4) If someone gets tzora’as and he goes to a Kohen, and the Kohen paskens on the nega, does the Kohen make a berachah? If yes, does he make the berachah of shehechayanu as well?
R’ Aharon Leib in Ayeles HaShachar is in doubt about this. He says negoim is different to other areas in halachah, where we find that when paskening a shailah one doesn’t make a berachah. Normally, when a posek paskens, he is just clarifying the metzius [what has happened], and if it’s forbidden it’s always forbidden, and if it’s permitted it is always permitted. By tzora’as, however, the pesak of the Kohen is what actually makes the metzorah tomei, and until the pesak of the Kohen he is tahor.
Although R’ Aharon Leib is in doubt, the Tiferes Yisroel (Negoim Perek 3, ois 2, in the Boaz) says that when a Kohen paskens on a nega he should make a special berachah,א שר קדשנו במצותיו וצוונו על ראית הנגע. We see he holds the Kohen should make a berachah.
However, the Avudraham quotes the Ra’avad who says that we don’t make berachos on punishments, therefore, when giving the sotah water to drink, no berachah is said. According to this, presumably by tzora’as also, there should be no berachah.
According to the Tiferes Yisroel that a berachah is made, what about shehechayanu when it is the Kohen’s first time ruling on a nega?
Tosfos in Succah (46a) says, that we only say shehechayanu when there is simcha involved. By negoim there is no simcha, therefore, even if a berachah would be said, certainly shehechayanu wouldn’t. (Pikudecha Dorashti)
