Skip to main content
added 26 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71

There are six main before-berachot to know. They are said in order when multiple apply to one meal, and therefore listed in that order. Some exceptions noted. The procedure which must be followed is to say the beracha with concentration, and then immediately, without doing anything in between, eat/drink even a small amount of the applicable food/drink (including swallowing it), and then when ready move on to the next beracha, and repeat. Each before-beracha begins the standard way בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְ‑יָ אֱ‑לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם - Baruch Atah Ado-nai Elo-heinu Melech Ha'Olam....

1 - There are many breads that HaMotzi is not said on. Kosher bread will always list whether it is HaMotzi, Mezonot or Shehakol. Some Sephardim will say HaMotzi on something that counts as Mezonit (see below), if they are eating a certain amount, and many will say it on Mezonot foods if they are sitting down to eat them formally. CYLOR.
2 - There are different customs about what counts as dessert, and there are some other customs about fruit and nuts etc; one should learn these with one's rabbi.

There are six main before-berachot to know. They are said in order when multiple apply to one meal, and therefore listed in that order. Some exceptions noted. The procedure which must be followed is to say the beracha with concentration, and then immediately, without doing anything in between, eat/drink even a small amount of the applicable food/drink, and then when ready move on to the next beracha, and repeat. Each before-beracha begins the standard way בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְ‑יָ אֱ‑לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם - Baruch Atah Ado-nai Elo-heinu Melech Ha'Olam....

1 - There are many breads that HaMotzi is not said on. Kosher bread will always list whether it is HaMotzi, Mezonot or Shehakol.
2 - There are different customs about what counts as dessert, and there are some other customs about fruit and nuts etc; one should learn these with one's rabbi.

There are six main before-berachot to know. They are said in order when multiple apply to one meal, and therefore listed in that order. Some exceptions noted. The procedure which must be followed is to say the beracha with concentration, and then immediately, without doing anything in between, eat/drink even a small amount of the applicable food/drink (including swallowing it), and then when ready move on to the next beracha, and repeat. Each before-beracha begins the standard way בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְ‑יָ אֱ‑לֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם - Baruch Atah Ado-nai Elo-heinu Melech Ha'Olam....

1 - There are many breads that HaMotzi is not said on. Kosher bread will always list whether it is HaMotzi, Mezonot or Shehakol. Some Sephardim will say HaMotzi on something that counts as Mezonit (see below), if they are eating a certain amount, and many will say it on Mezonot foods if they are sitting down to eat them formally. CYLOR.
2 - There are different customs about what counts as dessert, and there are some other customs about fruit and nuts etc; one should learn these with one's rabbi.

added 39 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71

Said on: Bread1 (and, butuniquely among the before-berachot, covers everything else in the meal, except wine/grape juice, dessert, and other minor variations2). Is said first, and therefore other berachot should not be said (exceptions listed in footnotes).
After beracha: Birchat HaMazon (bentching), which covers everything else eaten/drank at the meal.

Said on: Bread1, but covers everything else in the meal, except wine/grape juice, dessert, and other minor variations2. Is said first, and therefore other berachot should not be said (exceptions listed in footnotes).
After beracha: Birchat HaMazon (bentching), which covers everything else eaten/drank at the meal.

Said on: Bread1 (and, uniquely among the before-berachot, covers everything else in the meal, except wine/grape juice, dessert, and other minor variations2). Is said first, and therefore other berachot should not be said (exceptions listed in footnotes).
After beracha: Birchat HaMazon (bentching), which covers everything else eaten/drank at the meal.

added 56 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
  • עַל נְטִילַת יָדָֽיִם - Netilat Yadayim/Netilas Yadayim - There are laws about washing with a cup before bread, including how much bread one plans to eat, and whether to say the beracha for netilat yadayim (which one will do in most cases), and not talking between saying it etc. that everyone should know.
  • Tofel and Ikar - There is an important set of laws on tofel and ikar, that one should be familiar with. It is about deciding if one food is in some way subservient to another, and therefore only one beracha is made - on the main food (ikar), not the subservient (tofel). One normally wouldn't say a beracha on ketchup, if it's being eaten with chips/fries, for example.
  • What is covered - For HaMotzi and Mezonot/Mezonos, they cover more items, such as items not in the room, or not on one's mind etc. For the others, it might not do so. A few rules here, custom specific (such as variation between at one's own home and as a guest in someone else's home), to become familiar with.
  • The procedure is important - There are laws about what to do and not do before, during and immediately after the beracha, including laws of cleanliness, concentration on the meaning, holding the food with one's right hand, and not doing anything between the beracha, and eating/drinking without delay within a few seconds.
  • Amounts - There are laws on amounts, e.g. one makes a before-beracha on any amount (with some exceptions), but an after-beracha on (usually) at least a volume known as a kezayit for food (approximately 33g for Sephardim, more complicated for Ashkenazim) and the majority of a revi'it for drink (approximately 75-81cc) in a certain time frame (e.g. according to some, 9 minutes for food, a single or couple of quick gulps for drink), that one should know. One's rabbi will guide them how to measure and estimate these. They are custom specific.
  • When not to say - one generally doesn't say it on things unless they count as bona fide foods, so not on medicines for example (some customs would say it on certain medicines, CLYOR), nor when one is not eating in a normal way, nor when eating something one finds repulsive. One is also not allowed to say it in an unclean or immodest place, nor when one is not dressed. See also: Tasting food whilst cooking.
  • Mistakes - There are laws about what to do when one said the wrong beracha (some cover others after the fact, like Boreh Peri Ha'Adamah will cover fruit in these cases, SheHakol covers most things etc.) or forgot to say it, or took too long to eat. When to say it again, when not etc.
  • Hashem's Name - It is important to know how serious it is to say Hashem's name - even though we never pronounce it the way it is written, and instead say "Ado-nai" ("Elo-heinu" is similarly serious) - as well as how serious it is to not say a beracha when one is obligated to, and therefore making berachot properly is very important. There are also laws on this, such as what to do in doubt, what to do if one said Hashem's name in a mistaken beracha etc. In many cases, a partial remedy for the mistake is to say "baruch shem kevod malchuto le'olam va'ed".
  • Pronunciation - Very important also is pronunciation, and this is custom specific, so relying on the transliterations given are not ideal. One's rabbi will help with that, and will offer advice about concentration and language barrier issues, if applicable.
  • עַל נְטִילַת יָדָֽיִם - Netilat Yadayim/Netilas Yadayim - There are laws about washing with a cup before bread, including how much bread one plans to eat, and whether to say the beracha for netilat yadayim (which one will do in most cases), and not talking between saying it etc. that everyone should know.
  • Tofel and Ikar - There is an important set of laws on tofel and ikar, that one should be familiar with. It is about deciding if one food is in some way subservient to another, and therefore only one beracha is made - on the main food (ikar), not the subservient (tofel). One normally wouldn't say a beracha on ketchup, if it's being eaten with chips/fries, for example.
  • What is covered - For HaMotzi and Mezonot/Mezonos, they cover more items, such as items not in the room, or not on one's mind etc. For the others, it might not do so. A few rules here, custom specific (such as variation between at one's own home and as a guest in someone else's home), to become familiar with.
  • The procedure is important - There are laws about what to do and not do before, during and immediately after the beracha, including laws of cleanliness, concentration on the meaning, holding the food with one's right hand, and not doing anything between the beracha, and eating/drinking without delay within a few seconds.
  • Amounts - There are laws on amounts, e.g. one makes a before-beracha on any amount (with some exceptions), but an after-beracha on (usually) at least a volume known as a kezayit for food (approximately 33g for Sephardim, more complicated for Ashkenazim) and the majority of a revi'it for drink (approximately 75-81cc) in a certain time frame (e.g. according to some, 9 minutes for food, a single or couple of quick gulps for drink), that one should know. One's rabbi will guide them how to measure and estimate these. They are custom specific.
  • When not to say - one generally doesn't say it on things unless they count as bona fide foods, so not on medicines for example, nor when one is not eating in a normal way, nor when eating something one finds repulsive. One is also not allowed to say it in an unclean or immodest place, nor when one is not dressed. See also: Tasting food whilst cooking.
  • Mistakes - There are laws about what to do when one said the wrong beracha (some cover others after the fact, like Boreh Peri Ha'Adamah will cover fruit in these cases, SheHakol covers most things etc.) or forgot to say it, or took too long to eat. When to say it again, when not etc.
  • Hashem's Name - It is important to know how serious it is to say Hashem's name - even though we never pronounce it the way it is written, and instead say "Ado-nai" ("Elo-heinu" is similarly serious) - as well as how serious it is to not say a beracha when one is obligated to, and therefore making berachot properly is very important. There are also laws on this, such as what to do in doubt, what to do if one said Hashem's name in a mistaken beracha etc. In many cases, a partial remedy for the mistake is to say "baruch shem kevod malchuto le'olam va'ed".
  • Pronunciation - Very important also is pronunciation, and this is custom specific, so relying on the transliterations given are not ideal. One's rabbi will help with that, and will offer advice about concentration and language barrier issues, if applicable.
  • עַל נְטִילַת יָדָֽיִם - Netilat Yadayim/Netilas Yadayim - There are laws about washing with a cup before bread, including how much bread one plans to eat, and whether to say the beracha for netilat yadayim (which one will do in most cases), and not talking between saying it etc. that everyone should know.
  • Tofel and Ikar - There is an important set of laws on tofel and ikar, that one should be familiar with. It is about deciding if one food is in some way subservient to another, and therefore only one beracha is made - on the main food (ikar), not the subservient (tofel). One normally wouldn't say a beracha on ketchup, if it's being eaten with chips/fries, for example.
  • What is covered - For HaMotzi and Mezonot/Mezonos, they cover more items, such as items not in the room, or not on one's mind etc. For the others, it might not do so. A few rules here, custom specific (such as variation between at one's own home and as a guest in someone else's home), to become familiar with.
  • The procedure is important - There are laws about what to do and not do before, during and immediately after the beracha, including laws of cleanliness, concentration on the meaning, holding the food with one's right hand, and not doing anything between the beracha, and eating/drinking without delay within a few seconds.
  • Amounts - There are laws on amounts, e.g. one makes a before-beracha on any amount (with some exceptions), but an after-beracha on (usually) at least a volume known as a kezayit for food (approximately 33g for Sephardim, more complicated for Ashkenazim) and the majority of a revi'it for drink (approximately 75-81cc) in a certain time frame (e.g. according to some, 9 minutes for food, a single or couple of quick gulps for drink), that one should know. One's rabbi will guide them how to measure and estimate these. They are custom specific.
  • When not to say - one generally doesn't say it on things unless they count as bona fide foods, so not on medicines for example (some customs would say it on certain medicines, CLYOR), nor when one is not eating in a normal way, nor when eating something one finds repulsive. One is also not allowed to say it in an unclean or immodest place, nor when one is not dressed. See also: Tasting food whilst cooking.
  • Mistakes - There are laws about what to do when one said the wrong beracha (some cover others after the fact, like Boreh Peri Ha'Adamah will cover fruit in these cases, SheHakol covers most things etc.) or forgot to say it, or took too long to eat. When to say it again, when not etc.
  • Hashem's Name - It is important to know how serious it is to say Hashem's name - even though we never pronounce it the way it is written, and instead say "Ado-nai" ("Elo-heinu" is similarly serious) - as well as how serious it is to not say a beracha when one is obligated to, and therefore making berachot properly is very important. There are also laws on this, such as what to do in doubt, what to do if one said Hashem's name in a mistaken beracha etc. In many cases, a partial remedy for the mistake is to say "baruch shem kevod malchuto le'olam va'ed".
  • Pronunciation - Very important also is pronunciation, and this is custom specific, so relying on the transliterations given are not ideal. One's rabbi will help with that, and will offer advice about concentration and language barrier issues, if applicable.
added 114 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
Loading
Copyediting, dejargonifying, et cetera.
Source Link
Loading
added 8 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
Loading
added 68 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
Loading
added 68 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
Loading
added 12 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
Loading
added 36 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
Loading
added 120 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
Loading
added 120 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
Loading
added 136 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
Loading
added 136 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
Loading
added 136 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
Loading
added 275 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
Loading
added 1 character in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
Loading
added 190 characters in body
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
Loading
Source Link
Rabbi Kaii
  • 14.7k
  • 3
  • 17
  • 71
Loading