Hiddur Mitzvah

From Halachipedia
  1. It is possible to fulfill a mitzvah properly and fulfill it again with a hiddur mitzvah the second time.[1]

Sources

  1. Though Rav Chaim is quoted as saying that it is impossible to fulfill a hiddur mitzvah after having fulfilled the mitzvah in a after the fact manner, many question this principle. Rav Chaim is quoted in the Griz Chanuka 4:1 and a similar concept is found in Bet Halevi 2:47. However, the Eretz Tzvi 40 47c and Minchat Asher (Moadim Yamim Noraim ch. 44) disagree and bring many examples counter to the principle of Rav Chaim. Rav Ovadia in Chazon Ovadia Sukkot p. 244 quotes Rav Chaim and disagrees based on the Eretz Tzvi and Bikurei Yakov 651. Some of the discussions center around these proofs:
    • If necessary it is possible to eat maror during karpas and again at maror while making the bracha during karpas (Tosfot Pesachim 115a). Rav Asher uses this to prove that although one fulfilled one's mitzvah one can still do it again to fulfill it in a better way. Others contend that you did not fulfill one's mitzvah since one only ate part of the shiur at karpas and that is why it is possible to have a hiddur later. Yalkut Yosef (Tzitzit 8 fnt 31) cites the Maharsha, Chachmat Shlomo, Pri Chadash 475:2, Shulchan Aruch O.C. 475:22, Mishna Brurah 475:26 and Or Letzion 1:39 who assume that one doesn't eat a kezayit.
    • Afikomen for the Rashbam you eat as the main mitzvah even though you already ate the matzah with a bracha at motzei matzah. Eretz Tzvi says that could be because all of the matzah you eat that night is one elongated fulfillment of a mitzvah.
    • Tekiyot we do twice, one not in the context of the brachot and once in the context of the brachot. See Netsiv who holds that one doesn't fulfill one's mitzvah with tekiyot of sitting intentionally in order to fulfill it more properly later.
    • Megillah in a city that's safek walled from the days of yehoshua we read twice and the first time with a bracha (Shulchan Aruch O.C. 688:4).
    • Reading the pesukim of megillah before the shaliach tzibur isn't an initial kiyum since the congregation isn't reading from the klaf.
    • Kiddush in shul and again at home in the context of a meal.
    • Davening again because the first time was recited while sitting.
    • Shaking lulav outside of Hallel and again in Hallel. The briskers indeed don't shake lulav until they're ready for Hallel so that the bracha applies to the initial taking of the lulav and the shaking during Hallel as well.
    • If there is an etrog that is safek kosher but mehudar and another etrog that is certainly kosher but not mehudar, Rav Chaim thought that it is better to take the etrog that is safek kosher first otherwise you can't fulfill the hiddur mitzvah with the second one. However, the others disagree. Another reason to disagree with Rav Chaim is because of hefsek with an action (Rashi Eruvin 50a). Rav Ovadia quotes this from Rav Eliezer Silver (comments to responsa Nefesh Chaya 1) and Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank (Mikrei Kodesh Sukkot v. 2 ch. 9).