Questions about the the blessings of thanks recited after eating.
14
votes
2answers
114 views
תהלת ה' ידבר פי - what's the origin?
In between the 'Shir HaMaalot' that precedes birchat hamazon and the the blessings themselves, there are a few psukim beginning תהלת ה' ידבר פי . Some people add these, and some don't. What's the ...
13
votes
7answers
291 views
“I never saw a tzaddik be abandoned…” - how do we understand this?
At the end of bentching we say that "I was young, and I also became old, and I never saw a righteous person be abandoned, and his children asking for bread".
How do we reconcile that with the ...
13
votes
1answer
213 views
Why don't people bentch on a kos nowadays?
Bentching with a kos (recite Grace after Meals with a cup of wine) was clearly a popular thing to do in the times of the gemara. Additionally many Ashkenazi rishonim (Rosh, Ri, and many other ...
12
votes
2answers
154 views
People half-standing for אלקינו in zimun
When conducting a zimun with ten or more men, the nusach is to say "...ברוך אלקינו שאכלנו משלו".
I have noticed that many people, when saying the word "אלקינו", get up from their seats at least a ...
11
votes
1answer
185 views
Woman and Zimun: What is the requirement?
What is a woman's requirement to say Bircat Hamazon with a Zimun of women?
What is a women's requirement to say Bircat Hamazon with a Zimun of men?
11
votes
1answer
143 views
Why did the Vilna Gaon not approve of singing the zemiroh “Tzur Mishelo” on Shabbos?
I understand that the Vilna Gaon did not approve of singing the zemiroh “Tzur Mishelo” on Shabbos because it could be valid as Grace after Meals.
But on Shabbos, Grace after Meals is not valid ...
9
votes
4answers
194 views
Source of saying migdol / magdil in Bentching
I was once told by someone that saying migdol instead of magdil in bentching on Shabbos and yom tov is an error. That a siddur had the source in pesukim in short form on the side and people mistock it ...
9
votes
2answers
245 views
Zimun and Bentsching (Bircat Hamazon / Grace After Meals) with Jews who ate non-kosher food
I came across an interesting situation recently. I was eating with Jewish, non-observant friends. I brought over a hamburger from a local kosher take-out place. They had homemade, non-kosher food, ...
8
votes
4answers
145 views
Benching on yom kipper
If one must eat on yom kipper, does he make any day-specific additions during benching?
8
votes
2answers
100 views
V'Al Brischa SheChasamta Bivsoreinu - ועל בריתך שחתמת בבשרנו - does a lady say this?
In Bentching (grace after meals) - both in the Ashkenazic and in the Sefardic version - we say V'Al Brischa SheChasamta Bivsoreinu - ועל בריתך שחתמת בבשרנו - "and for Your covenant, which you sealed ...
8
votes
2answers
167 views
Can a woman drink the Kos Shel Bracha?
After saying Birkat HaMazon with a cup of wine, the Shulchan Aruch rules in OC 190:3, that at least a cheekful of wine must be drunk. If this was at a zimmun and the leader of the zimmun does not want ...
8
votes
1answer
110 views
And let who say Amen?
In light of this answer, why do we say V'imru amen and V'nomar amen at various points in bentching and davening when saying that passage alone? (eg. bentching by yourself, or oseh shalom at the end of ...
8
votes
2answers
144 views
If three men pre-arranged to sit down and eat together over a video-chat, is there any reason they shouldn't have a zimun?
I learned that if two groups were eating in two different rooms but even one person could see someone in the other room, then they could have one zimun (I thought this was in Masechet Brachot, but I ...
8
votes
2answers
137 views
What is the source for washing Mayim Acharonim with only a few drops of water?
OC 181 (4) MB [10] says that when washing mayim acharonim one must wash up to the second knuckle and using a few drops does not fulfill the mitzvah at all. Shulchan Oruch HaRav 181 (4) says there is ...
7
votes
3answers
225 views
Tzur MiShelo - Should you sing it before Bentching?
The song "Tzur MiShelo", generally printed in Bentchers, Siddurim, Zimronim, etc., as a Friday night song, follows the pattern of Bentching (grace after meals), praising G-d and praying for ...
7
votes
2answers
126 views
Should we say Al Naharos Bavel?
Tehillim 137 is printed in several bentchers before birkas hamazon, but from what I have seen most people do not say it. What is the correct thing to do: say or omit? Are there different minhagim?
7
votes
2answers
461 views
Does "Brich Rachamana Malka D'Alma Ma'rei D'Hai Pita' really fullfil the obligation of Birkas Hamazon?
I heard from a friend that, as per the Gemara, saying the following phrase in Aramaic discharges the obligation to recite Bircas Hamazon in its entirety:
Brich rachamana malka d'alma ma'rei d'hai ...
7
votes
2answers
146 views
Can you do benching for 3 people when one person does not know what to say in response?
When you have at least 3 men who ate a meal together, you can bench using the formula "Rabbosai Nivorech", at which point the other men at the table respond "Yehi Shem..." and so on. However, what ...
7
votes
2answers
205 views
What do you do if your Shabbos host serves chocolate chip challah?
Based on this shiur from R. Sobolofsky, chocolate chip challah is no different from chocolate babka or other cake and thus has the bracha of mezonos.
...
7
votes
2answers
88 views
Should we say Amen after the Harachamans in Bentching?
I recently heard (cannot recall from who or if I saw it somewhere) that after each Harachaman (הרחמן) after the 4th Bracha in Birchas Hamazon, one should answer Amen. Additionally, I was bentching ...
6
votes
3answers
167 views
stop benching at al-yichasiranu?
Can you stop benching (saying the grace after a meal) after al-yichasiranu (the end of the fourth blessing of the grace)?
6
votes
1answer
68 views
Not Bentching on a Kos when wine is already on the table
According to this answer R' Moshe Feinstein Paskened that, since for many years the practice of Bentching on a Kos (reciting grace after meals over a cup of wine, as formally constructed in the ...
5
votes
4answers
185 views
Bentching in Yeshiva, a restaurant or other Public areas
In a regular bentching a child would say "ES AVI MORI BAL HABAYIS HAZEH" or in your own home "OSI V'ES ISHTI/BALI" what about a bachur in a Yeshiva dining room, or a person in a restaurant or a non ...
5
votes
3answers
73 views
Does poseach es yadecha belong in the first paragraph of bentching?
Some bentchers include the pasuk 'poseach es yadecha..." at the end of the first paragraph of bentching (before the closing bracha), while others do not. What is the correct girsa? Are there different ...
5
votes
1answer
93 views
Bentching after vomiting
If someone gets sick during a meal, assuming they are not incapacitated as a result, should they still Bentch, or do we say that they did not gain any nourishment and it's like they didn't eat (or at ...
5
votes
2answers
72 views
Special Grace After Meals in a House of Mourning
The Shulchan Aruch in Yoreh De'ah 379 outlines a special version of Bentching to be recited in a House of Mourning. I have been in several houses of mourning and have never seen this done. Has anyone ...
5
votes
1answer
293 views
What is mazonot?
Could someone kindly explain to me what Mazonot means? I recenlty attended a charity do where the bread rolls were described as mazonot. Another person at the table explained to me that this meant ...
5
votes
2answers
134 views
Order of הרחמןs in ברכת המזון
We say:
הָרַחֲמָן, הוּא יִשְׁלַח לָנוּ בְּרָכָה מְרֻבָּה בַּבַּיִת הַזֶּה וְעַל שֻׁלְחָן זֶה שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ עָלָיו:
May the Merciful One send abundant blessing upon this dwelling and the table at ...
5
votes
1answer
130 views
who says “baruch hu uvaruch sh'mo” before birkas hamazon
Ashk'nazi prayer books generally include the line
ברוך הוא וברוך שמו
after the zimun (invitation to say birkas hamazon and before the actual birkas hamazon. It generally (in my experience) is ...
4
votes
2answers
239 views
V'Nomar Amen (וְנאמַר אָמֵן) vs. V'Imru Amen (ואמרוּ אָמֵן)
In Bentching by the end of the Harachamon's we say וְנאמַר אָמֵן and at the end of Magdil we say ואמרוּ אָמֵן. Is there a difference? What is the difference? Why the difference?
4
votes
1answer
122 views
Why Lachem and not Lechem?
At the end of Birkas Hamazon, why do we say 'vezaro mevakesh lachem' and not 'lechem'? Thanks!
4
votes
1answer
59 views
What is the difference between חיי העולם הבא and חיי העולמים (in Bircas Hamazon)?
Towards the end of Bircas Hamazon on Shabbos, Ashenazim say
הרחמן הוא ינחילנו יום שכולו שבת ומנוחה לחיי העולמים
Later and every day they say,
הרחמן הוא יזכנו לימות המשיח ולחיי העולם הבא
What is ...
4
votes
3answers
177 views
Continuing to drink a Beverage after Birchas HaMazon?
Perhaps this is a simple matter that I should be embarrassed not to know (which I am even if it isn't because I need to learn hilchos b'rachos better and always forget to look this question up) ...
4
votes
1answer
176 views
הרחמן הוא יברך את בעל הבית הזה… Why the extra אותם?
הָרַחֲמָן הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת בַּעַל הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה וְאֶת בַּעֲלַת הַבַּיִת הַזֶּה. אוֹתָם וְאֶת בֵּיתָם וְאֶת זַרְעָם וְאֶת כָּל אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם.
The word otam in this harachaman seems superfluous. ...
4
votes
0answers
26 views
Shir Hama'alos in “Barech”?
Among the many hagada versions in use at the seder I attended this year, some of them included Shir Hama'alos before birkas hamazon in the "Barech" section and others did not. Is there any reason to ...
4
votes
0answers
31 views
If someone has broken their fast on Yom Kippur is anything extra added to birchas hamazon? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Benching on yom kipper
I have heard that if one breaks his fast on Yom Kippur he should add into his birchas hamazon the section of "Yaaleh V'yavo". Is this true or do ...
4
votes
1answer
63 views
Shir HaMa'aloth or 'Al Naharoth Bavel on Rosh Hodesh Av?
When Bentching on Rosh Hodesh Av, do you say Shir HaMa'aloth for Rosh Hodesh or 'Al Naharoth Bavel for the Nine Days?
3
votes
2answers
106 views
Interrupting birkas hamazon
For what prayer responses (e.g. amen, baruch Hu uvaruch Sh'mo, y'he Sh'me...) may one interrupt his own recital of birkas hamazon?
3
votes
2answers
110 views
Why “eretz chemdah tovah” before “shehotzesanu meeretz Mitzrayim” in bentching
Why in Birchas Hamazon do we say "Eretz chemdah tovah" before we thank Hashem for taking us out of Mitzrayim (i.e. before "Val shehotzesanu meeretz mitzrayim")? Didn't we leave Egypt before we got the ...
3
votes
2answers
75 views
Formulation of Women's Zimmun
According to this answer, three women who have eaten together may make a zimmun. The usual formulation of the zimmun, "רבותי נברך", does not make sense for women. What formulation should women use ...
3
votes
1answer
85 views
Birkat hamazon w/ cup of wine Vs. Prohibition on wine during shavua shechal bo
For one whose custom is to drink wine (or grape juice) after reciting Birkat Ha-Mazon and to refrain from eating wine during shavua she-chal bo Tisha b'Av:
Does the requirement to use a cup trump the ...
3
votes
2answers
195 views
Is there a time limit for Borei Nefashos and Beracha Me'en Shalosh?
It seems that there's a 72-minute period after eating in which one must bentch.
Does this also apply for Borei Nefashos and Beracha Me'en Shalosh?
3
votes
2answers
58 views
Why doesn't everyone say 'Al HaNisim for both days of Purim?
No matter where you live, walled city or not, there is no Tahanun or LaMenatzeah on either day, you aren't allowed to fast on either day, and you can even fulfill Matanoth LaEvyonim on either day ...
2
votes
4answers
102 views
Eat of its fruit
How can we say in Al Hamichyah ונאכל מפריה (eat of its fruit) after ובנה ירשלים (and you will rebuild Jerusalem) You are not allowed to grow trees in ירשלים?
2
votes
3answers
111 views
Saying Birkat ha-Mazon without having said ha-Motsi before eating
If one has not said ha-Motsi before eating bread( of the amount for which Birkat ha-Mazon is required), is one still required to say Birkat ha-Mazon after eating?
2
votes
1answer
64 views
What to do if you realize while Bentching that you want more to eat or drink?
What do you do if you realize while you are Bentching that you want more to eat or drink? Let's say you realize you are thirsty, or you are Bentching early, and the host brings out the next course and ...
2
votes
2answers
91 views
Is a woman less-obligated in bentching?
In a group of two women and one man, why can they not have a zimun together? If it is because of different levels of obligation, why is a woman less-obligated to bentch? If it's the same obligation, ...
2
votes
1answer
35 views
Bircas HaMazon when starting to eat on Hoshanah Rabbah and finishing on Shmini Etzeres
A person eating a seudah on Hoshanah Rabbah wanted to continue eating his seudah when Shmini Etzeres already started. He was "pores mappah", made kiddush and continued to eat. Now, after a meal eaten ...
2
votes
0answers
26 views
Sofek in Bircas HaTorah — why not say all of the brachas?
The M"B brings in the beginning of Siman 47 from the Shagas Aryeh (Siman 24-25) that if one is in sofek (doubt) if they said Bircas HaTorah then they should go back and say the bracha however only the ...
2
votes
0answers
48 views
How can we say “I have not seen a righteous man foresaken . . .”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“I never saw a tzaddik be abandoned…” - how do we understand this?
Rabbi Emanuel Feldman, shlita, in the January 23, 2013, issue of Mishpacha gave his list of the ten ...
