If a person ate bread, and before reciting Birkat Ha'mazon he left the place where he ate, such as one who ate at home and then left for work, must he return to the place where he ate to recite Birkat Ha'mazon, or may he recite Birkat Ha'mazon in his new location, such as his office?
From the Shulchan Aruch's discussion of this issue it emerges that the Halacha in such a case depends on whether the individual left without reciting Birkat Ha'mazon intentionally or inadvertently. If he intentionally left before reciting Birkat Ha'mazon, then he is indeed required to return to the place where he ate and recite Birkat Ha'mazon in that original location. If, however, he simply forgot to recite Birkat Ha'mazon before leaving, then he is not required to return. If he has access to bread in his new location, he should eat some bread and then recite Birkat Ha'mazon; if he does not have access to bread, then he may nevertheless recite Birkat Ha'mazon in that new location.
Would a person be required to return to his original location for the recitation of a Beracha Me'ein Shalosh? For example, if a person ate grain products besides bread, which requires him to recite "Al Ha'michya," or fruits from seven special species, which requires him to recite "Al Ha'etz," and he leaves before reciting the Beracha, must he return to the place where he ate?
Several different views exist among the authorities concerning this issue. Some authorities distinguished between a case of one who ate grain products, who is required to return to his original location for the Beracha, and a person who partook of fruits, who may recite the Beracha in his new location. The Rashba (Rabbi Shlomo Ben Aderet, Spain, 1235-1310), by contrast, held that even in the case of grain products one is not required to return to the place where he ate, and Chacham Ovadia Yosef rules in accordance with this lenient position. Thus, although one should certainly endeavor to recite a Beracha Me'ein Shalosh in the place where he ate, nevertheless, if he did leave without reciting the Beracha, even intentionally, he may recite the Beracha in his new location.
Summary: If a person ate bread and forgot to recite Birkat Ha'mazon before leaving, he may recite Birkat Ha'mazon in his new location, though he should try to first eat some bread in that location. If he intentionally left his original location before reciting Birkat Ha'mazon, then he must return for the recitation of Birkat Ha'mazon. In the case of a Beracha Me'ein Shalosh, one is never required to return to his original location for the Beracha, though one should preferably ensure to recite the Beracha in the place where he ate.
