DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 956 KB)
Berachot Order of Varying Types of Food & Fruit

If one sits down to eat different kinds of fruits, all of which require the Beracha of "Borei Peri Ha'etz," over which fruit should he recite the Beracha, and thereby cover all the other fruits?

If one of the fruits is included among the seven special species of Eretz Yisrael (listed in the verse in Parashat Eikev – Devarim 8:8), such as grapes, then this fruit takes precedence over other fruits. For example, if a person eats grapes and apples, he would recite the Beracha of Ha'etz over the grapes, and this would cover the apples, as well.

If one sits down to eat several fruits which are all among the seven special species, over which fruit should he recite the Beracha?

Halacha requires reciting the Beracha in such a case over the fruit that is mentioned closer to the word "Eretz" ("land") in the verse that lists the seven species. The verse describes the Land of Israel as "a land [Eretz] of wheat and barley, grapes, figs and pomegranates; a land [Eretz] of oil-laden olives and date-nectar." The species closest to the word "Eretz" in this verse is given precedence over species situated further away from the word "Eretz." For this reason, when one eats both a Mezonot food (from wheat or barley) and fruits from the seven species, he first recites the Beracha over the Mezonot food, since wheat and barley are situated closest to the word "Eretz" in this verse. Among fruits, olives, which are mentioned immediately following the second instance of "Eretz," takes precedence over all other fruits. Then comes dates, followed by grapes/wine, figs, and, finally, pomegranates.

If one eats a fruit that requires the Beracha of "Borei Peri Ha'etz," and another food – such as watermelon – that requires "Borei Peri Ha'adama," which food should he eat first?

In this case, one should preferably first recite Ha'etz and partake of the fruit, and only then recite Ha'adama over the watermelon. If, however, the watermelon is "Chaviv" for this individual, meaning, he likes it better than the other food he wishes to eat, then he should first recite Ha'adama and partake of the watermelon, before partaking of the fruit.

Summary:
If one eats a fruit from the seven species and another fruit that is not among the seven species, he recites the Beracha of Ha'etz over the fruit from the seven species, which covers the over fruit, as well.

If one eats several fruits from among the seven species, then he chooses the fruit upon which to recite Ha'etz (and thereby cover the others, as well) based on the following sequence of priority: olives, dates, grapes, figs and pomegranates.

If one eats a fruit requiring Ha'etz and another food requiring Ha'adama, then he first eats of the food requiring Ha'etz, unless he has a stronger liking for the other food, in which case he first partakes of that other food.

Shulchan Aruch, Siman 211, Seif 1-4

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
If One Counted the Wrong Day of the Omer, or Had the Wrong Day in Mind While Reciting the Beracha
Praying for the Bet Hamikdash After Counting the Omer
Reciting “Lamenase’ah Binginot” After Birkat Kohanim During the Omer Period
Buying New Clothes or Other Items During the Omer
Omer- In The Event A Person Knows He Will Be Unable To Count The Omer
When are Haircuts Allowed During the Omer?
Sefirat Ha’omer – Guidelines For One Who Travels to a Different Time Zone
Omer, The Sefira Period – Reciting She'he'hiyanu, Purchasing New Garments, Moving into a New Home, Renovating, and Hosting an Engagement Party
Sefirat Ha'omer – Reciting the Beracha Only After Determining Which Number to Count
Omer- May One Count the Omer with a Beracha After Correcting Somebody's Erroneous Counting?
If a Person Remembered to Count the Omer Only During Ben Ha'shemashot
Sefirat HaOmer- Can One Fulfill the Obligation of Sefirat Ha’omer by Listening to the Hazan’s Counting?
Sefirat Ha'omer – May a Person Count the Omer for Friday if He Had Already Recited Arbit?
Sefirat HaOmer- May One Count the Omer with a Beracha After Asking, "Is Today Such-and-Such Day"?
The Chazan's Counting of the Omer
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found