Birthday/Shehecheyanu/Nine Days

Lichvod HaRav,

I have a shailah and wondering what the rav thinks.

My father is iy'H turning 60 next Shabbos (Shabbos Chazon).

I know there is a discussion in the poskim if one should make shehechayanu upon turning 60. The Chavas Yair (70) holds one should, the Chasam Sofer (Orach Chaim 225:1) writes to do so without Shem u'Malchus, and the Ben Ish Chai (Year 1, Re'eh 9) and the Kaf HaChaim (223:28) should pater it with a new suit or a new fruit.

I am wondering the following:

1) The Bach (Orach Chaim 29) writes that:

אבל לפע"ד דאיכא לחלק בין ברכת שהחיינו לשאר ברכות דברכת שהחיינו שבאה על שמחת לבו של אדם יכול לברך אע"פ שאינו ודאי דחייב לברך דאינו עובר על לא תשא אם הוא שמח ומברך לו יתעלה על שהחייהו וקיימו עד הזמן הזה

is this enough reason to allow one to recite shehechayanu upon turning sixty?

2) Assuming that it is, if the birthday is on Shabbos Chazon, is one still able to recite shehechayanu being that one should avoid reciting shehechayanu in the three weeks.

Is the fact that it is an opportunity that will pass a reason for leniency?

3) My father is in the year of aveilus, which is further reason to avoid shehechayanu.

Please advise if there is reason to allow reciting shehechayanu, or if it should be avoided

Kol Tuv

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

Allow me to begin by noting that there is no prohibition against a mourner reciting Shehecheyanu during the year of mourning, provided it is recited privately and not b'tzibbur. (Magen Avraham 551:42; Mishnah Berurah 551:98)

Regarding the Bach that you mentioned, le'halachah it is not sufficient reason to recite Shehecheyanu just because one is b'simchah. Rather, Shehecheyanu is recited only on specific occasions, and a birthday is not one of them.

You can, however, use another reason to recite Shehecheyanu in honor of your birthday, such as reciting it over a new fruit and having in mind to include your birthday.

With regard to reciting Shehecheyanu during the Nine Days, Shehecheyanu may be recited on Shabbos during the Nine Days. (According to the Arizal, however, one does not recite Shehecheyanu even on Shabbos.)

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