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There some vapors in electronic cigarettes made with natural herbs like chamomile (and other). So do i do brachot when smelling them?

Is there a common practice to smell natural things, is this kind of smell included?

Vapor from electronic cigarettes who do not burn the herbs, but vaporize them.

EDIT - Clarifying the question:

Well, i will clarify, there are many types of e-cigarretes, but one specific i think can be allowed, which is the one i'm asking, and i will explain it. This specifically e-cigarrete is for HERBS-ONLY (and not artificial liquids), so what they use inside the e-cigarrete: chamomile, Eucalyptus, green tea, Lavender, and many others, wherever herb the person decides to use. Second thing is that the herb IS NOT BURNED as the herb do not have directly contact with the heat. SO... It takes the smeel of the herb in the vaper, which makes sense to ask this question

eeerrrttt
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  • בורא מיני/עשבי בשמים? – kouty Apr 06 '19 at 21:18
  • Sorry Kouty but i do not understand hebrew, just english. – eeerrrttt Apr 06 '19 at 22:57
  • Yes, bore isbê vessamim. – eeerrrttt Apr 06 '19 at 22:59
  • Are you asking about things like scented candles or Febreeze sprays made from the herbs, rather than the herbs themselves? – DonielF Apr 07 '19 at 01:43
  • Eletronic cigarretes. – eeerrrttt Apr 07 '19 at 01:59
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    Electronic cigarete is not or odor, not for smell. No bracha as cigarete – kouty Apr 07 '19 at 03:25
  • Why not Kouty? If the smel comes from herbs without burn. – eeerrrttt Apr 07 '19 at 03:26
  • Can you provide knowledge about the specific product you are asking. I know classical e.cigaretes. There the smell is to mask the bad smell of active substance, and the smocking is to absorb a certain amount of nicotine. The flavor is artificial and not really good. – kouty Apr 07 '19 at 09:58
  • Edited your question as per your comments above. In the future, please make sure to edit rather than just leave clarifications in the comments. More to the point, I find it hard to imagine that one would make a Bracha on something which is forbidden as Sakanas Nefashos. – DonielF Apr 07 '19 at 11:29
  • Well, i will clarify, there are many types of e-cigarretes, but one specific i think can allowed, which is the one i'm asking, and i will explain it.

    This specifically e-cigarrete is for HERBS-ONLY (and not artificial liquids), so what they use inside the e-cigarrete: chamomile, Eucalyptus, green tea, Lavender, and many others, wherever herb the person decides to use. Second thing is that the herb IS NOT BURNED as the herb do not have directly contact with the heat. SO... It takes the smeel of the herb in the vaper, which makes sense to ask this question

     – eeerrrttt Apr 07 '19 at 16:02
  • This appears to be a malochet similar to snuff https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/13507/snuff-bracha-or-lack-thereof/14305?r=SearchResults#14305 – יהושע ק Apr 07 '19 at 20:52
  • related - https://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/40136/5275 – DanF Apr 08 '19 at 14:34
  • I have to hunt, but I did add ask a question about making a bracha if you go into an Indian spice store or into Starbucks and smell coffee. (It's a different bracha in Starbucks, b/c coffee is a fruit.) I'll see if I can locate these, as I think they are relevant to your question. – DanF Apr 08 '19 at 14:36
  • מוגמר מברכים עליו בורא עצי בשמים. אבל זה לפני שמתכלה – kouty Jan 02 '20 at 20:05

1 Answers1

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Yes, it is like any other thing that you smell.

Smelling is the beginning (the most spiritual aspect) of eating. So it is important to identify the source of the smell, whether from trees (עץ), or herbs (עשב), or spices (בסם) or a mixture of any of the types (לשון מצ״ב ע״פ ס״ת), in order to make the appropriate blessing.

This is discussed in Sefer Shnei Luchot HaBrit and elsewhere.

It is worth noting that the blessing of scent is related to the concept of ascent (ריח), as contrasted with descent (ניחח) which is from the expression of the Sages for marrying someone below your economic status (ניחות דרגא).

Yaacov Deane
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