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From: rhendel@mcs.drexel.edu (Russell Hendel)
Date: Tue, 12 Nov 1996 20:37:03 -0500
Subject: Beracoth: Between Man and Man

Lisa Halpern (Vol 25 #14) raises the specific question of whether there
are Blessings on Mitzvoth between man and man.

Rabbi Hirsch answers this on the verse (Deut, Ki tasay) "Make a fence
around roofs to prevent fallers from falling..." where he gives his
theory of "...for which mitzvoth are beracoth said and for which
mitzvoth are ...beracoth not said..." (This is a beautiful little
explanation, which is not quoted often enough).

According to Rav Hirsch, some mizvoth are done to SYMBOLICALLY REMIND me
of something else: e.g. I put on Tzitzith IN ORDER TO REMEMBER GODS
OTHER COMMANDMENTS (See Nu end of Shlach). Similarly, I take the Lulav
to SYMOBLICALLY remind me of whatever the lulav is suppose to remind me
(according to most commentators, it is suppose to symoblically affirm
the unity of all forms of Jews..the hard worker, the pleasant person,
the tramp, and the highly distinguished respected person).

On the other hand, some mitzvoth are done SOLELY FOR THEMSELVES. e.g I
give charity not to remind me of some other mitzvah but simply to give
charity. Similarly I respect my parents in order to respect them.

Rav Hirsch says that when I do a mitzvah to remind me of something else
I first say a Beracha (to emphasize the fact that God gave it to me to
remind me of something else).  On the other hand if I do a mitzvah for
its own purpose then I do not say a Berachah.

The only possible exception to this rule is as Rav Hirsch notes, the law
of Maakeh. However, last year, Rabbi Shalom Kaminetsky gave a shiur on
Maakeh after which it was clear that the fence can be perceived
symbolically (thus making it consistent with Rav Hirsch's
explanations--it would require to much detail to repeat Rav Kaminetsky's
shiur)

Anyway: To answer Lisa's question: All man to man commandments do NOT
require a blessing except for Maakeh which does (and Maakeh is between
man and man since I put the fence up to protect others from falling )

Russell Jay Hendel, ph.d. asa rhendel @ mcs drexel. edu