Can a minor – a boy under the age of Bar Misva – be counted toward a Zimun for Birkat Hamazon? Meaning, if two adults ate together with a child, is it possible for the child to be considered the third participant in the meal so that a Zimun can be recited? Similarly, if nine men above Bar Misva age ate together with a child, can he be counted as the tenth person so that the group can recite the Zimun with God’s Name ("Baruch Elokenu She’achalanu Mishelo…")?
The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 199:10; listen to audio recording for precise citation) rules that a minor can be counted toward a Zimun, if two conditions are met: he must have reached the age of "Onat Ha’pe’utot," and, secondly, he must be aware of to whom we recite Birkat Hamazon. This means that if someone asks him, "To whom are reciting Birkat Hamazon?" he either answers, "Hashem" or points upward, indicating that he understands the underlying concept of Birkat Hamazon.
What age is "Onat Ha’pe’utot"?
This issue is subject to a debate among the Halachic authorities. The Magen Abraham (Rav Abraham Gombiner, Poland, 1637-1683) ruled that the child must be at least nine years old, and this is also the position of the Hid"a (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806). Others, however, ruled more leniently, maintaining that the child needs to be at least six years of age. This position is cited by the Mishna Berura (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933), and this is the ruling of Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his work Yehaveh Da’at. Thus, if two men ate together with a child, they may form a Zimun if the child is at least six years old and he understands that the Beracha is recited to God. These criteria apply as well to counting a child as the tenth participant to allow reciting a Zimun with God’s Name.
It must be noted, however, that only one minor can be counted toward a Zimun. If an adult ate a meal with two minors, they cannot recite a Zimun, even if both children meet the criteria discussed above.
Summary: If two men ate together with a child, they may form a Zimun if the child is at least six years old and he understands that the Beracha is recited to God. Similarly, if nine men ate together with a child, they may recite a Zimun with God’s Name if the child is at least six years old and he understands that the Beracha is recited to God. However, only one minor can be counted toward the minimum required total of three or ten people.
