Halachaהלכה

The Bracha on Bananas

Sources establish the blessing recited over bananas by applying the Talmudic and rabbinic criteria for distinguishing tree fruits from ground fruits. Since the banana plant's stalk does not persist year-round like a true tree, the proper blessing is Borei Pri HaAdamah rather than Borei Pri HaEtz.

כל שמוציא עלין מעיקרו עשב הוא וכל שמוציא עלין מעצו עץ הוא

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Source 1 · Chazal
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Mishnah Berakhot

Mishnah Berakhot 6:1

This Mishnah establishes the brachot over different types of food: fruit of the tree (Ha'Etz), fruit of the ground (Ha'Adamah), and the catch-all 'Shehakol.' It is the Tannaitic source for the entire system of food blessings.

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.

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.

Why it matters — The Mishnaic source establishing the blessing categories of Ha'Etz and Ha'Adamah that determine what bracha is recited on bananas.

Source 2 · Chazal
Verified

Talmud Berakhot

Berakhot 40a

The Gemara discusses the definitions of 'tree' and 'ground fruit' for purposes of blessings, debating various cases and criteria. The Talmud discusses whether certain plants qualify as trees based on whether their stalks persist.

מַתְנִי׳ בֵּירַךְ עַל פֵּירוֹת הָאִילָן ״בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה״ — יָצָא. וְעַל פֵּירוֹת הָאָרֶץ ״בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ״ — לֹא יָצָא. וְעַל כּוּלָּם, אִם אָמַר ״שֶׁהַכֹּל נִהְיֶה בִּדְבָרוֹ״ — יָצָא. סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ אָמֵינָא, הוֹאִיל וְאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה חִטָּה מִין אִילָן הִיא, לִיבָרֵךְ עֲלֵיהּ ״בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ״. קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן, הֵיכָא מְבָרְכִינַן בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ — הֵיכָא דְּכִי שָׁקְלַתְּ לֵיהּ לְפֵירֵי אִיתֵיהּ לִגְווֹזָא, וַהֲדַר מַפֵּיק,

MISHNA: 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. Based on this, it might have entered your mind to say, since Rabbi Yehuda said that wheat is a type of tree, one should recite over it: Who creates fruit of the tree. Therefore, the mishna taught us that with regard to blessings, the principle is different. Where does one recite: Who creates fruit of the tree? Only in a case where, when you take the fruit, the branch remains and again produces fruit.

Why it matters — The Talmudic source that develops the Mishnaic categories, establishing the criteria used by later poskim to rule that bananas receive Ha'Adamah.

Source 3 · Rishonim
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Tur — Laws of Blessings on Fruit

Tur, Orach Chayim 202

The Tur discusses the criteria distinguishing trees from ground plants for purposes of blessings, noting that only plants with a persistent woody trunk from which new growth emerges qualify for Ha'Etz.

קניל"א בפה"א ועל כל אותם שיודע שהם עיקר הפרי מברך עליהם בפה"ע ושאינן עיקר הפרי בפה"א ואם הוא מסופק בו אם הוא עיקר הפרי אם לאו בפה"א ושאינו יודע מה הוא שהכל:

Why it matters — A foundational Rishon-era code that shaped the ruling on banana's bracha by articulating the definition of a tree.

Source 4 · Acharonim
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Shulchan Arukh — Laws of Blessings on Fruit

Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 202:1

The Shulchan Arukh lays out the general framework: fruit of a tree receives Ha'Etz, and fruit of the earth receives Ha'Adamah. The definition of 'tree' vs. 'ground plant' is critical to this determination.

על כל פירות האילן מברך בתחילה בורא פרי העץ חוץ מהיין שמברך עליו בפה"ג בין חי בין מבושל בין שהוא עשוי קונדיטון דהיינו שנותנין בו דבש ופלפלין:

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.

Why it matters — The foundational code ruling that governs the bracha categories from which the banana ruling is derived.

Source 5 · Acharonim
Verified

Shulchan Arukh

Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 203:2

The Shulchan Arukh rules that one recites 'Borei Pri HaAdamah' on bananas (motzei), since although the banana plant grows tall, its stalk does not survive winter and does not have the status of a tree.

על תותים הגדלים בסנה בורא פרי האדמה: הגה דלא מקרי עץ אלא שמוציא עליו מעצו אבל מה שמוציא עליו משרשיו לא מקרי עץ והני כיון דכלה עציו לגמרי בחורף והדר פרח משרשיו מברכים עליו בורא פרי האדמה:

Why it matters — This is the primary halachic ruling on the bracha for bananas — Ha'Adamah, not Ha'Etz — based on the definition of a tree.

Source 6 · Acharonim
Verified

Beit Yosef

Beit Yosef, Orach Chayim 203

The Beit Yosef discusses the bracha on various unusual fruits and plants, applying the Talmudic and Rishonic definitions to determine the appropriate blessing.

ומ"ש רבינו בשם תשובת הגאונים כל אילן שיבש בסיתוא וכו' מסיים בה בתשובת הגאונים בלשון זה דהכי אמר גאון תני בתוספתא כל שמוציא עלין מעיקרו עשב הוא וכל שמוציא עלין מעצו עץ הוא והני מוז"י כיון דכלו עציו לגמרי והדר פארי משרשיו מברכין עליו בפה"א עכ"ל:

Why it matters — The Beit Yosef serves as the source text behind the Shulchan Arukh ruling, tracing the reasoning for the Ha'Adamah ruling on plants like the banana.

Source 7 · Modern
Verified

Mishnah Berurah

Mishnah Berurah 203:4

The Mishnah Berurah explains that the banana plant's stalk is soft and does not persist from year to year like a true tree, therefore its fruit requires 'Borei Pri HaAdamah.' He also notes that if one mistakenly recited Ha'Etz, they have fulfilled their obligation.

(ד) על המאוזי"ש בפה"א - ג"כ הטעם כמו בתותים:

Why it matters — The Mishnah Berurah directly addresses the bracha on bananas and provides the reasoning behind the Ha'Adamah ruling.