Hilchos Berachos part VIII

B'racha Acharona – Various Foods

Can two foods make up a k'zayis?

All foods complement each other to make a shiur k'zayis.

·      Half a k'zayis of an apple and half a k'zayis of a pear that are eaten within four minutes will necessitate a b'racha acharona – boreh nefashos.

·      Half a k'zayis of a pomegranate and half an olive will necessitate an al ha'eitz.

However, food and drink do not complement a shiur, so less than a revi'is and less than a k'zayis eaten together or within close proximity of each other will not necessitate a b'racha acharona. [1]

What about a pomegranate and an apple?

In this case the two items do not share the same b'racha acharona, and since the apple is not elevated to one of the seven species, the b'racha acharona will be boreh nefashos. [2]

One who eats a k'zayis of one of the seven species and a k'zayis of a regular fruit, will need to recite a single b'racha – al ha'eitz. Since regular fruit grow on trees, they are included in al ha'eitz that is made on the seven species. [3]

What if al ha'eitz was recited in error?

For example, one ate an apple and instead of reciting boreh nefashos one recited al ha'eitz. Must one recite a boreh nefashos or is the al ha'eitz valid b'diavad?

The al ha'eitz is valid. [4]

If one consumed a k'zayis of mezonos and less than a k'zayis grapes, what is the halacha?

The point of the question is that since one is reciting an al hamichya, should one insert al hapeiros for the fruit consumed, albeit less than a k'zayis.

Rav Moshe Feinstein ztz"l ruled [5] that even less than a shiur is called fruit and therefore it is correct to add al hapeiros to the al hamichya, however, the other poskim [6] ruled against that and said that if one did not consume a shiur of fruit one may not add al hapeiros to the al hamichya (or al hagefen, for that matter, when wine was imbibed). The sefer V'zos Hab'rocho writes [7] that he heard reliable evidence that Rav Moshe Feinstein retracted his p'sak, and therefore halacha is that if one did not consume the required shiur, one does not add it to the b'racha.

What if one has doubts whether a shiur of fruit (seven species) was eaten, may al hapeiros be added to al hamichya?

In this case one may add al hapeiros to the al hamichya. [8]

B'racha Acharona – Digest Period

The rule is that one may recite a b'racha acharona as long as the food or drink has not digested. [9]

How does one know whether food consumed has digested?

There are three categories: being satiated; eating a small amount; drink. It is imperative to know that one should not get up from a meal before reciting b'racha acharona, partly lest one forgets to recite it.

Eating a large amount or till one is satiated

If one ate to the point that one is satiated, one may recite a b'racha acharona l'chatchila until 72 minutes have passed, and if one did not recite up till then, one may recite it as long as one still feels satiated. [10]

If one loses that feeling of satiation, one loses the possibility to recite a b'racha acharona.

If one is in doubt whether one still feels satiated or not, if one ate bread the birkas hamazon is d'oraisso and one must recite birkas hamazon, if one ate other foods, the b'racha acharona is mid'rabanan and one may not recite a b'racha acharona.

The Mishna Berura [11] rules that it is correct in both cases to wash, eat a k'zayis and bentch.

Eating a small amount

Several poskim [12] rule that till half an hour one may definitely recite a b'racha acharona and if one consumed bread or mezonos even up till an hour. [13] B'diavad one may recite a b'racha acharona till 72 minutes. [14]

Consequently, one should recite a b'racha acharona immediately after eating a small amount to avoid the problem.

Drinks

One may recite a b'racha acharona after drinking as long as one is not thirsty again. [15] Sometimes it is hard to estimate, and one should recite a b'racha acharona immediately after drinking.

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