Question
Dear Rabbi
I was just wondering if one has a piece of chocolate/sweets and a bottle of drink in front of him, should the shehakol be made first over the chocolate/sweets?
Regards
Ben
Answer
Shalom,
Thank you for your question. Yes, when one needs to say a blessing over solids and liquids, and they have the same blessing (such as shehakol in your example), the blessing should ideally be said over the solid with intent to exempt the drink with the same blessing. This is the opinion of the Aruch HaShulchan (211,17), however there are opinions that state that foods do not have any preference over drinks (Pri Magadim). Because of this argument in halacha, if for any reason one wants to taste the drink first then they may rely on the opinions that do not give preference to the solid food, and say the blessing over the drink first. But, as I wrote, if there is no cause to partake of the drink first, one should say the blessing over the solid food in order to follow the opinion that gives preference to the food over the drink.
Blessings.
