Siman 217

One who enters the shop of a perfumer that contains many types of perfumes, and he intends to benefit from the scent (Taz, subsection 1) — he recites the blessing "Who creates various types of spices," which includes everything as was written in the previous siman, and if he sat there all day he recites only one blessing. If he enters and exits, enters and exits — he recites a blessing for each time he intends to smell. And specifically when he did not have in mind to return, but if he had in mind to return he should not recite a blessing, and specifically when he had in mind to return immediately (Magen Avraham, subsection 2). And even though regarding things that do not require a blessing after them in their place it was explained in siman 178 that with a change of place one must recite a blessing, and all the more so regarding scent where there is no final blessing at all, and if so, even when returning immediately he should have had to recite a blessing. This is not so, for it is well and good regarding food where he eats something other than what he ate before which was already consumed, but here he is smelling the same perfumes that he smelled before, and therefore when returning immediately there is no need for a blessing (ibid., subsection 3). And if he truly smells other perfumes, it is possible that he must recite a blessing (ibid.), yet one could say that since with perfumes there is no lack of action as he smells immediately upon entering, therefore it is not comparable to eating, and even with other perfumes there is no need to recite a blessing when entering immediately (ibid.). And it is simple that if he enters the shop of a different perfumer he must recite a blessing another time. (And know that this which we wrote that we require that he intends to smell and it is from the Taz, the Bach did not write so, but rather that since it is made to be smelled as will be explained, therefore even if he did not intend to smell he is obligated to recite a blessing, and the Eliyah Rabbah agreed with him, see there, and according to their words one who enters an apothecary is obligated to recite a blessing. And in my humble opinion the primary view is like the Taz, for this is "not possible and he does not intend," which is explained in Pesachim 25b that it is permitted, see there, and all the more so regarding a blessing. And here it is called "not possible," for he is forced to enter there for some matter, and like the reasoning we wrote in the previous siman, section 6, see there, and the custom of the world is well-settled, and delve into this.)

And know that in the Gemara (53a) they raised a difficulty regarding the law that has been explained, for how can one recite a blessing over a perfumer's shop, since it is not made for the scent? And it answers that it is made for the scent, for the intention of the perfumer is that the scent should travel and people should smell it so that they will come to buy from him; see there. And according to this, for perfumes that are closed in a room and not in a shop made for sale, one does not need to recite a blessing, and thus the great authorities (Magen Avraham, subsection 1) ruled. And the Gemara compares this to perfumes of a latrine, over which one does not recite a blessing because it is to remove a bad odor; see there. And ostensibly, this is no comparison at all, for when it is made to remove a bad odor, it was indeed not made for a good scent, but perfume made for sale which also has a good scent, why should it be less than the scent of fruits made for eating, and nevertheless if one smells them he must recite a blessing, and like the scent of good foods, if he intended to smell them he recites a blessing, and why should a perfumer's shop be less than these things? On the contrary, a perfumer's shop is primarily for perfumes. (And according to the explanation of the Bach in the previous section it works well, for here we are dealing with one who did not intend to smell, and in this it is similar to perfumes of a latrine. And so too with fruits, if he did not intend to smell he does not recite a blessing, and when it answers that the intention of the perfumer is that they should smell it, he is obligated to recite a blessing even though he did not intend to smell, and it is superior to fruits, and so it is explicit from the wording of the Rosh there; see there. And according to this, even in a room where many perfumes are placed, if he intended to smell—he must recite a blessing, for it is like fruits; but according to the Taz it requires great study, and examine this well).

In my humble opinion, it appears that if he entered for some matter that was necessary then—he does not recite a blessing unless he intended to smell, and without intention it is a case of "it is not possible and he does not intend." But if he did not need to be there at all but rather entered to stay there a little, then even if he did not intend to smell he must recite a blessing, and regarding that which is placed in a room, intention is always required.

One does not recite a blessing over a scent unless it was made for smelling; that is to say, even though over every good scent one recites a blessing even if its primary purpose was not for smelling, such as the good scent in fruits, and certainly if its primary purpose is for smelling, nevertheless, if this scent was made for another intent, such as to nullify some bad odor or to remove filth from the hands, or that the scent should go specifically to another place where the intent of the scent is for a prohibited purpose—one does not recite a blessing over such scents. For a blessing requires a good scent without bad and without prohibitions, and that one should not intend for the scent to go to another place.

Therefore, one does not recite a blessing over the besamim of the deceased that are placed above the bed, because they are only made to remove the foul odor of the deceased. But over those placed below the bed – one recites a blessing, for they are made for the honor of the living so that they may smell them. Similarly, one does not recite a blessing over besamim that an istanis carries with him to the beit hakise, for they are only made to remove the foul odor of the beit hakise, nor over oil with which one rubs the hands after eating, for it is only to remove the filth of the hands. And therefore, one does not recite a blessing over the soap called section that has good scents in it, because the primary purpose of soap is to remove the filth of the body and the head (see Rashi and Tosafot 53a, s.v. 'Ein' and Magen Avraham subsection 5).

And so too, incense with which they scent vessels—one does not recite a blessing, because the scent was only made in order to introduce the scent into the garments, and it is like a scent made to remove a foul odor since the scent has another purpose. And so too, one who smells vessels that have been scented—he does not recite a blessing, because there is no essence of the perfume there, but rather a scent without an essence; so wrote the Rambam in chapter 9, law 8. Therefore, those who smell a vessel in which there were spices or in which spices were crushed and the vessel absorbed the scent—one does not recite a blessing over this (Taz, subsection 2), because it is a scent without an essence.

How so, forbidden fragrances: A woman who carries fragrances upon her so that a good scent will emanate from her and they will draw near to her, even if she is unmarried—it is forbidden to recite a blessing over such fragrances, for they are an assistance to a matter of transgression, and this is "fragrances of a forbidden relation." Therefore, when a box of fragrances is hanging from her neck or in her hand or in her mouth—it is forbidden to smell them and forbidden to recite a blessing over them, lest he come through this to a kiss or to physical proximity (see Magen Avraham subsection 6, and the Eliyah Rabbah in subsection 7 challenged him). And so too, fragrances of stars and constellations, one does not recite a blessing over them, because it is forbidden to smell them. Therefore, at a banquet of star-worshippers, one does not recite a blessing over their fragrances, for their banquets are generally for stars. Therefore, if one was walking outside of a city and smelled a good scent: if the majority of the city are star-worshippers—he does not recite a blessing, and if the majority are Israel—he recites a blessing, and if a scent over which one recites a blessing was mixed with a scent over which one does not recite a blessing—one follows the majority, and there is no need to elaborate on these laws as we are not accustomed at all to scents.