The Smell of an Esrog

Question: I asked my Rabbi what beracha I should say upon smelling my esrog and hadassim but he said that one does not say the berachos throughout Sukkos. Why is this?

Answer: The Gemara (Sukkah 37b) teaches that one may not smell the hadassim on Sukkos as it is designated for a mitzva (see Rashi). Hadassim are primarily used for fragrance and so are muktza to smell. Esrogim, primarily used for food, are muktza to eat. This applies throughout Sukkos, even on chol hamoed.

Rambam (Shofar Sukka Velulav 7:26) writes that while one may not eat the esrog over Sukkos, one may smell it.

However, the Tur writes that there is a machlokes as to whether one recites the beracha upon smelling the esrog, too. Therefore, the Shulchan Aruch (OC 653:1) writes that one should avoid smelling the esrog while it is being used for a mitzva. The Kaf Hachaim (OC 653:5) explains that as there is a machlokes, one smelling it would either be making a beracha levatala or benefitting without a beracha by smelling it without reciting one. The Taz (OC 653:1) notes that there were people who would purposely smell the esrog when shaking, and quoting the Semak, writes that this is a minhag shtus (a ridiculous practice).

If one has hadassim or an esrog that one is not using for a mitzva (e.g., it is not Kosher, or following Sukkos), one may recite a beracha on its fragrance. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 216:2) writes that before smelling hadassim one says “..borei atzei besamim.” Before smelling an esrog one says “..asher nasan reiach tov bapeiros” (see Mishna Berura 216:9).

In conclusion, one should not say the berachos upon smelling their esrog and hadassim that they are using throughout Sukkos.