Halachos of Daily Living

Laws related to Berachos

The Chayei Adam (61:4) writes that the bracha on cloves is “borei minei b’samim”. He explains that although cloves are the fruit of a tree and rightfully the bracha should be “Hanosain raiyach tov b’peiros”, nonetheless since cloves are completely inedible, it is inappropriate to refer to them as a fruit. Since cloves do not fit into any of the other categories its bracha is “borei minei b’samim”. The Mishnah Berurah (216:16) cites many poskim who support this view. However, the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (58:7) writes that on cloves one should recite the bracha “borei atzei b’samim”. When there is an uncertainty what bracha to recite on a spice, one recites the bracha “borei minei b’samim” (Shulchan Aruch OC 216:2).