B”H I have completed a sefer that has received haskomos from gedolei yisroel and it is about to be published. Is there an inyan to make a berocho shehecheyanu when it comes out?
Answer:
Certainly.
The Shehecheyanu berachah to express gratitude for an occasion that brings a person gladness and joy. Certainly, publishing a book – and the more so a Torah book – is such an occasion.
However, Poskim dispute whether the occasion can fit the official categories of Shehechayanu (according to the Magen Avraham one does not recite a Shehecheyanu, but Shut Yaavatz writes that one does recite Shehecheyanu), and therefore one should arrange for a new garment etc. so that you can recite the Shehecheyanu without concern.
If this doesn’t work out for some reason, one can recite Shehecheyahu over the new book.
Best wishes.
Sources:
See at length Shut Tzitz Eliezer (14:67), who concludes that although some authorities write that a berachah is not recited, there remains room to do so, and many great Torah leaders actually did so; see also Shut Ateres Paz, Orach Chaim Vol. 1, p. 3.
