The berakha of שהחיינו on a new talit — and it contains a single seif (סעיף אחד): one who bought a talit and made tzitzit on it (קנה טלית ועשה בו ציצית) recites שהחיינו, for it is no less than new garments (דלא גרע מכלים חדשים), upon which one blesses שהחיינו (Berachot 59b). (Rama: and if he did not bless at the time of making the tzitzit (בשעת עשייה), he blesses at the first enwrapping (בשעת עיטוף ראשון) [Maimoni and Nimoukei Yossef]. The berakha here stems from the joy of the new — שמחת הלב — not from the mitzva as such; on the berakha of the enwrapping itself, see siman 8; for present-day practice and ספק ברכות, a referral to the Rav.)
The 4 levels of study — Siman כ״ב, 1 seif
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רמת המתחיל
Level 1 — Beginner & Intermediate
Vocalized Hebrew text of the single seif with a fluent English translation. Pedagogical, sober explanation: one who buys a talit and makes tzitzit on it recites שהחיינו, for it is no less than כלים חדשים — the joy of the new garment (Berachot 59b); and the Rama: if he did not bless בשעת עשייה, he blesses at the first enwrapping (בשעת עיטוף ראשון). Modern practical cases: a new talit, gadol or katan — blessing when the tzitzit are made or at the first wearing; one forgot to bless — the first enwrapping; present-day practice and ספק ברכות, with a referral to the Rav.
In-depth pilpul: שהחיינו — on the mitzva or on the acquisition? Here the berakha stems from כלים חדשים (Berachot 59b), the joy of the new, not from the mitzva itself — a comparison with שהחיינו on periodic mitzvot (sukka, lulav); the chakira of the moment of the chiyuv: בשעת עשייה or בשעת עיטוף ראשון (the Rama, Maimoni and Nimoukei Yossef) and the principle of עובר לעשייתן; why one does not say שהחיינו on tefillin (machloket — brief reference); and the din of כלים חדשים בזמננו with ספק ברכות. Beit Yossef, Tur, Mg״A, Taz, Mishna Berura and Beour Halakha, Pri Megadim.
Structured summary for review and memorization: שהחיינו on the new talit — דלא גרע מכלים חדשים; the time of the berakha (בשעת עשייה) and the Rama remedy (בשעת עיטוף ראשון); the joy of the new versus the berakha of periodic mitzvot. Conduct le-maaseh in everyday life (talit gadol and talit katan, ספק ברכות), with a referral to the Rav for local practice and cf. siman 8, 18, 19 and 21.
The Choulhan Aroukh HaRav of the Admour HaZaken on Orach Chaim siman 22 (a single seif, as in the Mechaber): full text and the force of the psak relative to the Mechaber — the berakha of שהחיינו on a new talit with its tzitzit, the foundation of כלים חדשים, and the time of the berakha (the making and the first enwrapping). For in-depth study, a referral to a Chabad Rav.
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One who buys a talit and makes tzitzit on it (קנה טלית ועשה בו ציצית) recites שהחיינו — the berakha of joy, thanking Hashem for having kept us alive to reach this moment.
כֵּלִים חֲדָשִׁים
דלא גרע מכלים חדשים
The foundation of the din: the talit is no less than new garments, upon which one blesses שהחיינו (Berachot 59b) — the berakha stems from the joy of the new, not from the mitzva as such.
בִּשְׁעַת עֲשִׂיָּה
At the time of making
The primary moment of the berakha: when he makes the tzitzit on the talit — it is then that the new garment becomes his talit of mitzva, and the joy is complete.
עִטּוּף רִאשׁוֹן
The first enwrapping
The Rama: if he did not bless בשעת עשייה, he blesses בשעת עיטוף ראשון — at the first enwrapping, the berakha is not lost [Maimoni and Nimoukei Yossef].
שִׂמְחַת הַלֵּב
The joy of the mitzva
שהחיינו is said over what gladdens the heart: here the new garment — unlike periodic mitzvot (sukka, lulav) where the berakha comes מזמן לזמן; on tefillin one generally does not say it.
סְפֵק בְּרָכוֹת
Present-day practice
The practice nowadays (a new talit katan, ordinary garments) is subject to varied customs, with the principle of ספק ברכות — for the precise conduct, a referral to the Rav.
Structure of the Siman — landmarks in the single seif
Seif
Subject
Theme
Detail
סעיף א
קנה טלית ועשה בו ציצית
מברך שהחיינו
The Mechaber: one who bought a talit and made tzitzit on it recites שהחיינו, דלא גרע מכלים חדשים — it is no less than new garments (Berachot 59b). The berakha is said בשעת עשייה, when the tzitzit are made.
הגה — רמ״א
לא בירך בשעת עשייה
עיטוף ראשון
The Rama: if he did not bless at the time of making, he blesses at the first enwrapping (בשעת עיטוף ראשון), in the name of the Hagahot Maimoniyot and the Nimoukei Yossef — the joy of the new garment is still present.
למעשה
כלים חדשים בזמננו
✦ Le-maaseh
A new talit, gadol or katan: shehecheyanu when the tzitzit are made or at the first wearing; present-day practice and ספק ברכות — for the precise conduct, see Level 4 and the referral to the Rav.
שהחיינו — on what, and at what moment?
Case
Register
Foundation
Central idea
טלית חדשה
Gemara · Berachot 59b
כלים חדשים
The berakha stems from the joy of the new (שמחת הלב): the talit is no less than new garments — it is the acquisition that gladdens, not the mitzva as such, unlike sukka or lulav (מזמן לזמן).
עשייה או עיטוף ראשון
Mechaber · Hagaha
שעת החיוב
The Mechaber places the berakha בשעת עשייה, when the tzitzit are made; the Rama offers the remedy: if he forgot, he blesses at the first enwrapping [Maimoni and Nimoukei Yossef] — the chakira of the moment of the chiyuv.
טלית ולא תפילין
Le-maaseh
✦ Le-maaseh
On tefillin one generally does not recite שהחיינו (machloket — brief reference in Level 2); for a new talit katan and present-day garments, ספק ברכות — see Level 4 and the referral to the Rav.
Frequently asked questions — Siman כ״ב
When does one recite שהחיינו on a new talit, according to Siman 22?
According to the Choulhan Aroukh, Orach Chaim 22:1, one who bought a talit and made tzitzit on it (קנה טלית ועשה בו ציצית) recites שהחיינו — that is, at the time of making the tzitzit (בשעת עשייה), when the garment becomes his talit of mitzva. The reason: דלא גרע מכלים חדשים — it is no less than new garments, upon which one blesses שהחיינו (Berachot 59b).
What should one do if he forgot to bless שהחיינו when making the tzitzit, according to Siman 22?
The Rama (Orach Chaim 22:1) rules, in the name of the Hagahot Maimoniyot and the Nimoukei Yossef: ואם לא בירך בשעת עשייה, מברך בשעת עיטוף ראשון — if he did not bless at the time of making, he blesses at the first enwrapping, the first time he wraps himself in the talit. The joy of the new garment is still present at that moment, and the berakha is not lost.
Does the berakha of שהחיינו in Siman 22 stem from the mitzva of tzitzit or from the new garment?
The very language of the Choulhan Aroukh reveals it: דלא גרע מכלים חדשים — it is no less than new garments. The berakha therefore stems from the joy of the new (שמחת הלב, Berachot 59b), as for any important garment, and not from the mitzva as such — unlike שהחיינו on periodic mitzvot such as sukka or lulav, which comes מזמן לזמן. This is also why, on tefillin, one generally does not recite שהחיינו (machloket — brief reference in Level 2).
Does one say שהחיינו on a new talit katan, or nowadays in general?
The din of Siman 22 is stated on a talit with its tzitzit — and the foundation of כלים חדשים applies in principle to a talit gadol and a talit katan alike. For present-day practice (an ordinary talit katan, everyday garments), customs vary and the principle of ספק ברכות comes into play: the poskim (Mishna Berura, Kaf haChaim) discuss the cases — for the precise conduct, one should ask his Rav.