Special Brachot - benedictions - are traditionally said in Hebrew before eating any food or drinking any beverage.

- Brachot Transliteration & Translation
- General Rules for the First Bracha
- General Rules for the Order of the Brachot
- General Rules for the After Bracha
- The Brachot Guide

Brachot Transliteration & Translation

Each benediction begins baruch atah adonai elokeinu melech haolam (Blessed Are You G-d, our Lord, King of the World).
The endings depend specifically on what is to be eaten or drunk:

For Bread: "... Hamotzie lechem myn ha'aretz." (Who brings forth bread from the ground)

For Wine & Grape juice: "...Boreiy pree hagafen" (Who creates the fruit of the vine)

For Most Desserts: "...Boreiy minei mezonot" (Who creates various types of foods)

For Fruits: "...Boreiy pree ha'etz" (Who creates the fruit of the trees)

For Vegetables: "...Boreiy pree ha'adamah" (Who creates the fruits of the ground)

For Drinks, Meat, Fish, Cheese: "...Shehakol Nihyah bidvaro" (Everything was created through His words)

General Rules for the First Bracha

One must say a Bracha on ANY amount of food.

You should see the food before reciting the Bracha, e.g. if one wants to eat a cashew, you first open up the shell and see if its fit for a Bracha (no worms etc.).

You should hold the food/drink in your right hand, or left hand if you are a lefty.

One must be very careful not to mention G-D's name in vain. Before you start saying the Bracha, you should know which Bracha is the appropriate one.

No food or drink should be in your mouth while reciting a Bracha.

Between the Bracha and eating you must not talk or even wait any amount of time, but eat or drink the food right away.

If you forgot to say a Bracha before eating, as long as you still have some food left you still have to say the Bracha.

General Rules for the Order of the Brachot

These are the order of the Brachot in general:

Hamotzie - on bread

Mezonot - on cakes

Hagefen - on wine

Haetz - on fruits

Haadama - on vegetables

Shehakol - on drinks etc.

Chaviv (Most Desired): When one has in front of him different types of foods but all are the same bracha - e.g. candy, soda etc - you should say the bracha on the one you desire most, that is meaning of 'Chaviv'.

Fruits of Israel: Hashem has blessed Israel with seven (7) fruits as it says: "A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey (dates)".

Therefore when one has different types of fruits that he wants to eat (e.g. apples and figs), the fruit of the 7 species are first.

If however the fruit which is not of the 7 species, is Chaviv [meaning - he likes it more] then he may say a Bracha on any one he wants.

General Rules for the After Bracha

In order to be obligated to recite the Bracha Achrona (Post-Meal Benediction), two things must be taken into consideration:

Amount of Food Eaten; and,

Time Taken to Eat

Amount:
For Food: For bread, cakes (Hamotzi & Mezonot) you must eat a 'Kazayit' (an Olive) in weight which comes to be 17.3 grams (0.61 ounces).
For Drinks: For drinks, you must drink a "Revee'it", 86 grams (2.9 fluid ounces)

Time:
The time is the same wether its food or drink. In order to be required to say the After Benediction you must eat or drink the required amount (see above) within 'Kedei Achilat Pras', a period of around 4 minutes.

For example, drinking a hot cup of cocoa, since usually you would sip it you wouldn't drink the required amount within the required amount of time (4 minutes). The best way to get out of any questions would be to drink something else like milk, or to save some of the cocoa/coffee till it gets cool enough to drink the required amount in the required time.

The Brachot Guide

{ A-B } { C-D-E } { F-G-H } { I-J-K-L } { M-N-O-P } { R-S-T-U-W-Y-Z }

Food First Bracha After Bracha

Alcoholic Beverages
(except wine) She'hakol Boray Nefashot

Ale She'hakol Boray Nefashot

Almonds (nut) Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Apple

baked

cake

cider

jelly (without pieces)

juice

preserves (with pieces)

sauce

strudel

Ha'etz
Ha'etz
Mezonot
She'hakol
She'hakol
She'hakol
Ha'etz
Ha'etz
Mezonot Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Al Hamichyah
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Al Hamichyah

Apricot Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Asparagus Ho'adama Boray Nefashot

Aspirin None ¹ None

Bagels Hamotzi Birkat Hamazon

Baked Beans Ho'adama Boray Nefashot

Banana Ho'adama She'hakol

Beans (soup) Ho'adama Boray Nefashot

Beef She'hakol Boray Nefashot

Beer She'hakol Boray Nefashot

Blackberries Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Bologna She'hakol Boray Nefashot

Bologna Sandwich Hamotzi Birkat Hamazon

Brandy She'hakol Boray Nefashot

Bread Hamotzi Birkat Hamazon

Bread Stuffing Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Broccoli Ho'adama Boray Nefashot

Brownies Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Butter Milk She'hakol Boray Nefashot

Butter Cookies Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Notes:
*1 - If the aspirin (or other medicines) is being taken with water (and is not thirsty), no Bracha is said on the water either. However, if one takes the medicine with a juice, then a Bracha over the juice should be said and after drinking some of the drink should the medicine be taken.

Food First Bracha After Bracha

Cabbage
cooked/coleslaw/soup Ho'adama Boray Nefashot

Cake - all types Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Candy She'hakol NONE ¹

Cantaloupe Ho'adama Boray Nefashot

Carbonated Water/Soda She'hakol Boray Nefashot

Carp She'hakol Boray Nefashot

Carrots raw/cooked Ho'adama Boray Nefashot

Cashew nuts Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Cauliflower Ho'adama Boray Nefashot

Celery Ho'adama Boray Nefashot

Cereals ²

All Bran

Alpha Bits

Cheerios

Corn Chex

Corn Flakes

Honeycomb

Oat Cereal

Raisin Bran

Rice Crispies

Mezonot
Mezonot
Mezonot
She'hakol
Ho'adamah
Mezonot
Mezonot
Mezonot
She'hakol
Al Hamichyah
Al Hamichyah
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Al Hamichyah
Al Hamichyah
Al Hamichyah
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot

Champagne Hagefen Al Hagefen

Cheese

Blintzes

Cake

Sandwich

Shehakol
Mezonot
Mezonot
Hamotzi Boray Nefashot
Al Hamichyah
Al Hamichyah
Birkat Hamazon

Cherry Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Chestnuts Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Chick Peas Ho'adamah Boray Nefashot

Chicken Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Chicken Soup

without lokshen

with lokshen ³

Shehakol
Mezonot &
Shehakol
Al Hamichyah &
Boray Nefashot

Chocolate

Bar with Nuts

Chocolate covered Peanuts

Chocolate covered Raisins

Eclair

Fudge

Ice cream

Drink

Shehakol
Shehakol
Ho'adamah ⁴
Ha'etz ⁵
Mezonot
Shehakol
Shehakol
Shehakol Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Al Hamichyah
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot

Coconut Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Coffee Shehakol Boray Nefashot ⁶

Coleslaw (Sour kraut) Ho'adamah Boray Nefashot

Cookies Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Corn

On the Cob

Bread

Soup

Chips

Ho'adamah
Hamotzi
Ho'adamah
Ho'adamah
Boray Nefashot
Birkat Hamazon
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot

Cotton Candy Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Crackers Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Cranberry
Juice/Sauce Ha'etz
Shehakol Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot

Cucumber Ho'adamah Boray Nefashot

Cupcakes Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Custard Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Dates Ha'etz Al Ha'etz

Doughnut Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Eclair Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Egg Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Eggplant Ho'adamah Boray Nefashot

Etrog Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Notes:
*1- Candy - One must determine if the candy eaten was a Kazayit and whether it was eaten within the time limit of Kdei Achilat Pras. Since the latter requirement is usually not present when eating hard candies, no Brochoh Acronah would be required.

*2-Cereal - When eating cereal with milk, no Bracha is said on the milk since it is subordinate to the cereal. Even if milk remains after all the cereal has been eaten, no Bracha is to be said on the milk unless a substantial amount of milk is left.

*3-Soup with noodles - There are 3 types of soup (generally)
1) A soup which is cooked separately, and the noodles are cooked separately.
2) Where the Mezonot is cooked together with the soup.
3) Where one cooks the soup in order to make the Mezonot edible.

The most common situation is found with chicken soup, into which we add knedlach, noodles etc. Since each part is cooked separately, one must say 2 Brachot, Mezonot on the solid, Shehakol on the soup. In a case where the Mezonot is cooked together with the soup, then the soup becomes secondary as in all other instances (vegetable soup etc.), and only a Bracha over the mezonot is said.

In a case where a person desires to eat knedlach or noodles, but since it doesn't taste good when eaten alone, he therefore cooks up a clear broth to improve the taste of the Mezonot, then it is obvious that the soup is secondary, even though it was cooked separately.

*4- Chocolate covered Peanuts - since the peanuts are the main food, therefore the Brachah Ho'adamah is said.

*5- Chocolate covered Raisins - since the raisins are the main food, therefore the Brachah Ha'etz is said.

*6- Coffee - A Boray Nefashot is said only if the required amount is drunk within the required time (approx. 4 min), since its usually drunk while it is hot it could take longer then the required time.

Food First Bracha After Bracha

Falafel w/ Pita Hamotzi Birkat Hamazon

Falafel w/o Pita Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Farfel (cooked) Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Figs Ha'etz Al Ha'etz

Fish

Breaded

Cakes

Gefilte

Sticks

Shehakol
Shehakol
Shehakol
Shehakol
Shehakol Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot

Frankfurter
- in a Bun Shehakol
Hamotzi Boray Nefashot
Birkat Hamazon

French Bread/Toast Hamotzi Birkat Hamazon

Fruit Cocktail/Soup -
if majority of fruits
are from a tree
are from the ground

Ha'etz
Ha'adamah

Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot

Fruit roll Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Garlic Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Gefilta Fish Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Gelatine type desert Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Ginger (raw, dried, candied)

Ale

Bread
Cookies

Ha'adamah
Shehakol
Hamotzi
Mezonot Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Birkat Hamazon
Al Hamichyah

Graham Crackers Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Grapes Ha'etz Al Ha'etz

Grape Juice HaGafen Al HaGafen

Grapefruit
Juice Ha'etz
Shehakol Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot

Green Beans Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Green Peas Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Green Vegetables Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Gum Shehakol NONE

Halvah Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Hamburger Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Hazel nut Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Herring Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Honey Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Honey Cake Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Hot Dogs Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Food First Bracha After Bracha

Ices Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Ice Cream

with cone

cake

Sundae

(if contains pieces of fruit)

Shehakol
Shehakol (& Mezonot) ¹
Shehakol & Mezonot
Shehakol & Ha'etz Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Al Hamichyah
Boray Nefashot

Iced coffee/Tea Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Italian Bread Hamotzi Birkat Hamazon

Jam (without pieces) Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Jam (with pieces) Make proper Brochoh
according to type
of jam. Boray Nefashot

Jellies Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Juices

Tomato Juice

Grape Juice

Other Juices

(without pieces)

Ha'adamah
Hagefen
Shehakol

Boray Nefashot
Al Hagefen
Boray Nefashot

Kashe (Buckwheat)
if kernels whole
if kernels crushed
Ha'adamah
Shehakol
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot

Kashe Varneshkas Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Kishke Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Kneidelach Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Knishes Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Kreplach Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Kugel

Challah

Lokshen

Potato

Rice

Hamotzi
Mezonot
Shehakol
Shehakol
Birkat Hamazon
Al Hamichyah
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot

Lasagna Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Lemon (raw - if edible) Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Lemonade Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Lemon Meringue Pie Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Lentil /Soup Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Lettuce Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Licorice Candy/Sticks Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Liqueur Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Lokshen Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Lollipops Shehakol NONE ²

Notes:
*1- Ice cream with cone - If one eats the ice cream and also wants the cone 2 Brachot are said Shehakol on the ice cream and Mezonot on the cone. However if one doesn't really want the cone and it is secondary only Shehakol is said.
Since there is no Shiur in the cone so the after Bracha is always only Boray Nefashot.

*2- Lollipops - One must determine if the candy eaten was a Kazayit and whether it was eaten within the time limit of Kdei Achilat Pras. Since the latter requirement is usually not present when eating hard candies, no Brochoh Acronah would be required.

Food First Bracha After Bracha

Macaroni /& cheese Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Macaroons Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Marshmallows Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Marzipan Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Mashed Potatoes Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Matzo Hamotzi Birkat Hamazon

Matzo Balls Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Matzo Brei/Farfel/Meal Hamotzi Birkat Hamazon

Meat- Balls/Loaf Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Medicines NONE ¹ NONE

Melons Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Milk /Milk shake Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Mints Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Mushrooms /Soup Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Nectarine Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Napoleon Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Noodles Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Noodle - Vegetable Soup
see what was written in
regards to
'soup with noodles.'

Oatmeal Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Olives (ripe - prepared) Ha'etz Al Ha'etz

Onions (raw)

Bread

Crackers

Rings

Soup

Ha'adamah
Hamotzi
Mezonot
Ha'adamah
Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot
Birkat Hamazon
Al Hamichyah
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot

Oranges Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Orange Peels (candied) Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Pancakes Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Pastrami Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Pastry Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Peaches Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Peanuts Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Peanut Butter - Chunky Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Peanut Butter - Creamy Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Pears Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

peas Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Pecan Nuts Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Pickle Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Pineapple Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Pistachio Nuts Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Pizza
(depending on how
the dough was made) Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Plums Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Pomegranates Ha'etz Al Ha'etz

Popcorn Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Potatoes -
chips, cooked, instant,
kugel, latkes, mashed, fried
(if any of the above
is made from
"powdered potatos") Ha'adamah
(Shehakol) Boray Nefashot

Pretzels Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Prunes Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Prune Juice Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Pudding Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Notes:
*1 - If the medicines is being taken with water (and is not thirsty), no Bracha is said on the water either. However, if one takes the medicine with a juice, then a Bracha over the juice should be said and after drinking some of the drink should the medicine be taken.

Food First Bracha After Bracha

Radishes Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Raisins Ha'etz Al Ha'etz

Raisin Bran Flakes Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Raisin Cake Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Raisin Wine HaGafen Al HaGafen

Raspberries Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Rhubarb (cooked) Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Rice -
cakes, chex, crispies, kugel Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Salami Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Salmon -
croquettes, loaf, patties Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Sardine Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Scallions Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Schav Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Scotch Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Seltzer Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Slurpees Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Soda Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Sour Cream Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Sour Kraut Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Spaghetti Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Spaghetti & Meatballs Mezonot & Shehakol Al Hamichyah

Spinach Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Strawberries Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

String Beans Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Stuffed
Cabbage/Peppers
(with meat) Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Sugar Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Sweet Potatoes Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Sunflower Seeds Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Syrup Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Taco Shells Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Taffy Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Tangerine Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Tarts Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Tea Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Tomato Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Tomato Juice Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Tomato Soup Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Tuna Fish Cassarole Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Tuna Fish /Salad Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Turkey Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Turnips Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Veal / Cutlets Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Vegetables /Salad, Soup Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Vitamins Shehakol ¹

Waffles Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Walnuts Ha'etz Boray Nefashot

Water (if drunk for thirst) Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Watermelon Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Wheat Germ - Cooked Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Wheat Germ - Toasted Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Wheaties Mezonot Al Hamichyah

Whiskey Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Whipped Topping Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Wine (grape & raisin) Hagafen Al Hagefen

Yogurt Shehakol Boray Nefashot

Zucchini Ha'adamah Boray Nefashot

Notes:
*1- Vitamins - Since vitamins are not eaten in large enough quantity a Bracha Achronah is not said. If the vitamin was taken together with juice, then a Bracha Achronah is said over the juice.

Sources: Torah.Net

Jewish Prayers: Brachot (Blessings) Before Eating