Search results for: ""Mezonot""

Fore-Blessing: Cooked Dough/Pasta
Bread must be baked in order to say ha'motzi on it ; dough that was cooked by any method other than baking (such as pasta) gets the fore-blessing of borei minei mezonot. 
Note Even if you eat enough to constitute a meal, you still say al ha'michya afterward.
Correct After-Blessing after Incorrect Fore-Blessing
Situation You said an incorrect or too-general fore-blessing over food (even she'hakol--which does, b'di'avad, cover all foods, including bread, wine, the Five Special Fruits, and mezonot). Or you forgot to say the fore-blessing.
What To Do You must still say the more-specific, correct after-blessing, including birkat ha'mazon when appropriate.
Reason You must still say the correct after-blessing even though you said the incorrect fore-blessing.
Levels of After-Blessings (Bracha Achrona)
Like fore-blessings, say the highest level of after-blessing (bracha achrona) that applies.
Note Although borei nefashot will cover many foods (at least, after the fact), it does NOT cover bread, wine, or mezonot.
Sukkot: Sleeping at Someone Else's House
If you sleep at another person's house or sukka during Sukkot, you should consider their sukka as being yours. You do not say the blessing leisheiv ba'sukka except if you eat bread or mezonot there.
Al HaMichya: Eating Enough Pie To Say
Say al ha'michya if you ate a total volume of crust + filling of at least 1.3 fl. oz. (39 ml, or 1/6 cup) or more within four minutes--even if the total mezonot-based crust you eat is less than 1.3 fl. oz. (39 ml, or 1/6 cup).
Fore-Blessing (Bracha Rishona) over Cholent
Cholent blessing (if the cholent is not eaten as part of a meal) follows the most important ingredient and is somewhat subjective to the eater.  
  • German cholent —A variety of wheat is primary; say borei minei mezonot. 
  • Hungarian cholent—Barley is primary; say borei minei mezonot.
  • Polish cholent —Beans are primary; say borei pri ha'adama.
  • Russian cholent —Potatoes are primary; say borei pri ha'adama.
  • If meat is most important, say she'hakol.     
Note You may need to say more than one blessing (bracha rishona) if there is no one preeminently important ingredient in a mixture of food types in one utensil, such as a casserole or cholent,  but only if:
  • You especially like more than one ingredient, and
  • Both (or more than two) of the ingredients can be eaten distinctly. 
Sukkot: When To Say Leisheiv BaSukka
When you sit down in a sukka, only say the blessing leisheiv ba'sukka:
  • If you are going to eat at least 1.9 fl. oz. (56 ml, or about 1/4 - 1/5 cup) of bread or mezonot within four minutes, OR
  • Immediately after saying kiddush and before drinking the wine in anticipation of eating mezonot or bread, OR
  • Before eating any food or beverage (except salt or water) when visiting any other person in his/her sukka.
After-Blessings (Bracha Achrona): Changing Location: Did Not Intend To Continue Eating
Situation You did not, at the time you said the fore-blessing, intend to continue eating along the way. You then ate at least 1.3 fl. oz. (39 ml, or 1/6 cup) of bread or mezonot within four minutes.
What To Do When you say the after-blessing, you should return to where you began eating. However, if you continued eating mezonot or bread while traveling, you may say the after-blessing in either place.
Note It is the proper practice to say a new fore-blessing (since you did not intend to continue eating along the way when you began eating) in the vehicle in which you are traveling. But even if you did not say a new fore-blessing, you may still say the after-blessing in the vehicle.
If Doubt Whether You Said a Blessing (except for Birkat HaMazon)
If you are not sure if you said ANY blessing in ANY category, don't repeat it.
Exceptions
  • Birkat ha'mazon.
  • You may also include the first blessing over reading the Torah (Asher bachar banu mi'kol ha'amim.)
Even the blessing for mezonot is not an exception. 
Reason The only blessing commanded in the Torah is birkat ha'mazon (some say also the blessings on the Torah); all others are from Chazal.
 
Borei Pri HaAdama: Salads
Say borei pri ha'adama on vegetable salad.
Note The fore-blessing of borei pri ha'adama also covers salad toppings and additions that by themselves require a different blessing, such as:
  • Borei pri ha'eitz for a sprinkling of pine nuts, cashews, apple slices, or raisins, or
  • Borei minei mezonot or ha'motzi for bread croutons. 
Reason Since these toppings and additions are subordinate to the main salad, you do not say the individual blessings; you only say borei pri ha'adama.

Eating before Shabbat Midday
Don't fast on Shabbat (except Yom Kippur!) past halachic midday:     
  • If you will not finish shacharit before halachic midday, you should eat or drink earlier in the day, even before you begin shacharit—water can be sufficient for this purpose.
  • If you will finish shacharit but not musaf by halachic midday:
  • Finish shacharit,
  • Make kiddush,
  • Eat some mezonot, and then
  • Return to say musaf.
Eating Only after Fulfilling Shabbat Kiddush Requirements
Once you have said the amida of Shabbat shacharit, you may not eat any food until you have said (or heard) kiddush and finished kiddush requirements by either:
  • Drinking at least 4 fl. oz. (119 ml) of wine/grape juice, or
  • Eating at least 1.3 fl. oz. (39 ml, or 1/6 cup) of mezonot or bread.
 
Fore-Blessings (Bracha Rishona): Which Level To Say
In general, say the highest-level fore-blessing (bracha rishona) on a food.
Note As some foods get processed by cooking or by other means, they qualify for a higher-level blessing.
Examples
  • Raw, rolled oats only merit the fore-blessing of she'hakol. But once the oats are cooked, the blessing of borei minei mezonot applies. 
    Note Raw oats could get the fore-blessing borei pri ha'adama, since they grow directly in the earth.  But because oats are not normally considered edible when raw, they get demoted to she'hakol. 
  • A raw grape or raisin gets the blessing of borei pri ha'eitz.  But once made into wine or grape juice, it merits borei pri ha'gafen.
Eating Only after Jewish Festival Kiddush
As on Shabbat, once you have said the amida of Jewish festival shacharit, you may not eat any food until you have said (or heard) kiddush and finished kiddush requirements by either drinking 4 fl. oz. (119 ml) of wine/grape juice or eating at least 1.3 fl. oz. (39 ml, or 1/6 cup) of mezonot or bread.
Eating before Jewish Festival Midday
As on Shabbat, don't fast on Jewish festivals (except Yom Kippur!) past halachic midday.
  • If you will not finish shacharit before halachic midday, you should eat or drink earlier in the day, even before you begin shacharit—water can be sufficient for this purpose.
  • If you will finish shacharit, but not musaf, by halachic midday:
    • Finish shacharit,
    • Make kiddush,
    • Eat some mezonot, and then
    • Return to say musaf.