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An Incorrect Beracha That Was Immediately Corrected

The Kaf Ha’haim (Rav Yaakov Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Jerusalem, 1870-1939) addresses (in 206:12) the case of a person who had in front of him two foods – one requiring "Ha’etz," and another requiring "Ha’adama" – and he picked up the food requiring "Ha’etz" and mistakenly recited "Ha’adama." Immediately recognizing his mistake, he right away corrected himself, and recited "Ha’etz," such that he ended up reciting, "Baruch Ata Hashem Elokenu Melech Ha’olam Boreh Peri Ha’adama, Boreh Peri Ha’etz." For example, he was going to eat both a piece of apple and a piece of melon, and he picked up the piece of apple and mistakenly recited "Ha’adama," after which he immediately corrected himself and recited "Ha’etz." The Kaf Ha’haim writes that in such a case, the individual does not then recite a Beracha over the melon. Since he recited both "Boreh Peri Ha’adama" and "Boreh Peri Ha’etz," and he recited both Berachot with the intention of eating both apple and melon, this "double Beracha" suffices for both, and he does not then need to recite "Ha’adama" over the melon. Even though the first Beracha was recited by mistake, it is nevertheless valid with respect to the melon.

Hacham Bension Abba Shaul (Israel, 1924-1998), in his Or Le’sion (2:14:4), cites the Kaf Ha’haim’s ruling, and raises a number of possible objections. In his conclusion, however, Hacham Bension concurs with the Kaf Ha’haim’s position, though he recommends that a person in this case should, before eating the melon, take a food or drink requiring "She’ha’kol" and have in mind for the Beracha of "She’ha’kol" to cover the melon. This way, he avoids all uncertainty and can then eat the melon without reciting "Ha’adama," even without relying on the Kaf Ha’haim’s ruling.

Summary: If one recited the wrong Beracha over a food, and then immediately corrected himself and recited the correct text, the first Beracha – even though it was recited by mistake – covers foods that require this Beracha and which one had intended to eat. An example is a person who planned to eat apple and melon, and he picked up a piece of apple and mistakenly recited "Boreh Peri Ha’adama," and he then immediately corrected himself, reciting, "Boreh Peri Ha’etz." He then does not recite "Ha’adama" over the melon. Preferably, however, before eating the melon, he should take a food or drink requiring "She’ha’kol" and have in mind for the Beracha of "She’ha’kol" to cover the melon.

 


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