Brachot On Foods That Start With The Letter A

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Brachot on food starting with letter A

Food Bracha Rishona Bracha Achrona
Acorn HaEtz Borei Nefashos[1]
Ale Shehakol Borei Nefashos[2]
All Bran (Cereal) Shehakol Borei Nefashos[3]
Almond
plain HaEtz Borei Nefashos[4]
chocolate covered HaEtz Borei Nefashos[5]
Almond Delight (Cereal) Mezonot Al Hamichya[6]
Alpha Bits (Cereal) Mezonot Al Hamichya[7]
Amba (Israeli condiment) Shehakol Boreh Nefashos[8]
American Peanut (peanut coated with cracker-like shell) Mezonot [9]
Anchovies Shehakol Borei Nefashos[10]
Apple HaEtz Borei Nefashos[11]
Apple Cider Shehakol Borei Nefashos[12]
Apple Juice Shehakol Borei Nefashos[13]
Apple Pie
Without K'vias S'udah Mezonot Al Hamichya
With Kvias S'udah HaMotzei Bircas Ha'mazon[14]
Apple Raisin Crisp (Cereal) Mezonot Al Hamichya[15]
Apple Sauce (Strained) Shehakol Borei Nefashos
Apple Sauce (Unstrained) HaEtz Borei Nefashos[16]
Apple Sticks (Dietary Snack) HaEtz Borei Nefashos[17]
Apple Strudel Mezonot Borei Nefashos[18]
Apricot (fresh or dried) HaEtz Borei Nefashos[19]
Apricot Jam/Jelly
With Fruit Pieces HaEtz Borei Nefashos
Without Fruit Pieces Shehakol Borei Nefashos[20]
Apricot Nectar Shehakol Borei Nefashos[21]
Apricot Preserves (With Fruit Pieces) HaEtz Borei Nefashos[22]
Arbes/Arbis (Chickpeas) HaAdama Borei Nefashos[23]
Artichoke HaAdama Borei Nefashos[24]
Asparagus HaAdama Borei Nefashos[25]
Asparagus Soup HaAdama Borei Nefashos[26]
Aspirin No Bracha No Bracha [27]
Aspirin, Children's (If Pleasant Tasting) Shehakol No Bracha [28]
Aubergine (eggplant) HaAdama Borei Nefashos[29]
Avocado HaEtz Borei Nefashos[30]

Sources

  1. Yalkut Yosef (Klalei Sefer Brachot pg 208-214) writes that acorns (בלוט) is HaEtz. However, Birchot Eliyahu (pg 47) writes that while most poskim hold it's HaEtz, Rav Ovadyah holds that it's Shehakol.
  2. Ale is a type of beer made from malted barley. Shulchan Aruch 204:1 rules that beer is Shehakol and not Mezonot and the Mishna Brurah 204:16 explains that it is Shehakol becasue it is made into a drink (this is based on Tosfot Brachot 38a s.v. Haiy). Halachos of Brachos (Rabbi Bodner, pg 450) and Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384) both rule that ale is Shehakol and Boreh Nefashot.
  3. All Bran is made out of wheat which the outer shell of the wheat kernel. Sh"t Igrot Moshe E"H 1:114 rules that Bran is Shehakol since it's not normally edible by itself. Therefore, Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384), Halachos of Brachos (Rabbi Bodner, pg 531), and Star-K hold that Kellog's All Bran is Shehakol.
  4. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384), Yalkut Yosef (Klalei Sefer Brachot pg 208-214)
  5. Vezot HaBracha (chap 11, pg 96) writes that if regards the almond as primary and the chocolate as an enhancer the bracha is HaEtz and if one regards the chocolate as primary the bracha is Shehakol. The Halachos of Brachos (Rabbi Bodner, pg 417) and Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 215) agree. The Vezot HaBracha adds that if one is eating it with intention to have both the almond and the chocolate he should make a bracha on the ingredient which is the majority. The Laws of Brachos adds that if one has no clear preference there is a difference of opinions but concludes that one should make HaEtz.
  6. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384) writes that almond delight (which is an old cereal which was made with sweetened almonds and flakes) is Mezonot.
  7. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384), Star-K
  8. This is a condiment made with pickled mango pieces in a yellow sauce made out of fenugreek seeds and other spices. Yalkut Yosef (Klalei Sefer Brachot pg 208-214) and Shaarei HaBracha (chap 23, 648) rule that it is Shehakol and Boreh Nefashot.
  9. Yalkut Yosef (Klalei Sefer Brachot pg 208-214) and Vezot HaBracha (pg 389, Luach HaBrachot) write that American peanuts (in hebrew, Kabukim, which are peanuts with a flour based shell) are mezonot.
  10. Gemara Barchot 40b quotes the Briatta which states that any food that doesn't grow from the ground is Shehakol and gives fish as an example. Shulchan Aruch 204:1 rules this as halacha. Yalkut Yosef (Klalei Sefer Brachot pg 208-214) and Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384) write that achovies (a type of small fish) is Shehakol.
  11. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384), Halachos of Brachos (Rabbi Bodner, pg 396)
  12. Shulchan Aruch 202:8 writes that on all juice (execpt grape juice and olive oil) the Bracha is Shehakol. Vezot HaBracha (Luach HaBrachot note 107) quotes Rav Sheinburg who says that even if there is pulp in the juice the bracha remains Shehakol. Therefore, the Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384) writes that apple cider (unfiltered beverage made from apples) is Shehakol.
  13. Shulchan Aruch 202:8 writes that on all juice (execpt grape juice and olive oil) the Bracha is Shehakol. Vezot HaBracha (Luach HaBrachot note 107) quotes Rav Sheinburg who says that even if there is pulp in the juice the bracha remains Shehakol. Therefore, the Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384), Halachos of Brachos (Rabbi Bodner, pg 430), and Vezot HaBracha (Luach HaBrachot, pg 393) write that apple juice is Shehakol.
  14. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384), Halachos of Brachos (Rabbi Bodner, pg 504)
  15. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384) writes that Apple Raisin Crisp (an old cereal made with raisins and flakes) is Mezonot.
  16. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 305) writes that if apples were only ground or mashed the Bracha is HaEtz, while if it was ground thoroughly into a thick liquid or strained the Bracha is Shehakol. Vezot HaBracha (pg 252) quotes Rav Shlomo Zalman who says that if the apple peices are recognizable the bracha is HaEtz while if the pieces are not recognizable the bracha is Shehakol. The OU Brachos Guide writes that commercially canned apple sauce is Shehakol since its shape and color is different from apples, but homemade apple sauce is HaEtz.
  17. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384)
  18. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384), Halachos of Brachos (pg 505)
  19. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384) and Yalkut Yosef (Klalei Sefer HaBrachot pg 212) write that apricots are HaEtz. Vezot HaBracha (pg 393) writes that dry and fresh apricots are HaEtz.
  20. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384) writes that fruit jam which is puree without pieces of fruit is Shehakol and if it has pieces of fruit it is HaEtz. Halachos of Brachos (chap 22, pg 404) seems to agree as he writes that jam is Shehakol but fruit preserves with distinct fruit pieces is HaEtz.
  21. Apricot nectar is simple juice from apricots. Juice of any fruit is Shehakol (Shulchan Aruch 202:8). Therefore, Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384) and Halachos of Brachos (pg 429) writes that the Bracha is Shehakol.
  22. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384), Halachos of Brachos (chap 22, pg 404)
  23. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384), Halachos of Brachos (pg 396 and Brachos Handbook pg 10)
  24. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384), Halachos of Brachos (pg 396)
  25. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384) , Halachos of Brachos (pg 396)
  26. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 333) and Halachos of Brachos (chap 23, pg 434) rules that on vegetable soups which are normally made with the intent for both the vegetables and the soup, the Bracha on the whole vegetable soup is HaAdama even if one just has the broth.
  27. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384)
  28. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384)
  29. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359-384)
  30. Laws of Brachos (Rabbi Forst, pg 359), Birkat Eliyahu (pg 37), Halachos of Brochos (Rabbi Bodner pg 396, chapter 22), Yalkut Yosef (Klalei Sefer Brachot pg 208-214)