(This Halacha was presented by HaGaon HaRav Gidon Ben Moshe of Jerusalem)
If a person ate fruits from among the seven special species of Eretz Yisrael, such as grapes, he recites afterward the Beracha of "Al Ha’etz Ve’al Peri Ha’etz." If one eats other fruits, such as apples or tangerines, he recites the Beracha of "Boreh Nefashot."
In light of this Halacha, we might have thought that if one eats both types of fruits – for example, grapes and tangerines – he should recite both Berachot – "Al Ha’etz" and "Boreh Nefashot." Maran, however, in the Shulhan Aruch, rules that in such a case one recites only the Beracha of "Al Ha’etz." Even though the Sages did not enact the recitation of "Al Ha’etz" over fruits that are not among the seven special species, nevertheless, the text of "Al Ha’etz" makes reference to "fruits" generally. Therefore, once a person in any event must recite "Al Ha’etz," it includes all fruits, and thus one does not have to recite "Boreh Nefashot" over the tangerines.
There is a dispute among the Halachic authorities as to whether this rationale also applies to the parallel case of somebody who ate food such as cake, as well as rice. Over both foods we recite the Beracha of "Mezonot" before eating, but whereas most "Mezonot" foods require the Beracha Aharona of "Al Ha’mihya" after eating, rice requires "Boreh Nefashot." Thus, the case of one who eats cake and rice resembles the aforementioned case of one who eats grapes and tangerines: both foods require the same Beracha before eating, but only one of them requires a "Beracha Me’en Shalosh" after eating. In light of this parallel, some authorities ruled that in this case, too, only one Beracha is recited, and the "Al Ha’mihya" recited over cake covers the rice, as well. Others, however, disagree. They note that the text of "Al Ha’mihya" does not include any generic terms that can be understood as including rice. This situation is thus different from the case of grapes and tangerines, where the Beracha of "Al Ha’etz" includes both types of fruits because the term "Al Ha’etz" refers generally to all fruits. In the case of cake and rice, the rice is not included in the text of "Al Ha’mihya," and thus one would be required to recite both "Al Ha’mihya" and "Boreh Nefashot."
As for the final Halacha, the Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1807) ruled that in this case one recites only "Al Ha’mihya," and this Beracha covers both the rice and the cake. Of course, if one also ate a food requiring "Boreh Nefashot," such as chicken, then he recites "Boreh Nefashot," as well.
Summary: If someone eats fruit from the seven special species, such as grapes, in addition to another fruit, such as tangerines, he recites only the Beracha of "Al Ha’etz," and this covers both fruits. Likewise, if one eats a Beracha requiring "Al Ha’mihya," such as cake, in addition to rice, he recites only the Beracha "Al Ha’mihya," which covers both the cake and the rice.
