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Jewish Prayers: Brachot (Blessings) Before Eating

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

  1. One must say a Bracha on ANY amount of food.
  2. 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.).
  3. You should hold the food/drink in your right hand, or left hand if you are a lefty.
  4. 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.
  5. No food or drink should be in your mouth while reciting a Bracha.
  6. Between the Bracha and eating you must not talk or even wait any amount of time, but eat or drink the food right away.
  7. 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:

  1. Hamotzie - on bread
  2. Mezonot - on cakes
  3. Hagefen - on wine
  4. Haetz - on fruits
  5. Haadama - on vegetables
  6. 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)".

  1. 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.
  2. 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:

  1. Amount of Food Eaten; and,
  2. 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

 

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.
  1. 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.
  2. 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

 

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

 

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

 


Sources: Torah.Net