was in anticipation for Matan Torah which is the main Simcha, it doesn't make sense to say Shehecheyanu on something we are anticipating for before that day arrives!

The Ba'er Heitev (5) brings that the reason is that Shehecheyonu is only said for a Mitzvah that has pleasure and an action. 4/29/2019, correction, "... a Mitzvah that has joy and benefit (simcha and hano'oh)". The word "action" does not appear in the text of the Ba'er Heitev.

The Da'as Torah brings other reasons from the Rishonim.

Answer 2

The last בעל המאור on פסחים says that we can't make שהחיינו on ספירת העומר because the whole point of the count is to lead to the קרבן שתי הלחם, and being that we don't have the בית המקדש nowadays, counting is just ''אגמת נפש'' for us, and we don't make שהחיינו on things that cause us anguish.

Answer 3

See Shu"t HaRaavad 111 that when one's body does not derive pleasure then no שהחיינו is recited. See the footnote as well which discusses other sources and another possible reason.

Text :

Answer 4

There are a number of answers brought down and several have already been listed. A few additional answers are as follows:

In Sefer Hamanhig (Hilchos Pesach, 64) by Rav Avraham ben Natan HaYarchi, he notes that Shehechiyanu by definition is only recited when the action being done elicits a degree of Hana'ah (benefit) such as with Pidyon Haben, Shofar, Lulav, Succah etc. However, Sefiras Haomer doesn't create any such pleasure. As such:

ספירת העומר אין בו לא מעשה ולא הנאה למצוה

The counting of the Omer is neither an act nor a pleasure for the mitzvah

Another approach is that sefiras ha'omer is wholly dependent on the festival of Pesach and is therefore included in the shehechiyanu that one makes on Leil HaSeder (Seder Night).

This opinion is adopted by Rav Tzidkiyahu ben Avraham Anav who explains in his Shibolei Haleket HaShalem:

שלא נהגו לברך שהחיינו לפי שזמן ספירה תלוי בקביעות בפסח כמה דתימר וספרתם לכם ממחרת השבת לכן נראה שאין מברכין עליו זמן ודי לו בברכת זמן של יום טוב עצמו

We are not accustomed to make Shehechiyanu, since the time of Sefira is dependent on the permanence/fixed nature of Pesach like we say, "And you shall count for yourselves from the day after Shabbos (i.e. after the first day of Pesach)..." - therefore it appears that we don't make a bracha on the time (of sefira) and it is enough for it (i.e. the bracha of shehechiyanu) to be included with the bracha of the time of Yom Tov itself (i.e. included with Pesach).

This view is also upheld by the Meiri on Pesachim 7a - s.v. 'Sha'alu' who asserts:

שאני אומר שספירת העומר נפטר הוא בזמן של יום טוב

Since I say that Sefiras Haomer 'departs' at the time of Yom Tov (i.e. Pesach)