- Halacha
- General Questions on Brachot
Question
If I put multiple cereals in my bowl in equal amounts do I have to make different Brachos on each? Do I have to make a Bracha on any dessert (even an apple or Shahakol) after I made a Hamotzei and didn’t bench yet?
Answer
Shalom,
Thank you for your question. The laws of blessings over food can be quite complex. When mixing items of different blessings – such as a breakfast cereal that is mezonot and a cereal that is shehakol, there is a debate as to whether they become one item, or whether they still need two blessings. So hold that as they are not cooked togther, they remain separate items and need two blessings. But the more commonly help opinion is that as the pieces are small enough that they are eaten together in one spoonful they are considered as one food, and require only one blessing.
With this in mind, we would then have to determine which blessings. If one of the cereals is mezonot, then it (being a specially important blessing) it would be the correct blessing. If though one is say ha'adamah and the other shehakol, then one says the blessing over the majority. If they are exactly equal, remove or add one piece in order to have a majority of one blessing over the other.
In relation to desserts there is much discussion amongst the Rabbis. Many people hold that today when desert is a normal an expected part of the meal, it is included in the Hamotzei blessing. If so, no desserts would need a new separate blessing. Others though hold that foods that are not normally eaten with the main meal, such as desserts need their own blessing. This would include a blessing over fruit, chocolate or ice cream. When it comes to cakes there is an additional argument, as cakes (mezonot) are closer to bread than say ice cream. If one eats them at the end of a meal and is still hungry, then they are considered as part of the meal and do not need a spereate blessing. On the other hand, if they are eaten (as is usually the case) for the sweet dessert taste, one would say a blessing on them (according to this opinion that a separate blessing is said over deserts). But there are more strict opinions when it comes to cakes that rule that on a practical level one almost never would be obligated to say a blessing on cakes at the end of a meal.
I hope this is of some help,
Blessings.