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...
Does Someone Count for a Minyan If He is in a Different Room?
Is There an Obligation to Live in Eretz Yisrael?
May a Woman Return Home From the Hospital on Shabbat After a “False Alarm”?
Revoking Rabbinic Edicts of Past Generations
Accompanying a Woman in Labor to the Hospital on Shabbat
May a Husband be Present During His Wife’s Labor and Delivery?
May Expectant Parents Find Out the Fetus’ Gender?
Is it Permissible to Pray for the Death of a Terminally Ill Patient Who is Suffering?
Using the Mother’s Name When Praying for a Sick Patient
“Opening One’s Mouth to the Satan”
Does One Recite Tefilat Ha’derech Before a Short Flight?
Customs to Observe After Experiencing a Miracle
The Beracha Recited Upon Entering a Cemetery
The Completion of the 13th Daf Yomi Cycle
May a Synagogue Have a Menorah With Seven Branches?
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found