Hilchos Berachos part IV

Eating and nashing before a bread meal cont.

In the previous shiurim we learned that one is required, in certain cases, to recite a b'racha acharona before washing for bread.

What if one forgot to recite a b'racha acharona before washing?

If one did not recite a b'racha acharona before the meal, one should recite it during the meal. [1]

If one has already recited Birkas Hamazon and realized that a b'racha acharona had not been recited on food consumed before washing, one must recite the b'racha acharona after bentching. [2]

However there are exceptions:

·       If one imbibed wine before the meal and one intends drinking wine during the meal, one should not recite a b'racha acharona on the wine.

·       If one imbibed other beverages before the meal and one intends drinking other beverages during the meal, one should not recite a b'racha acharona. Yet this is a safeik and therefore one should not drink a revi'is before the meal. [3]

·       If one bentched and forgot to recite b'racha acharona on dates, one does not need to recite b'racha acharona on the dates because dates satiate and bentching covers that. [4]

To make it practical: I began eating chicken and rice and decided to wash for bread, what do I do?

First recite Boreh nefashos on everything you ate and then wash.

What if I forgot to recite boreh nefashos before washing?

You must recite it during the meal and if you already bentched you must recite boreh nefashos after bentching.

Shinui Makom – Changing Place

Changing places when eating can affect one's b'racha rishona and in certain cases one is required to recite a new b'racha rishona. For example, one is eating an apple in one's home and goes outside to retrieve the mail from the mail box. Depending on certain factors, one will be required to recite a new b'racha.

Various factors must be taken into account

1)     Definition of a shinui makom.

2)     Type of food consumed.

3)     Eating with company – a chavura.

4)     Initial eating was not confined to a certain place.

5)     Continuous eating.

1)     Definition of a shinui makom

If one began eating in one's home and left the home to an open space, it is a shinui makom. [5] A confined area such as a restaurant, home, building, hall etc. are enclosed areas and sitting down (or standing) to eat in such a place defines one's eating. Leaving that place is tantamount to a hesech hada'as and one's b'racha rishona is lost.

Consequently, going to the back yard during a meal, entering the front garden or going into the street constitute a hefsek (a break) and a new b'racha rishona must be recited. This is true even if one returns immediately to the original eating place and wishes to continue eating the same food.

Same Room

Changing place in the same room does not constitute a shinui makom even if one cannot see the original eating place.

Consequently, after eating on one side of a wedding hall one may l'chatchila continue eating on the other side of the hall without having to recite a new b'racha. (As we will soon see, this is even if one did not eat bread or cake).

Bentching: On a side note – many believe that the halacha of bentching (birkas hamazon) in one's original eating place requires one to sit in exactly the same seat as one sat in during the meal. The halacha is that one may bentch l'chatchila anywhere in the same room, even if one cannot see the original eating place. [6]

Large Yard

An enclosed area such as a yard or a fenced-in garden shares the same halacha as a large room. [7]

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