537. Forbidden Fragrances

Brachos 9:8

Not reciting a bracha over forbidden fragrances (in 9:7) comes to exclude reciting a bracha over perfumes used in the service of idols or the perfume of women who are forbidden sexual relationships. This is because it is prohibited for a person to smell such things. A bracha should likewise not be recited over perfumes placed near the dead or in lavatories, or oils used to remove dirt. This is because these fragrances are designed to mask foul odors. A bracha is also not recited when incense is burned to perfume utensils or garments. This is because the intention was not for the incense itself to be smelled. Similarly, a bracha is not recited on the clothes that were perfumed by such incense because the actual fragrant thing is not present; a bracha is not recited over a fragrance that lacks substance.

Brachos 9:9

A bracha is not recited on spices at a non-Jewish celebration because of the possibility that the party is dedicated to the participants’ idol. Let’s say that a person was walking outside a city and he smelled a pleasant fragrance. If the majority of the city’s inhabitants are not Jewish, one does not recite a bracha (because of the likelihood that the incense was lit for an idol). If the majority of the inhabitants are Jews, one does recite a bracha. If a fragrance for which a bracha is recited gets mixed with one for which a bracha is not recited, one’s course of action depends on the majority of the mixture.