Blessings Over Food

וְאָכַלְתָּ֖ וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ וּבֵֽרַכְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ עַל־הָאָ֥רֶץ הַטֹּבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָֽתַן־לָֽךְ׃

When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to the ETERNAL your God for the good land given to you.

מַתְנִי׳ כֵּיצַד מְבָרְכִין עַל הַפֵּירוֹת? עַל פֵּירוֹת הָאִילָן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ״, חוּץ מִן הַיַּיִן, שֶׁעַל הַיַּיִן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגֶּפֶן״. וְעַל פֵּירוֹת הָאָרֶץ הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה״, חוּץ מִן הַפַּת, שֶׁעַל הַפַּת הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ״. וְעַל הַיְּרָקוֹת הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה״. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: ״בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי דְשָׁאִים״. גְּמָ׳ מְנָא הָנֵי מִילֵּי? דְּתָנוּ רַבָּנַן: ״קֹדֶשׁ הִלּוּלִים לַה׳״, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁטְּעוּנִים בְּרָכָה לִפְנֵיהֶם וּלְאַחֲרֵיהֶם. מִכָּאן אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: אָסוּר לְאָדָם שֶׁיִּטְעוֹם כְּלוּם קוֹדֶם שֶׁיְּבָרֵךְ.

MISHNA: This mishna discusses the blessings recited over various foods. How does one recite a blessing over fruits? Over different fruits that grow on a tree one recites: Who creates fruit of the tree, with the exception of wine. Although wine is produced from fruit of the tree, due to its significance, its blessing differs from other fruits of the tree. Over wine one recites: Who creates fruit of the vine. Over fruits that grow from the earth, one recites: Who creates fruit of the ground, with the exception of bread. Bread, too, is significant and its blessing differs from other fruits of the ground, as over bread one recites: Who brings forth bread from the earth. Over herbs and leafy vegetables one recites: Who creates fruit of the ground. Rabbi Yehuda says that there is room to distinguish between fruits that grow from the earth, herbs, and leafy vegetables. Although they are all fruit of the ground, since they have different qualities, the blessing on the latter is: Who creates various kinds of herbs. GEMARA: Concerning the fundamental basis for blessings, the Gemara asks: From where are these matters, the obligation to recite a blessing before eating, derived? The Gemara answers: As the Sages taught in the Sifra: With regard to saplings, it is stated that in their fourth year their fruit will be: “…sanctified for praises before the Lord” (Leviticus 19:24). This verse teaches that they require praise of God in the form of a blessing both beforehand and thereafter, as the verse says praises in the plural. From here, Rabbi Akiva said: A person is forbidden to taste anything before he recites a blessing, as without reciting praise over food, it has the status of a consecrated item, from which one is forbidden to derive pleasure.

וְעַל כּוּלָּן אִם אָמַר ״שֶׁהַכֹּל״ וְכוּ׳. אִתְּמַר. רַב הוּנָא אָמַר: חוּץ מִן הַפַּת וּמִן הַיַּיִן. וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: אֲפִילּוּ פַּת וְיַיִן. נֵימָא כְּתַנָּאֵי: רָאָה פַּת וְאָמַר: ״כַּמָּה נָאָה פַּת זוֹ, בָּרוּךְ הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁבְּרָאָהּ״ — יָצָא. רָאָה תְּאֵנָה וְאָמַר ״כַּמָּה נָאָה תְּאֵנָה זוֹ, בָּרוּךְ הַמָּקוֹם שֶׁבְּרָאָהּ״ — יָצָא, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: כׇּל הַמְשַׁנֶּה מִמַּטְבֵּעַ שֶׁטָּבְעוּ חֲכָמִים בִּבְרָכוֹת — לֹא יָצָא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ. נֵימָא רַב הוּנָא דְּאָמַר כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי, וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן דְּאָמַר כְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר?!

We learned in the mishna: And on all food items, if he recited: By whose word all things came to be, he fulfilled his obligation. It was stated that the amora’im disputed the precise explanation of the mishna. Rav Huna said: This halakha applies to all foods except for bread and wine. Since they have special blessings, one does not fulfill his obligation by reciting the general blessing: By whose word all things came to be. And Rabbi Yoḥanan said: One fulfills his obligation with the blessing: By whose word all things came to be, even over bread and wine. The Gemara remarks: Let us say that this dispute is parallel to a tannaitic dispute found elsewhere, as it was taught in a Tosefta: One who saw bread and said: How pleasant is this bread, blessed is the Omnipresent Who created it, fulfilled his obligation to recite a blessing. One who saw a fig and said: How pleasant is this fig, blessed is the Omnipresent Who created it, fulfilled his obligation. This is the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yosei says: One who deviates from the formula coined by the Sages in blessings, did not fulfill his obligation. If so, let us say that Rav Huna, who said that one who recites: By whose word all things came to be, over bread or wine, did not fulfill his obligation, holds in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yosei; and Rabbi Yoḥanan, who said that one who recites: By whose word all things came to be, over bread or wine fulfills his obligation, holds in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Meir.

כֵּיצַד מְבָרְכִין עַל הַפֵּרוֹת. עַל פֵּרוֹת הָאִילָן אוֹמֵר, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ, חוּץ מִן הַיַּיִן, שֶׁעַל הַיַּיִן אוֹמֵר בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּפֶן. וְעַל פֵּרוֹת הָאָרֶץ אוֹמֵר בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה, חוּץ מִן הַפַּת, שֶׁעַל הַפַּת הוּא אוֹמֵר הַמּוֹצִיא לֶחֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ. וְעַל הַיְרָקוֹת אוֹמֵר בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי דְשָׁאִים: בֵּרַךְ עַל פֵּרוֹת הָאִילָן בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה, יָצָא. וְעַל פֵּרוֹת הָאָרֶץ בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ, לֹא יָצָא. עַל כֻּלָּם אִם אָמַר שֶׁהַכֹּל נִהְיָה, יָצָא: עַל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵין גִּדּוּלוֹ מִן הָאָרֶץ אוֹמֵר שֶׁהַכֹּל. עַל הַחֹמֶץ וְעַל הַנּוֹבְלוֹת וְעַל הַגּוֹבַאי אוֹמֵר שֶׁהַכֹּל. עַל הֶחָלָב וְעַל הַגְּבִינָה וְעַל הַבֵּיצִים אוֹמֵר שֶׁהַכֹּל. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, כָּל שֶׁהוּא מִין קְלָלָה אֵין מְבָרְכִין עָלָיו:

This mishna discusses the blessings recited over various foods. How does one recite a blessing over fruits? Over different fruits that grow on a tree one recites: Who creates fruit of the tree, with the exception of wine. Although wine is produced from fruit of the tree, due to its significance, its blessing differs from other fruits of the tree. Over wine one recites: Who creates fruit of the vine. Over fruits that grow from the earth, one recites: Who creates fruit of the ground, with the exception of bread. Bread, too, is significant and its blessing differs from other fruits of the ground, as over bread one recites: Who brings forth bread from the earth. Over herbs and leafy vegetables one recites: Who creates fruit of the ground. Rabbi Yehuda says that there is room to distinguish between fruits that grow from the earth, herbs, and leafy vegetables. Although they are all fruit of the ground, since they have different qualities, the blessing on the latter is: Who creates various kinds of herbs. This mishna discusses how, after the fact, a more general blessing exempts one from the obligation to recite a more specific one. One who recited: Who creates fruit of the ground, over fruit of the tree, fulfilled his obligation. One who recited: Who creates fruit of the tree, over fruits of the earth, did not fulfill his obligation. And over all food items, one who recited: By whose word all things came to be, fulfilled his obligation. And over a food item whose growth is not from the ground, one recites: By whose word all things came to be. And over vinegar, wine that fermented and spoiled, and over novelot, dates that spoiled, and over locusts, one recites: By whose word all things came to be. So too, over milk, and over cheese, and over eggs, one recites: By whose word all things came to be. Rabbi Yehuda says: Over any food item that is a type resulting from a curse, one does not recite a blessing over it at all. None of the items listed exist under normal conditions, and they come about as the result of a curse.

מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה מִן הַתּוֹרָה לְבָרֵךְ אַחַר אֲכִילַת מָזוֹן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ח י) ״וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת יְיָ׳‎ אֱלֹהֶיךָ״. וְאֵינוֹ חַיָּב מִן הַתּוֹרָה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן שָׂבַע שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ. וּמִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים אָכַל אֲפִלּוּ כְּזַיִת מְבָרֵךְ אַחֲרָיו: וּמִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים לְבָרֵךְ עַל כָּל מַאֲכָל תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ יֵהָנֶה מִמֶּנּוּ. וַאֲפִלּוּ נִתְכַּוֵּן לֶאֱכל אוֹ לִשְׁתּוֹת כָּל שֶׁהוּא מְבָרֵךְ וְאַחַר כָּךְ יֵהָנֶה. וְכֵן אִם הֵרִיחַ רֵיחַ טוֹב מְבָרֵךְ וְאַחַר כָּךְ יֵהָנֶה מִמֶּנּוּ. וְכָל הַנֶּהֱנֶה בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה מָעַל. וְכֵן מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים לְבָרֵךְ אַחַר כָּל מַה שֶּׁיֹּאכַל וְכָל מַה שֶּׁיִּשְׁתֶּה. וְהוּא שֶׁיִּשְׁתֶּה רְבִיעִית וְהוּא שֶׁיֹּאכַל כְּזַיִת. וּמַטְעֶמֶת אֵינָהּ צְרִיכָה בְּרָכָה לֹא לְפָנֶיהָ וְלֹא לְאַחֲרֶיהָ עַד רְבִיעִית:

It is a positive mitzvah from the Torah to bless [God] after eating satisfying food, as [Deuteronomy 8:10] states: "When you have eaten and are satiated, you shall bless God, your Lord." The Torah itself requires a person to recite grace only when he eats to the point of satiation, as implied by the above verse, "When you have eaten and are satiated, you shall bless...." The Sages, however, ordained that one should recite grace after eating [an amount of bread equal] to the size of an olive. Similarly, the Rabbis ordained that we recite blessings before partaking of any food. Even when one wants to eat the slightest amount of food or drink, one should recite a blessing, and then derive benefit from it. Similarly, when smelling a pleasant fragrance, one should recite a blessing and then smell. Anyone who derives benefit [from this world] without reciting a blessing is considered as if he misappropriated a sacred article. The Rabbis also ordained that one should recite a blessing after eating or drinking, provided one drinks a revi'it and eats a k'zayit. A person who [merely] tastes food is not required to recite a blessing before partaking of it or afterwards unless he partakes of a revi'it.

הלכות פירות האילן על כל פירות האילן בין אם הם מז' המינין או משאר מינין ברכה ראשונה שלהם בורא פרי העץ חוץ מהיין שמברך עליו בפה"ג בין חי בין מבושל אבל על הענבים מברכין בפה"ע ובעודן בוסר כל זמן שלא הגיעו לכפול הלבן מברכין עליו בפה"א דכל דבר שגדל על האילן ואינו עיקר הפרי מברכין עליו בפה"א ומשהן כפול הלבן ואילך מברכין עליהן ב"פ העץ ואם הוא מסופק אם הוא כפול הלבן או לא מברך עליהן בפה"א דקי"ל בירך על פרי האילן בפה"א יצא: ועל החרובין משישרשרו פי' שיראה בהם כמין שרשרות של חרובין מברך עליהן בפה"ע וקודם לכן בפה"א: ועל הזיתים משיניצו פירוש שגדל הנץ סביבם מברך עליהן בפה"ע וקודם לכן בפה"א ועל שאר האילנות משיוציאו פרי חשובין לברך עליהן בפה"ע ועל גרעיני הפרי כתב ר"י שמברכין עליהן בורא פה"ע דלענין ערלה חשיבי כפרי ורשב"א כתב שאין לברך עליהן בפה"ע דאדרבה לא חשיבי כפרי לענין ערלה אלא דמרבה להו מאת פריו את הטפל לפריו וא"א הרא"ש ז"ל כתב כר"י ובלבד שלא יהו מרים שנהנה באכילתן:

לא יקדים חכם ישראל לכהן עם הארץ לברך לפניו דרך חק ומשפט כהונה אבל לתת לו החכם רשות שיברך אין בכך כלום. אבל כהן ת"ח מצוה להקדימו שנאמר וקדשתו לפתוח ראשון ולברך ראשון: (וע"ל סי' קס"ז סי"ד): מי שנותנים לו לברך ואינו מברך מקצרים ימיו: צריך לחזור שיתנו לו כוס של ברכה לברך: דיני ברכת פירות האילן.

We bless Creator of the fruits of the tree upon all arboreal produce at the outset, aside from wine, upon which we bless Creator of the fruits of the vine, whether the wine is raw or diluted, or whether it was spiced, in which honey and/or peppers are placed within the wine. Rema: And if wine was mixed in to beer, we go after the majority: if the majority of the mixture is wine, one blesses "Blessed is the Creator of the fruit of the vine"; and if the majority of the mixture is beer, one blesses "Blessed is the One through Whose Word everything was created". One blesses "Blessed is the One through Whose Word everything was created" on flowing date honey; and, similarly, one blesses "Blessed is the One through Whose Word everything was created" with all liquids that come out from fruits, aside from olives and grapes. Fruits that were soaking or cooked in water - even though the flavor of the fruit entered the water - one simply blesses "Blessed is the One through whose word everything was created".