The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 206:2) rules that if one mistakenly recited the Beracha of "Ha'adama" over a fruit that requires the Beracha of "Ha'etz," he has fulfilled his obligation. Thus, for example, if a person recited "Ha'adama" over an apple, he has fulfilled his obligation and does not then need to recite "Ha'etz," because after the fact, th…

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In an earlier edition of Daily Halacha, it was noted that if a person places small pieces of bread (less than a Ke'zayit) into a pot of hot soup, the bread is "downgraded" from the Beracha of "Ha'mosi" to the Beracha of "Mezonot." This Halacha is codified by the Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 168). The Halachic authorities debate the question of whether …

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If a person eats chicken which is prepared with stuffing – such as rice – how many Berachot does he recite? Must he recite two separate Berachot – "Mezonot" on the rice and "She'hakol" on the chicken – or should he recite just one Beracha? And if he must recite only one Beracha, which Beracha does he recite? The Halacha in this case depends on how …

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

Although rice is not one of the standard grains (such as wheat and barley), Halacha nevertheless treats it as a grain because of its resemblance to standard grain, and thus it requires the Beracha of "Mezonot." Therefore, one recites "Mezonot" before eating cooked rice or products made from rice flour, though the Beracha Aharona recited after eatin…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

An ice-cream sandwich consists of two cookies, often made with chocolate or other flavoring, with ice cream in between them. Of course, cookies require the Beracha of "Mezonot" whereas over ice cream one recites the Beracha of "She'hakol." The question thus arises, which Beracha does one recite over an ice cream sandwich: "Mezonot," "She'hakol," or…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 211) presents the guidelines regarding the proper sequence to follow when one eats foods of different types, that require different Berachot. These Halachot are especially complex, but the basic rules are as follows: 1) If one is eating bread, then he recites the Beracha of "Ha'mosi" over the bread before eating any oth…

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If one tastes some food or drink purely for the purpose of tasting, and not for enjoyment, is he required to recite a Beracha? This issue is subject to a debate among the Rishonim (Medieval Halachic authorities). The Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon, Spain-Egypt, 1135-1204) ruled in Hilchot Berachot (1:2) that one does not recite a Beracha before tas…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

Halacha establishes specific protocols for situations where one has before him different kinds of bread that he will be eating, determining over which bread the Beracha of Ha'mosi should be recited. The first rule is that bread made from wheat is considered superior to bread from other grains, such as barley. Thus, if a person will be eating bread …

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One who plans on eating a Ke'besa – approximately 2 oz. – or more of bread must wash Netilat Yadayim with a Beracha. Within how much time after washing his hands must he eat this quantity of bread in order to justify the Beracha that he recited over the Netilat Yadayim? Normally, when Halacha requires the consumption of a Ke'zayit (half a Ke'besa),…

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The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 168) establishes that if one eats a significant quantity of "Pat Ha'ba'a Be'kisnin" (the precise definition of which will be discussed in a separate installment), such as cake, then he must wash Netilat Yadayim, recite "Ha'mosi" before eating, and recite "Birkat Ha'mazon" after eating, as though he was eating bread. Spe…

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If one eats 216 grams or more of "Pat Ha'ba'a Be'kisnin" (the precise definition of which will be discussed in a separate context), such as an entire box of cookies, then he must treat the cookies as bread with respect to Halacha. He thus washes Netilat Yadayim, recites "Ha'mosi" before eating, and recites Birkat Ha'mazon after eating. And, he does…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

Many people enjoy putting small pieces of bread into their soup, and it is common for restaurants and caterers to serve small pieces of bread together with soup. Generally, of course, before eating bread one must wash Netilat Yadayim and recite "Ha'mosi," and recite Birkat Ha'mazon afterward. Does this apply also to bread in soup, or does the chang…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

The practice among Sepharadim is to recite the Beracha of "Boreh Peri Ha'adama" on mashed potatoes. Even though mashed potatoes do not resemble a potato, nevertheless, they require the Beracha of "Ha'adama" because they have the same taste as an ordinary potato. This applies as well to "eddge" (potato pancakes), which is prepared by frying grated p…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

If a person eats cereal with milk, the cereal constitutes the "Ikar" – the primary component of the mixture, whereas the milk is "Tafel" – secondary – as it is added merely to enhance the cereal. Therefore, one recites only one Beracha, over the cereal, and this covers both the cereal and the milk. Even if some milk remains in the bowl after one ha…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

If a person is eating a piece of cake with a cup of coffee, he recites two separate Berachot – "Mezonot" on the cake, and "She'hakol" on the coffee. We do not consider the cake and coffee as though they are eaten together such that the Beracha recited over the primary food (which would be the cake) also covers the secondary food (which would be cof…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

Maran, in the Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 6), presents a detailed explanation of the text of Asher Yasar (the Beracha recited after one uses the restroom). It is very uncharacteristic of Maran to include in the Shulhan Aruch an interpretation of a text. The Shulhan Aruch is a Halachic code which instructs what is permissible, forbidden and obligatory;…

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The Seder Hayom (Rabbi Moshe ben Machir, 16th Century, Tsfat) makes a remarkable statement regarding the Beracha of Asher Yasar. He first writes that one should reciter the Beracha carefully, word by word, having full intent and concentration on the meaning of the words, which are a praise to the perpetual kindness of Hashem who enables our bodies …

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 114:2) writes that one may not begin reciting "Mashib Ha'ruah" in the Amida prayer until the Hazan announces before Musaf on Shemini Aseret that it should be recited. Therefore, if a person prays at home, such as if he is ill or for some other reason cannot attend the prayers in the synagogue, he should not pray Musaf u…

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If the Sechach over one's Sukka fell off on Shabbat or Yom Tob during Sukkot, or some other part of the Sukka was ruined, thus disqualifying the Sukka, is it permissible to ask a non-Jew to repair the Sukka? At first glance, this question depends on the nature of the prohibition of building a Sukka on Shabbat or Yom Tob – meaning, whether for a Jew…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

Jewish communities in the Diaspora observe the eighth day of Sukkot as Shemini Aseret, and the ninth day as Simhat Torah. This is in contrast to the custom observed in Israel, where Shemini Aseret and Simhat Torah are observed together on the same day, the eighth day of Sukkot. It is customary to perform Hakafot on Simhat Torah, both in the night a…

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There is a widespread custom to conduct Hakafot (literally, "encirclings") on Simhat Torah, both at night and by day, after Arbit and Shaharit. We walk around the Teba seven times, singing praises to Hashem, dancing and clapping in the Torah's honor. During the Hakafot, a Sefer Torah is placed on the Teba, and the other Sifreh Torah are carried aro…

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDoor Rabbi Eli J. Mansour