YeshivaThe torah world Gateway
Beit Midrash
- Sections
- Chemdat Yamim
- Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions
Answer: While any amount of food requires a beracha rishona (=br) before it, there is a ba only after eating a k’zayit (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 210:1). If one eats small amounts of foods with different berachot acharonot that combine to form a k’zayit, he recites the "lower beracha" (usually, Borei Nefashot) (Magen Avraham 210:1).
The question is how to view a single food made up of different ingredients. Regarding br, when a food significantly contains (not as filler) wheat or other flour of the "five minim" (=5mn) along with even a majority of foods with other berachot, one recites only Mezonot (or Hamotzi), which covers even the non-Mezonot ingredients (Shulchan Aruch, OC 208:2).
Regarding ba, in one place, the Shulchan Aruch (ibid.) says that the ba for such a food is Al Hamichya even if the flour is clearly a minority. In another place (ibid. 9), he writes that if there is not a k’zayit of flour within a pras (eight k’zeitim) of food, one recites only Al Hamichya on bread made from it, and if cooked, only Borei Nefashot rather than Al Hamichya. So, we see that the ba can be reduced due to the presence of a predominance of other ingredients. How much it is affected is disputed, as the Gra (ad loc.) says that without a k’zayit within a pras worth the ba is always Borei Nefashot. The Mishna Berura (ad loc. 47) contends that in order to make the higher beracha, the Shulchan Aruch requires not only a one eighth concentration but that one needs to eat a k’zayit worth of the 5mn flour. Conceptually, this means that a minority of flour is central enough to a complex food to control its overall identity and justify a "higher-level" ba, but the other foods are not subsumed enough to counts towards the ba of the 5mn flour.
There is significant machloket to what extent to limit the power of flour regarding ba. The Magen Avraham (208:15) says that the latter, more limiting Shulchan Aruch refers to the mixing of multiple types of grain but that other non-Mezonot ingredients team up with flour to reach the necessary k’zayit. The Chayei Adam (I, 50:21) is among those with misgivings over the Magen Avraham’s distinction. The Mishna Berura (208:48), in noting that the common practice is to recite Al Hamichya after a k’zayit of a piece of cake, even though it has less than a k’zayit of flour, gives the following explanation. Since "spices" (e.g., sugar, oil) are there to improve the prominent flour base, they are counted toward the k’zayit. Another idea is that the minimum amount of liquid needed to turn the flour into dough (but not the extra that makes it loose batter) counts toward the k’zayit (V’zot Haberacha, p. 236). The Chazon Ish (OC 26:8) similarly distinguishes between ingredients that are kneaded along with the flour, which count toward the k’zayit, and ingredients that are added after the kneading (e.g., the chocolate in rugelach). In the other direction, in cases where ingredients form a very distinct filling, e.g., in apple pie, it is accepted that it does not count toward the k’zayit (V’zot Haberacha, p. 47).
Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions (654)
Rabbi Daniel Mann
655 - Ask the Rabbi: Beracha when Lighting for a Neighbor
656 - Ask the Rabbi: Beracha Acharona on Cake
657 - Ask the Rabbi: Electric Lights as Neirot Shabbat
Load More
Top of page
Print this page
Send to friend
Bemare Habazak - Rabbis Questions Ask the Rabbi: Omitting Tachanun in Selichot in the Presence of Simcha
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
Lessons
fast navigation
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
