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  • Halacha
  • Birkat Hamazon - Grace after the Meal

Bdiavad what to do after eating less than a kazayit of bread

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Various Rabbis

Adar I 2, 5774
Question
Dear Rav, Thank you in advance for taking the time to think about this question. The following happened to me recently, and I was wondering what I should have done: I washed and made hamotzi. The bread I ate, however, tasted terrible to me (it didn’t go bad, but I really disliked its flavor), so I stopped eating it. I definitely ate less than a kazayit (kal v’chomer definitely less than bichdei achilat pras, kal v’chomer a kabeitza). The question arose when I still wanted to eat the rest of my non-bread food. (Assume I had no immediate access to other bread.) Did the hamotzi still motzi me from making the other brachot on the rest of my food; or did I prove that the bread was not chashuv (or something like that?) by not eating enough of it, and thereby should have made new brachot on the rest of the food I was eating? I understand safek brachot l’hakel, especially when I’m at risk of making brachot sh’ainan tzrichot; but this does not seem to be an ideal route. Thank you again, and kol tuv.
Answer
Shalom Rav Thanks for your interesting question. I will start from the end with the final Psak - you were right not to say another Bracha. The Hamotzi blessing is recited on any bread, even if it is a very small amount. Since the bread was good, only you did not like the taste, the blessing for it is Hamotzi. The Mishna Berurah (206, 24) writes that one who said a Bracha on a fruit and then noticed it was bad but still edible, should eat a little so the blessing will not be Levatala (for nothing). As in your case, the first blessing is valid despite the fact you didn't like the bread. Regarding the question if in such a case the Hamotzi Bracha absolvesthe need for a Bracha on the rest of the food: The Mishna Berura (177, 3) brings a debate of the Rabbis about one who doesn't want to eat bread and the only reason he eats it is so he will not have to say a Bracha on the rest of the food. In such a case, it is better not to eat bread at all. However, on Shabbat and Yom Tov, since we are obligated to eat bread, even a small amount is important and absolve the rest of the food. In your case, since you planned to eat bread and the bread was meant to be a main part of the meal, "Sfek Brachot Lehakel" and you were correct not to say a Bracha on the rest of the food. However, if there were different breads on the table, or if one knows that a different kind of bread would be brought, it is best to eat more from the other bread. All the best Rabbi Yisrael wende
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