A person who eats a Ke'zayit – 30 grams – of fruit must recite after he eats the Beracha of "Borei Nefashot." If, however, one eats this amount of one of the special fruits of Eretz Yisrael – dates, pomegranates, grapes, olives and figs – he recites the Beracha of "Al Ha'etz Ve'al Peri Ha'etz."
The question arises, if a person partook of a half-Ke'zayit of regular fruits, such as an apple, and a half-Ke'zayit of one of the special fruits, such as grapes, does he recite a Beracha Acharona? He has not eaten enough of an apple to warrant a "Borei Nefashot," nor has he partaken of enough grapes to require the recitation of "Al Ha'etz." But do the two quantities of which he partook combine into a full Ke'zayit to warrant the recitation of a Beracha Acharona?
This issue is subject to considerable controversy among the Halachic authorities. The work "Kenesset Ha'gedola" held that in such a situation one recites the Beracha of "Borei Nefashot." This was the position taken by several other authorities, as well, including the Chid"a (Rabbi Chayim Yosef David Azulai, Israel, 1724-1806), the Mishna Berura (commentary to the Shulchan Aruch by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, the "Chafetz Chayim," Lithuania, 1839-1933), the Kaf Ha'chayim (by Rabbi Chayim Palachi, Turkey, 1788-1868) and the Ben Ish Chai (Rabbi Yosef Chayim of Baghdad, 1833-1909). Chacham Bentzion Abba Shaul (Jerusalem, 1924-1998) adopts this position in his work Or Le'tziyon (vol. 1).
Several other authorities, by contrast, held that since apples and grapes require different Berachot ("Borei Nefashot," and "Al Ha'etz"), the two partial quantities cannot combine into a Ke'zayit to require the recitation of "Borei Nefashot." According to this view, in such a situation one does not recite a Beracha Acharona at all. This position is advocated by numerous authorities, including the Chesed La'alafim (by Rabbi Eliezer Papo, Bulgaria, 1785-1828) and Rabbi Eliyahu Mani (Baghdad-Israel, 1824-1899).
As for the final Halacha, Chacham Ovadia Yosef ruled that given the fundamental rule of "Safeik Berachot Le'hakel," that one should not recite a Beracha when its obligation is subject to uncertainty, one should not recite a Beracha Acharona at all in such a situation. Chacham Ovadia is particularly adamant in insisting that one not recite a "Borei Nefashot," in light of the controversy surrounding this issue.
This ruling applies as well to the case of a person who drank a half-Revi'it (1.5 oz.) of water or some other beverage, and a half-Revi'it of wine. Drinking a full Revi'it of water (3 oz.) requires one to recite "Borei Nefashot," whereas after drinking a Revi'it of wine one recites the Beracha of "Al Ha'gefen." Here, too, if one drank a partial quantity of water and a partial quantity of wine, he does not recite any Beracha Acharona at all, despite the fact that the two quantities combine to equal a Revi'it.
Summary:
1) One who eats a Ke'zayit (30 grams) of fruits recites afterwards the Beracha of "Borei Nefashot," with the exception of dates, pomegranates, figs, olives and grapes, after the consumption of which one recites "Al Ha'etz." If one ate less than a Ke'zayit of a fruit from one category and less than a Ke'zayit from the other category, he does not recite any Beracha Acharona at all, even if altogether he partook of a Ke'zayit.
2) One who drinks a Revi'it (3 oz.) recites afterwards "Borei Nefashot," unless he drank wine, in which case he recites the special Beracha of "Al Ha'gefen." If one drank less than a Revi'it of wine and less than a Revi'it of another beverage, he does not recite any Berachah Acharona at all, even if altogether he drank a Revi'it.
