Q. When making Aliyah is there a Bracha for the Mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael?
If yes, which Bracha and when should it be recited?
If no, why not since most Poskim agree you are Mekayam the Mitzvah
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit"a opinion is that you follow the p'sak of most Poskim that maintain that no such brocho is mentioned anywhere and there is no tradition to recite it.
Horav I. Zilberstein Shlit"a (Avnei Chein p.169) mentions that his brother in law Horav Chaim Kanievsky Shlit"a explained to him that we don't recite a brocho on mitzvos that we do constantly, such as the six mitzvos temidios. Yshuv Eretz Yisroel would be similar.
Brocho Mitzion (p. 9) after also mentioning the above reason presents a novel idea. Based on the principle of the Aruch Hashulchan (CH.M. 427: 10) that our sages did not institute a brocho on mitzvos which are sichlios or based on reason and good sense. These mitzvos people would ordinarily perform them without being ordained to do so, such as tzedaka or repaying a loan etc. He claims that Yishuv Eretz Yisroel qualifies as such, since any people tend naturally to settle and reside in their own ancestral land and strive to build it and protect it.
Birchas Ha'aretz (p. 427) conveys an interesting principle. Mitzvos that are primarily done by mainly deriving material benefit or attaining a physical pleasure, such as eating a seuda on Shabbos, Yom Tov or Erev Yom Kippur we don't recite a brocho. He proposes that Yishuv Eretz Yisroel is similar. However, he questions why the eating of matzo or korbonos does require a brocho and explains that the mitzvo is in the many details involved in the proper compliance of such mitzvos.
Birchas Hamitzvos Ketikunon (p. 384) and Rivavos Efraim (4: 44) add an additional perspective by stating that we actually do recite a brocho for Yishuv Eretz Yisroel every time we say Birchas Hamozon or Al Hamichiyo.
However, Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a pointed out that the above brocho is a blessing of hoda'a and gratitude, not a brocho on a mitzvah.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit"a
Important Numbers
