If a person eats both a fruit – which requires the Beracha of "Ha'etz" – and a food that requires the Beracha of "She'hakol," he must first recite "Ha'etz" and partake of the fruit. Since "Ha'etz," which refers only to fruits, is a more specific Beracha than "She'hakol," it is considered a more "prominent" Beracha and is therefore given precedence. This applies as well to a case of a person who eats a food such as a melon, which requires "Ha'adama," and a "She'hakol" food. Once again, since "Ha'adama" is a more specific Beracha, it takes precedence and one must therefore recite "Ha'adama" and partake of the melon before partaking of the other food. (Hazon Obadya, Berachot page 275.)
Which sequence should one follow if he eats a fruit – which requires "Ha'etz" – and a food requiring "Ha'adama"? In this case, both Berachot are specific Berachot (as opposed to "She'hakol"), thus giving rise to the question of which takes precedence.
Chacham Ovadia Yosef, in his work Chazon Ovadia (Laws of Tu B'Shevat, p. 275) rules that in such a case one gives precedence to whichever food he prefers to eat first. Since both Berachot are specific, neither is given precedence over the other, and therefore the individual's preference determines which food should be partaken of first. This applies even if the fruit is one of the special species of Eretz Yisrael (grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates), which are generally considered more prominent. For example, if a person eats grapes and melon, he may give precedence to whichever he prefers, despite the fact that grapes are included among the special species.
How do we determine precedence in a case where a person eats two fruits from the special species? For example, if a person eats both grapes and dates, both of which require "Ha'etz," over which food does he recite the Beracha?
Chacham Ovadia Yosef writes (ibid. p. 274) that precedence is given to the fruit that appears in closer proximity to the word "Eretz" in the verse which lists the special species (Devarim 8:8). "Gefen" ("grapes") appears in this verse as the third term after the first instance of "Eretz" ("Eretz Chita U'se'ora Ve'gefen…"), whereas "Devash" ("honey," referring to the nectar of dates) appears as the second term after the second instance of "Eretz" ("Eretz Zeit-Shemen U'devash"). Hence, dates are listed in closer proximity to the word "Eretz" than grapes, and one must therefore recite the Beracha over the dates, rather than the over the grapes.
The authorities are in disagreement concerning a case where one partakes of a fruit from the special species – such as dates – together with wine. On the one hand, one might argue that since wine is produced from grapes, which, as mentioned, appears further from the word "Eretz" than dates, one should first recite the Beracha over dates, just as dates are given precedence when eaten with grapes. However, the Tur (Halachic code by Rabbi Yaakov Ben Asher, Germany-Spain, 1275-1339) cites the ruling of Rabbenu Peretz (France, 13th century) requiring that one first recite "Borei Peri Ha'gefen" over the wine. In his view, since "Borei Peri Ha'gefen" is a more specific Beracha than "Ha'etz," it takes precedence, despite the fact that dates are generally considered more prominent than grapes. This is indeed the ruling of the Rama (Rabbi Moshe Isserless, Poland, 1525-1572), in his glosses to the Shulchan Aruch (211). This is the position taken as well by Rabbi Moshe Halevi, in his work Birkat Hashem (vol. 3, p. 229).
Chacham Ovadia Yosef, however, rules (ibid. p. 276) that in such a case one gives precedence to whichever item he prefers. Since we deal here with two specific Berachot – similar to the aforementioned case where a person eats both a "Ha'etz" food and a food requiring "Ha'adama" – one first partakes of whichever food he prefers. Thus, whereas Ashkenazim would follow the Rama's ruling and first recite the Beracha over wine in such a case, Sepharadim may grant precedence to either the wine or the dates, whichever they prefer.
Summary:
1) If one eats a food requiring "Ha'etz" or "Ha'dama" with a food requiring "She'hakol," he must first recite the Beracha over the food requiring "Ha'etz" or "Hadama."
2) If one eats a food requiring "Ha'etz" and a food requiring "Ha'adama," he grants precedence to whichever he prefers.
3) If one eats grapes and dates, he recites the Beracha of "Ha'etz" over the dates, and this Beracha covers both the dates and the grapes.
4) If one drinks wine and eats grapes, then one may grant precedence to whichever he prefers. Ashkenazim, however, should first recite the Beracha over the wine and only then recite the Beracha over the dates.
