Hilchos B'rachos part IX

Having In Mind

A common issue associated with reciting b’rachos is to know which items are included in a b’racha recited over a specific item. One might sit down to a snack and recite a b’racha over almonds and then decide that he would now like to eat an apple. Indeed both items require a boreh p’ri ha’eitz, but must he recite a new b’racha over the apple or is it included in the original ha’eitz?

In the future shiurim we will attempt be”H to simplify this matter

When will one definitely need to recite a new b’racha?

If one recited a b’racha over a specific item, having in mind that this is the only item one intends on eating, one will be required to recite a new b’racha over a new item. [1]

This is true even if

·        one intends on eating a similar food item.

·        one has not yet finished eating the original food.

·        the new item is of less importance the original one.

 Moshe is on a diet and he told himself that he is going to eat only one single piece of cream cake. After savoring the first bite, he changed his mind and decided that one more will not harm.

Moshe is required to recite a new b’racha on the second piece, because he had specific intention not to eat another piece. In other words, the b’racha only covered the one piece of cake.

Does this apply to bread as well?

Indeed it does.

Yankel bought a bread bun in a store, washed and recited hamotzi knowing that he intended to eat that single bun. Halfway through, he realized that one bun will not satiate him and bought another bun.

He is required to recite a new hamotzi on the new bun, even though he had not yet consumed the first one. [2] This is because the b’racha did not include anything other than the first bun.

Is there a way to avoid having to recite a new b’racha?

As we will see, one is often faced with s’feikos as to whether a new b’racha is necessary. To avoid this problem, one should have in mind that whatever food will come his way is included in the b’racha. [3]

What will a b’racha with that intention include?

It will include everything that requires a similar b’racha.

Even if

·        the new food was not present at the time of the b’racha. [4]

·        the new food is of more importance, i.e. one recited a boreh p’ri ho’eitz on an apple and subsequently grapes were brought in. Even though grapes are of more importance than apples, as they are one of the shiva minim, the b’racha includes them because one had specific intention to do so.

·        the original food was eaten prior to receiving the new food. [5]

At which part of the b’racha must one have the intention to include all foods?

The optimal point of intention is before one commences the b’racha. [6]

How does the halacha regard a guest, after all he does not know what is in store?

A guest is considered as having specific intention to include everything that will be placed before him, [7] because he knows that all types of food will be placed before him. Consequently his b’racha will include all items with similar b’rachos, even when they are of more importance. [8]

What if the host had not yet decided to serve certain foods, and subsequently served them, is the guest required to recite a new b’racha over those foods?

It seems paradoxical because the host is required to recite a new b’racha, being that he did not have in mind to consume certain foods, and the guest will not recite a new b’racha because it is as if he had in mind to include everything.

Moshe was dining at Yankel and towards the end of the meal, Yankel placed beautiful pears on the table. Both people recited a b’racha and several minutes later Yankel decided to serve pomegranates.

Moshe does not need to recite a new b’racha because he is a guest and Yankel must recite a new b’racha because he did not have the pomegranates in mind when he recited the b’racha.