19 Adar II, 5774 (3/21/14) – Sukkah#46 {Eliezer}

Gemarah [46a top]: There is a Machlokes (argument) if one says Bracha (blessing) of “Shehechiyanu” on building a Sukkah (a preparatory act for the later Mitzvah of being inside of it).
Tosephos: There are some mitzvos (ie: sukkah, lulav) that we bless with “Shehechiyanu” and some (ie: tzitzis, tefillin, circumcision) that we do not.
Rambam argues: There is a bracha on Meela (circumcision) [and the Shulchan Orech that people in Israel hold like, agrees with Rambam, but the Rama (people outside israel) does not].
R’ Soloveitchik explains Rambam: The blessing does not come before the Meela to demonstrate the blessing is for praise and thanks (once it has been done). Other blessings are for gaining permission to benefit from items (in which the blessing must be done before the act).

E’s Lesson: We must remember that when we make a blessing to eat food, we are asking permission to eat of something that is not really ours. We might think that we either grew it ourselves or “earned” the money to buy it. Recognize that everything is really from Hashem and we should always be thankful for what we have been given.