Shehecheyanu on Purim Day: Tradition vs. The Siddur
Insights from Shulchan Menachem, Volume 3, Siman 351
In this section, the Rebbe addresses a famous Chabad custom regarding the daytime reading of the Megillah: Why do we recite the blessing of Shehecheyanu again in the morning, even though we already recited it during the nighttime reading?
The Paradox of the Alter Rebbe’s Siddur
The Alter Rebbe, in his Siddur, explicitly rules that the Shehecheyanu blessing is recited only at night and not during the day. However, the Tzemach Tzedek (the Alter Rebbe’s grandson) records that despite what is written in the Siddur, the practice is to recite the blessing in the daytime as well. This has remained the established custom in the Rebbe’s household and for Chabad Chassidim.
The Rebbe offers a profound explanation for this apparent contradiction. He suggests that the Alter Rebbe did not write the Siddur as a record of his personal conduct, but as a halachic work strictly based on the Gemara, Shulchan Aruch, and Kabbalah. Since these primary sources do not provide a definitive source for a daytime Shehecheyanu, the Alter Rebbe omitted it from the Siddur.
However, the Rebbe posits that in his personal practice, the Alter Rebbe likely did recite the blessing. The Tzemach Tzedek’s instruction was not a change in tradition, but rather a revelation of the Alter Rebbe’s actual practice (Hanhaga) that went beyond the formal requirements cited in the Siddur.
Shehecheyanu and Mishloach Manos
The Rebbe further discusses the scope of the daytime Shehecheyanu blessing. In a correspondence with Rav Zevin, the Rebbe references the Yaavetz, who provides a beautiful reason for the daytime repetition of the blessing.
Because the primary Mitzvos of the day—specifically Mishloach Manos (sending portions) and Matanos L’evyonim (gifts to the poor)—are only performed during the daytime, the morning Shehecheyanu serves as the "blessing of the time" for these commandments as well.
The Rebbe concludes with two practical points:
-
Kavana (Intention): When reciting or hearing the Shehecheyanu over the Megillah on Purim morning, one should explicitly intend for the blessing to cover the Mitzvos of Mishloach Manos, Matanos L’evyonim, and the Seudah (Purim feast).
-
A Person Without a Megillah: There is a discussion in the notes regarding whether someone who cannot hear the Megillah should recite Shehecheyanu specifically for the other Purim Mitzvos. While the bottom line is to include them in the Megillah's blessing, it underscores how the morning Shehecheyanu encapsulates the entirety of the day's joy.