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There is a rule 'תדיר ושאינו תדיר, תדיר קודם'. Loosely translated: When faced with two mitzvos, one must first perform the one which occurs more frequently.

Q: When it comes to bracha achrona, we find the custom/halacha to contradict this rule.

I believe borei nefashos is considered tadir regarding al hamichya based on the fact that most people make bore nefashos more frequently than they do al hamichya.

I also assert that one blessing can be categorically more todir over another [even regarding blessings which could come any time and have no קביעות in their תדירות] just based on how frequent they actually are.

I support my position with the Gemara (Brachos 51b), which classifies Borei Peri Hagafen as more frequent than Kiddush. The Ritva (ad loc) discusses the תדירות of Birchas Hamazon v. Borei Pri Hagafen, both of which are not limited to any specific time and are constantly possible. The Magen Avraham 165.3 writes that asher yatzar precedes borei nefashos because of todir.

And yet, the prevalent custom (in accordance with the Pri Megadim [OC"H AA, 202.25], quoted by Biur Halacha) is to preceed al hamichya to borei nefashos. Is there any rationale to why the rule of tadir kodem doesn't apply?

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    Maybe this is one of those cases where כל התדיר את חבירו קודם את חבירו comes into conflict with כל המקודש מחברו קודם את חבירו, as Al Hamichya is considered more of a "proper" after-bracha in many respects in comparison to Borei Nefashos (ex. according to one opinion cited by the Mechaber, any of the Me'ein Shalosh variants must be said where one ate, or at least Al Hamichya according to the other opinion, while both agree that's not true of Borei Nefashos).
    – DonielF
    May 15, 2019 at 20:46
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    Who says Borei Nefashot occurs more frequently?
    – Double AA ♦
    May 15, 2019 at 20:56
  • @DonielF: That's exactly the problem - when תדיר and מקודש conflict, we pasken איזה מהם שירצה יקדים
    – chortkov2
    May 15, 2019 at 20:58
  • Asher Yatzar has Keviut every morning, especially for the Rama 4:1, indeed that is basically the Maharshal's point so you have no proof, did you look up your source? וברכת אשר יצר הוא תדי' מה שאין כן בברכ' אחרונה שיכול להיו' כמה ימי זולתו וכגון שלא אכל או שתה כי אם בתוך הסעוד' Yayin too has Keviut over Kiddush at Havdala and other places, which answers the Ritva too.
    – Double AA ♦
    May 16, 2019 at 17:34
  • Let us continue this discussion in chat.
    – chortkov2
    May 16, 2019 at 20:33

1 Answer 1

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The Magen Avrohom (202:26) quotes the Knesses Hagadolah that a Borei Nefashos will cover a Mein Shalosh b'dieved and therefore in a place of safek a Borei Nefashos may be said. This ruling is not agreed upon by all poskim, but in order to avoid the possibility of prematurely covering all food with the borei nefashos, Bracha Mein Shalosh is said first.

Note: The Pri Megadim in his introduction to Hilchos Brachos points out that Bracha Achrona is unlike Bracha Rishona in that for Bracha Rishona, one can have in mind to cover only specific foods, whereas, for Bracha Achrona it will cover all foods that you ate (that it is able to cover) regardless of what you have in mind.

An additional possibility is that since Borei Nefashos has no mention in the mishna as a Bracha Achrona, many achronim (including the Vilna Gaon in his notes on the Yerushalmi Brachos 6:4) suggest that it was established in the times of the Gemara, and therefore would have a lower status than Mein Shalosh, which is either d'Oraisa, or a Takana of the Anshei Kenesses Hagadolah. This Svara is brought by Rav Ovadia Yosef in שו"ת יחוה דעת חלק ג סימן טו in regards to precedence of Asher Yatzar over Borei Nefashos.

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  • This is exactly what I would have said if I didn't still disagree with the premise. Why don't you start by rejecting the premise?
    – Double AA ♦
    May 16, 2019 at 18:40
  • @silver - Interesting. Does the Pri Megadim say that even if it is not the ideal brocho? There is a difference between not being able to limit the effect of the bracha, to saying that the brocho would cover things that are only b'deieved...
    – chortkov2
    May 16, 2019 at 21:05
  • Re reason 2: A more-frequent drabannan still takes precedence to a less-frequent d'oiraysa (according to Ritva), or at least is equal (R' Akiva Eiger/Shaagas Arye). The pashtus of gemara brachos 51b proves that
    – chortkov2
    May 16, 2019 at 21:07
  • I'll just add if you think Borei Nefashos is a Reshut then there shouldn't be a question of Tadir (compare to R Abadi judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/81409)
    – Double AA ♦
    May 16, 2019 at 21:30

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