Bracha Achat Mein Shalosh

From Halachipedia

For general rules about Bracha Achrona such as the minimum amount to obligate a Bracha Achrona or the time within which Bracha Achrona may be recited, see the Bracha Achrona page.

Al HaMichya

  1. If one ate a Kezayit of mezonot food (cake, cookies, etc) after one finishes eating one should make Al HaMichya. [1] Being that Al Hamichya is only recited for shivat haminim there is a discussion if it is Biblical or rabbinic; the conclusion is that it is rabbinic.[2]
    1. If someone isn't sure whether he recited Al Hamichya or another Mein Shalosh he should have another kezayit of that food so that he can then recite a certain Bracha Achat Mein Shalosh. However, if he can't exempt it he should not repeat Mein Shalosh.[3]
  2. If someone has a food that’s there's a dispute whether it is Al Hagefen one should not eat that food together with a Kezayit of Shehakol and Kezayit of Shevat HaMinim as it’s forbidden to add any addition to Al HaMichya even if it doesn’t cause an addition of Hashem’s name. [4]
  3. If someone had a food that’s a Kezayit of Mezonot and less than a Kezayit of Shevat HaMinim one shouldn’t add the addition of Al HaEtz but one who does add it in has what to rely on. [5]
  4. Someone who ate a Mezonot and Shevat HaMinim can fulfill the obligation of his friend who only had a Safek Kezayit of Mezonot and the addition of Al HaEtz isn’t a Hefsek. [6]
  5. If someone ate a Kezayit of Mezonot and a Revi'it of wine and forgot to make add Al Hagefen one should make a new bracha in order to say Al HaMichya. [7]
  6. If a person eats a Kezayit of shivat haminim and a Kezayit of another fruit one can make an al haetz (bracha achrona) and that covers both fruits. [8]

Shiur to obligate Al HaMichya

  1. If a person ate cake or any mezonot the minhag is to recite al hamichya as long as he ate a kezayit of the cake if there is a proportion of 1 portion of 1 flour to 6 parts of the total ingredients.[9]

Al HaEtz

  1. The Bracha Achrona for grapes, figs, pomegranate, olives, and dates is Bracha Achat Mein Shalosh with the insert of Al HaEtz VeAl Pri HaEtz. [10]

Sources

  1. Shulchan Aruch 208:1 and 210:1.
  2. Halachot Gedolot (as understood by Smag Asin 27), Rashba (Brachot 35a s.v. hachi), Ramban (Brachot 49b s.v. Rabbi Meir), Rosh (Brachot 6:16), Tur 209:1, Riaz (cited by Shiltei Giborim Brachot 32a n. 1), Sefer Hachinuch (no. 430), and Ritva (Brachot 6:7) all hold that Bracha Achat Mein Shalosh is deoritta. Smag (Asin 27), Rabbenu Yonah Brachot 32a s.v. vnirah, and Rambam Brachot 8:12 (as understood by Bet Yosef 209:3) hold that it is derabbanan. Shulchan Aruch 209:3 holds like the Rambam that it is only rabbinic.
  3. Mishna Brurah 209:10. He adds that if he can't have another kezayit of the same food he can have a kezayit of another category of Mein Shalosh and include in the Mein Shalosh the one he originally had. For example, if he had a cookie and doesn't know if he recited Al Hamichya he can have a kezayit of dates and recite a combination Mein Shalosh with both Al Hamichya and Al Haetz. This is in line with his opinion in Mishna Brurah 208:82 but in disagreement with Sephardic practice (Shulchan Aruch 208:18).
  4. Shulchan Aruch 208:18 based on the Trumat HaDeshen 30
  5. Sh”t Mishneh Halachot 4:29 says that this law should be similar to that of the Shulchan Aruch 208:18 where one shouldn’t add in an addition even if one isn’t adding Hashem’s name. However, he concludes that one has what to rely on if one does add the part of Al HaEtz because the Taz and some achronim say that this S”A is only true Lechatchila, but bedieved one should add in that line of Al HaEtz. Yalkut Yosef (v. 3 p. 496 no. 22) implies that one shouldn’t add the addition unless one had the proper Shiur.
  6. Birkei Yosef 213, Shaarei Teshuva 213:3, Petach Dvir, Yerach Avraham (O”C 7 pg 13c), Tiferet Adam 7, Kaf HaChaim 213:8, and Yalkut Yosef (vol 3. pg 496 #23)
  7. Yalkut Yosef (vol 3 #23) writes that since one didn’t fulfill the obligation when he left it out of the Al HaMichya he should make a new bracha. He defends his position in Sherit Yosef (vol 3 pg 346)
  8. Shulchan Aruch 208:13, Mishna Brurah 208:63
  9. Mishna Brurah 208:48 writes that even though some poskim hold that it is necessary to eat a kezayit of flour excluding the other ingredients the minhag is to include the other ingredients if there is a ratio of 1 part flour to 6 parts of the total ingredients. Chazon Ovadyah (Brachot pg 190) accepts this opinion of only requiring 1/6 flour. Birkat Hashem (vol 2, pg 166), Or Letzion (vol 2, pg 169), and Daily Halacha (by Rabbi Mansour) concur.
  10. Tur 208:1 writes that the fruit of the seven species with which Israel was praise have Bracha Achrona of Bracha Mein Shalosh. S”A 208:1 agrees.