Ikar and Tafel

From Halachipedia

Basics

  1. The Bracha that one makes on the ikar (primary food) covers the Bracha on the Tofel (secondary food). This rule applies to Bracha Rishona and Bracha Achrona. [1]
  2. In certain cases, the two foods are not considered a mixture and two brochot are required. If so, one should separate the one which has the more important Bracha (see Order of Brochos and make the Bracha, then make the other Bracha and eat that food. [2]
  3. Once the initial situation of the food was a mixture and the two were eaten together, even if some Tofel remains without the Ikar, no need Bracha is needed. [3] However, if one added more Tofel after the Ikar was finished a new Bracha is needed. [4]
  4. If one eats the secondary item before eating the primary item some say that one should make a Bracha on the secondary item as usual, however, some say that since nonetheless it is only secondary in purpose the bracha is automatically Shehakol, therefore, one should avoid such a situation and make sure to eat the primary food before the secondary one. [5]

The first category of Ikar and Tofel- Absolute Tofel

Definition

  1. The first category is if the Tofel serves the Ikar and isn’t eaten for taste but rather just to enable one to eat the Ikar. [6] This category includes where the Tofel is to remove a bitter taste, add color, add smell, or make the ingredients stick together. [7]

Rules

  1. Even if the two food aren’t eaten together still the Ikar covers the Tofel. [8]
  2. However, if also has intent to eat the Tofel because of it’s taste, then 2 Brachot are needed. [9]
  3. If mezonot is used as an absolute tofel, the mezonot is covered by the Ikar. [10]

Examples

  1. For example, one who drank bitter liquor and wants to remove the bad taste with bread should make a Bracha on the liquor and no Bracha is needed for the bread. [11] However, since it’s difficult to determine whether one is eating the bread just in order to remove the bitter taste or also for the satiation in brings independently, one should avoid having bread or mezonot just to remove a bitter taste. [12]
  2. If a person has bread with olive oil and the olive oil is considered ancillary the Bracha on the bread covers the olive oil. However, if one has a little bread with a lot of olive oil (which one is having in order to soothe one’s throat) which is one’s primary interest the Bracha on the olive oil (HaEtz) and it exempts the Bracha on the bread. [13]
  3. If one eats pickles or olives in order to whet one’s apittite for a meal (that’s one is not having bread), the main food such as meat is Ikar and the olive and pickles are Tofel. To avoid a dispute, one should eat a little of the meat first in order that it cover the pickles or olives. [14]
  4. One of the ingredients of licorice is flour, however, since the whole purpose of the flour is to make the ingredients stick, the Bracha is Shehakol. [15]
  5. If one of the ingredients of chopped-meat is flour or bread crumbs, however, since the whole purpose of the flour is to make the ingredients stick or to increase the volume of the meat, the Bracha is Shehakol. [16]
  6. For cheese cake in the usual case where there’s a thin layer of dough, one should only make Shehakol. [17]
  7. If one eats an ice-cream in a cone and one’s intent is only to eat the ice-cream and the cone is only used to hold the ice-cream, one should only make a Shehakol. However, in the usual case where one eats the cone also for a taste, two Brachot are required. [18]

The second category of Ikar and Tofel- Enhancers

Definition

  1. The second category is if the Tofel is eaten to add taste, yet, one is eating the mixture primarily to eat one of the two foods and that’s called the Ikar. [19] The primary food and the enhancer is determined according to each individual’s preference. [20]

Rules

  1. The Ikar only covers the Tofel if the two are eaten together (in one spoonful, forkful, or handful). [21]
  2. If also has intent to eat the Tofel because of it’s taste and it’s especially dear or important to oneself, then 2 Brachot are needed. [22]
  3. If mezonot is used as an enhancer and the foods weren’t cooked together, then two Brachot are required. This only applies for mezonot of the five grains and not rice. [23] For example,

Examples

  1. For crackers with cheese, if one’s primary intent is to eat the cracker, the Bracha is mezonot. [24]
  2. For crackers with fish, if one is eating the fish to enhance the cracker, then the Bracha is Mezonot, however, if one desires both, then two Brachot are required (mezonot and shehakol). [25]
  3. For noodle Kugel and pickles eaten together, only mezonot is necessary. [26]
  4. Latka with apple sauce, the only Bracha needed is for the latka (either HaAdama or Shehakol depending on it’s consistency). [27]
  5. For blintzes with sour cream, the only Bracha needed is for the blintzes. [28]
  6. For rice cakes with a peanut butter spread, the only Bracha needed is for the rice cakes (which is HaAdama). [29]
  7. In the usual case where one eats the cone also for a taste, two Brachot (mezonot and Shehakol) are required. However, if one eats an ice-cream in a cone and one’s intent is only to eat the ice-cream and the cone is only used to hold the ice-cream, one should only make a Shehakol. [30]
  8. For cheese cake in the case where there’s a thick layer of dough and it adds taste to the cake, one should only make Mezonot. [31]
  9. If a doughnut was dipped in coffee, the Bracha on the solid covers the absorbed liquids. There’s a minority opinion that the mezonot also covers the coffee in the cup and so it’s preferable to cover the coffee with another Shehakol, however, if it’s difficult one may make Shehakol on the coffee in the cup. [32]
  10. Fried chicken or fish (Shnetizel) with a thin batter coating is Shehakol, but if there’s a thick coating the Bracha is Mezonot, yet it's preferable to separate off a piece of coating and a piece of chicken and make Mezonot on the coating and Shehakol on the chicken. However, the Sephardic minhag is to make Shehakol in all cases. [33]
  11. For onion rings in the usual case where the coating is substantial, the Bracha is mezonot. [34]
  12. For knishes in the usual case where the dough is substantial, the Bracha is mezonot. [35]
  13. For the bracha on Boston cream pies, if one has the filling as an enhancer of the cake then the bracha is Mezonot, however, if the filling is considered a thick layer for which one has intent to eat (not merely as an enhancer), then make two brachot, mezonot on the cake, and Shehakol on the filling. [36]

The third category of Ikar and Tofel

Definition

  1. The third category is where the Tofel is just as important as the Ikar in the eyes of the one who is eating it. In this case, the Ikar is judged by whichever is the majority unless one of them is Mezonot (five grains) in which case the Mezonot is automatically the Ikar. [37]
  2. If the two items weren’t cooked together and one’s primary intent is for both items, each food requires a separate Bracha. For example, for an ice cream sandwich, two brochot are required. [38]

Rules

  1. The Ikar only covers the Tofel if the two are eaten together (in one spoonful, or forkful). However, once the initial situation of the food was a mixture and the two were eaten together, even if some Tofel remains without the Ikar, no need Bracha is needed. [39]
  2. Even if one has intent to eat the Tofel because it’s especially dear or important to oneself, still the Bracha on the Ikar covers the Tofel. [40]

Examples

  1. For, pie or strudel with fruit filling which was baked together, one should only make Mezonot. [41]
  2. For chulent (barley, beans, small pieces of meat and potato) the Bracha is Mezonot. If there’s no barley, and the majority is potatoes and beans, the Bracha is HaAdama, if the majority is rice, make Mezonot. If there’s no barley and the Chulent has the Bracha of HaAdama, if the kishka is eaten separately (not in the same forkful), it requires it’s own mezonot. However, if the pieces are large enough that they don’t come up together on same forkful, each component requires it’s own Bracha. [42]
  3. For chicken chow mein with chicken and vegetables but without noodles, when one’s primary intent is for both the chicken and the vegetables, the Bracha on the majority; if the majority is the chicken, the Bracha is Shehakol, if the majority is vegetables, the Bracha is HaAdama. [43]
  4. For chicken chow mein with chicken, vegetables, and rice, if the majority is rice, the Bracha is mezonot, if the majority is vegetables, the Bracha is HaAdama, if the majority is the chicken, the Bracha is Shehakol. [44]
  5. For chicken chow mein with chicken, vegetables, and added noodles, the noodles require Mezonot and the rest of the chow mein is judged by majority if the majority is the chicken, the Bracha is Shehakol, if the majority is vegetables, the Bracha is HaAdama. [45]
  6. If one mixes carrot, peas, and couscous/farfel the Bracha is Mezonot since the mezonot is always considered Ikar. [46]
  7. For a fruit salad where the pieces are small enough that one spoonful includes more than one piece, is judged by majority. If there’s a majority of fruit that have the Bracha of HaEtz which is the usual case, the Bracha is HaEtz. However, if there’s a majority of fruits which are HaAdama (such as pineapple or strawberry), then the Bracha is HaAdama. [47] However, the pieces are large enough that only one comes on the spoon or fork at a time, then each fruit requires it’s own Bracha. [48]
  8. If there’s a mixture of multiple items where each food is recognizable and none of them are the majority independently, each requires a Bracha. [49]
  9. For a chocolate covered nut (any nut besides peanut), one should decide whether one’s primary intent is for the nut or for the chocolate and make the Bracha on the primary one, however, if both parts are primary to you, then some say just make HaEtz, and some say to separate the two and make two Brachot. [50]
  10. For an ice cream sandwich, 2 brochot are required (mezonot and shehakol) in the usual case where one’s intent is both for the ice cream and for the cookie. [51]
  11. For chocolate cream pie, if one eats it as a regular pie and the cream enhances dough, then only Mezonot is needed. However, if one is just as much for the cream as for the pie, then two Brachot (Mezonot and Shehakol) are required. [52]
  12. For “Crembo” which is an Israeli candy that has a significant amount of cream on a biscuit and requires two brochot (Mezonot and Shehakol) in the usual case where the where the biscuit only adds some taste. In this case one should separate the biscuit make a Bracha on it, and then make a Shehakol on the cream. [53]
  13. For cereal and milk, the only Bracha required is for the cereal in the usual case where one has the milk to enhance the cereal. However, if one adds milk because one is thirsty and one’s primary intent is for the cereal and also for the milk, then two brochot are needed. [54]
    1. If there’s left over milk, no new Bracha is needed. However, if a significant amount of leftover milk after finishing the cereal and one drinks the milk in a cup, then a new Bracha is needed. [55]
  14. Fruit cocktail is considered one mixture, if the majority is HaEtz fruits, then the Bracha is HaEtz, and if the majority is HaAdama fruit, the Bracha is HaAdama. [56]

Soup

Soup nuts, noodles, or dumplings

  1. Soup with soup nuts, noodles, or dumplings, requires two Brachot (Mezonot and Shehakol) in the usual case where the soup nuts enhance the soup. In this situation, Shehakol should be made before Shehakol. [57]
  2. However, if there’s a significant amount of soup nuts, noodles, or dumplings, and one is interested just as much in the soup as one is interested in the soup nuts, noodles, or dumplings. [58]
  3. If the soup nuts, noodles, or dumplings are just because they’re there in the soup, one should only make Shehakol on the soup and the soup nuts, noodles, or dumplings are covered. [59]

Matzah Balls

  1. If there’s Matzah balls in soup because the Matzah balls are eaten as distinct foods two Brachot (Mezonot and Shehakol) are required. [60]

Questions and Answers

  1. What's the Bracha on Shnitzel? See above

References

  1. ↑ S”A 212:1
  2. ↑ Halachos of Brochos (pg 72, chapter 4, Rabbi Pinchas Bodner)
  3. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 95, chapter 11), VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Bodner, chapter 4, pg 59-60)
  4. ↑ VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Bodner, chapter 4, pg 59-60)
  5. ↑
    • Sh”t Maharach Or Zaruha 38 writes that if one eats fruit seeds as regular food for sustenance the Bracha is HaEtz, however, if it is eaten only in order to sweeten a drink which one has afterwards the Bracha is Shehakol. The proof is that bread which is kneaded with spices (Pas HaBah Bekisnin) which is normally eaten as a sweet (snack) is Mezonot and even that it’s not clear and perhaps one should make Shehakol.
    • Sh”t Trumat HaDeshen 1:31 writes that if one eats a food in order that one will be able to drink wine not on an empty stomach even though it’s secondary it requires a Bracha because the food is eaten before the wine. He then quotes the Or Zaruha who said that if one is eating the seeds before the drink one makes a Shehakol on the seeds and infers that if a secondary item is eaten before the primary food the Bracha would be Shehakol.
    • However, the Bet Yosef 212:1 argued on the Trumat saying that just because it is coming for the purpose of sweetening the drink the Bracha shouldn’t change draws proof from the Rosh who says that if one ate less than a kezayit of shivat haminim one shouldn’t make boreh nefashot because the appropriate Bracha doesn’t change is one just eats less than a kezayit. The Darkei Moshe 212:2 rejects the Bet Yosef explaining that having the secondary food first requires a Bracha because one may not enjoy this world without a Bracha but it doesn’t deserve it’s appropriate Bracha since the purpose is secondary, however, if one eats less than the requisite amount the Bracha doesn’t change because one’s purpose was normal eating. The Rama 212:1 rules like the Trumat HaDeshen who says that if one ate the secondary item first one should only make a Shehakol on it.
    • Mishna Brurah 212:10 and Biur Halacha D”H VeAyno quotes many achronim who disagree with the Rama and so he concludes to avoid this situation by eating the primary food first.
  6. ↑ S”A 212:1, Vezot HaBracha (pg 89, chapter 11)
  7. ↑ S”A 204:12
  8. ↑ Shaat HaTzion 212:21, Vezot HaBracha (pg 89, chapter 11)
  9. ↑ Mishna Brurah 212:5, Vezot HaBracha (pg 89, chapter 11)
  10. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 108, chapter 12), VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Bodner, chapter 4, pg 61)
  11. ↑ S”A 212:1, Vezot HaBracha (pg 89, chapter 11)
  12. ↑ Mishna Brurah 212:5 in name of the Shlah, Vezot HaBracha (pg 89, chapter 11), Halachos of Brochos (pg 57, chapter 11)
  13. ↑ Mishna Brurah 202:28
  14. ↑ Halachos of Brachos (Rabbi Pinchas Bodner, chapter 4, pg 56)
  15. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 108, chapter 12)
  16. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 108, chapter 12), VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Bodner, chapter 4, pg 67)
  17. ↑ Vezot HaBracha pg 93, VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Bodner, chapter 4, pg 79)
  18. ↑ VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Bodner, chapter 4, pg 61), Vezot HaBracha (pg 390), Sh”t Igrot Moshe O”C 4:43
  19. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 89, chapter 11)
  20. ↑ VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Bodner, chapter 4, pg 59)
  21. ↑ Shaar HaTzion 212:21, Vezot HaBracha (pg 89, chapter 11)
  22. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 90, chapter 11)
  23. ↑ VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Bodner, chapter 4, pg 60, 74)
  24. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 90, chapter 11), VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Bodner, chapter 4, pg 74)
  25. ↑ VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Bodner, chapter 4, pg 74) and Vezot HaBracha (pg 90, chapter 11) write that usually the fish is used to enhance the cracker and so only Mezonot is needed. However, they conclude, if one specifically desires the fish, then 2 Brachot (Mezonot and Shehakol) are required. Peni HaShulchan (pg 338; Rabbi Pinchas Vitman) writes that the usual case is where one primarily wants the fish and one should make 2 Brachot.
  26. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 90, chapter 11), Peni HaShulchan (pg 339; Rabbi Pinchas Vitman)
  27. ↑ Halachos of Brochos (pg 58, chapter 4, Rabbi Pinchas Bodner)
  28. ↑ Halachos of Brochos (pg 58, chapter 4, Rabbi Pinchas Bodner)
  29. ↑ Halachos of Brochos (pg 58, chapter 4, Rabbi Pinchas Bodner)
  30. ↑ VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Bodner, chapter 4, pg 61), Vezot HaBracha (pg 390)
  31. ↑ VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Bodner, chapter 4, pg 79)
  32. ↑ Veten Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Pinchas Bodner, chapter 4, pg 69)
  33. ↑
    * Halachos of Brachos (Rabbi Bodner, chap 4, pg 79) quotes Rav Elyashiv that the Bracha would be Mezonot in all cases in opposition to Rav Moshe, Rav Yacov Kamenetsky, and Rav Sheinburg who said Shehakol if it was a thin crust. He also quotes Rav Moshe and Rav Sheinburg that if there's a thick coating that one should make Mezonot if it was a thick crust. In the Halachos of Brachos Handbook (pg 13 and 43) he rules like the second opinion that if there's a thin coating the bracha is Shehakol and if there's a thick coating the bracha is Mezonot.
    * VeZot HaBracha (chap 12, pg 109) agrees that if there's a thin crust one should make Shehakol, however, he argues that if there's a thick coating one should separate a piece of the coating and a piece of the meat and make Mezonot on the coating and Shehakol on the meat. [See Vezot HaBracha (Birur 19(1), pg 261) where he seems to agree that if there's a thick coating the bracha would be Mezonot but because of controversy he suggests separating the coating and making two brachot.]
    * However, Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, chap 218, pg 218) writes that it seems that the opinion who says that breaded cutlets are mezonot is correct, but one who wants to satisfy all opinions should make mezonot on a piece of crust and Shehakol on another food.
    * Lastly, Yalkut Yosef (Brachot (vol 3), pg 426) writes that the bracha is Shehakol whether it is home made chicken cutlets or restaurant cutlets (where the coating is thicker).
  34. ↑ Veten Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Pinchas Bodner, chapter 4, pg 79)
  35. ↑ Veten Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Pinchas Bodner, chapter 4, pg 79)
  36. ↑
    • S”A 168:8 and 212:2 rules that if one eats jam/marmalade on a cracker one should only make a Bracha on the marmalade and it exempts the cracker. Magan Avraham 212:5 writes that one honey crackers are primary and one only makes a Bracha on that and it covers the marmalade.
    • Mishna Brurah 168:45 rules like the Magan Avraham but adds that it’s only one Bracha when it is baked together, however, if they’re baked separately it would require two Brachot, one for the cracker, one for the marmalade because one is not eaten as an enhancer of the other but rather one is eating it for both of the cracker and the jam. However, Mishna Brurah 212:6 rules that if one eats cheese on a cracker one only makes a Bracha on the cracker even if one likes the cheese because one is eating the cheese as a spread.
      • [It’s clear that the Mishna Brurah 212:6 is discussing where one didn’t bake it together, because if so, the Shaar HaTzion 212:21 should have answered that the difference in cases between in 212:5 and 212:6 was that in 212:5 it wasn’t baked together and in 212:6 it was.] Similarly, Sh”t Shevet HaLevi 7:27(6) explains that Mishna Brurah 168:45 only meant to make two Brachot when there’s a thick layer of jam but if there’s a thin layer one should only make one Bracha.
    • To clarify this distinction: Vezot HaBracha (chap 11, pg 99) rules that if there’s a cake with a thick layer of whipped cream, cheese, or ice cream and the two were not baked together one should make two Brachot (similar to the case of Mishna Brurah 168:45). However, if one eats the cream or topping of fruit, chocolate, or nuts in order to enhance the cake one should only make a Bracha on the cake. [See Vezot HaBracha (Birur 42) where he explains the distinction at length.]
    • Boston crème pie is a cake and not a pie (like the name implies). It is made with two layers of sponge cake and is filled with a thick layer of custard or cream. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 360, pg 385, note 9) explains that one should make two Brachot on Boston crème pie because the filling is not merely an enhancer of the cake (and is similar to Mishna Brurah 168:45). However, Halachos of Brachos Handbook (Rabbi Bodner, pg 15) explains that Boston crème pie is simply a cake and the filling only enhances the cake and so the Bracha should be Mezonot (similar to Mishna Brurah 212:6). OU also writes Mezonot.
  37. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 90, chapter 11), VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Bodner, chapter 4, pg 64-5)
  38. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 92-3, chapter 11), Halachos of Brochos (pg 70, chapter 4, Rabbi Pinchas Bodner)
  39. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 91, chapter 11)
  40. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 90-1, chapter 11)
  41. ↑ VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Bodner, chapter 4, pg 504, Handbook pg 70) writes that since the filling was baked together with the crust, they form one entity and deserves only one Bracha. So rules Vezot HaBracha (Luach Brachot pg 394)
  42. ↑ VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Bodner, chapter 4, pg 65, 80, Handbook pg 28), Vezot HaBracha (pg 107, chapter 11, pg 392, Luach Brachot)
  43. ↑ The Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Binyamin Forst pg 362)
  44. ↑ VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Pinchas Bodner, pg 62, Handbook pg 24) explains that since the items are cooked together the mixture is considered a single entity without any mezonot and so requires the Bracha of the majority. [Vezot HaBracha (pg 94) writes that if there’s no majority because there’s three foods with different Brachot, then each food requires it’s own Bracha.]
  45. ↑ The Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Binyamin Forst pg 362)
  46. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 107, chapter 12)
  47. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 93, chapter 11)
  48. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 94, chapter 11)
  49. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 94, chapter 11)
  50. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 96, chapter 11)
  51. ↑ VeTen Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Pinchas Bodner, pg 72, chapter 4), Vezot HaBracha (pg 92, chapter 11)
  52. ↑ Veten Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Pinchas Bodner, Handbook pg 27)
  53. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 396, 93)
  54. ↑ Halachos of Brochos (pg 72, chapter 4, Rabbi Pinchas Bodner), Vezot HaBracha (pg 199, chapter 22), Sh”t Igrot Moshe O”C 4:43
  55. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 95, chapter 11)
  56. ↑ Veten Bracha (Halachos of Brochos by Rabbi Pinchas Bodner, chapter4, pg 62, Handbook pg 44)
  57. ↑ Halachos of Brochos (pg 72, chapter 4, Rabbi Pinchas Bodner), Vezot HaBracha (pg 117, chapter 12)
  58. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 118, chapter 12)
  59. ↑ Vezot HaBracha (pg 117, chapter 12)
  60. ↑ VeTen Bracha (pg 73, chapter 4). See also Vezot HaBracha (pg 118#6, chapter 11)
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