II
Home Page
Jewish Holidays
Crash Course Series
USA Restaurants
Contact Us
Home | Crash Course | Blessings over Foods


Food Blessing Guide
Food helps the soul connect to the body, because without food eventually the soul will separate from the body; blessings connect the soul to the Infinite. Kabala explains that the mouth is where the soul fuses with the body. This explains why food goes there (as food maintains the fusion) and why blessings are spoken there as they maintain the soul's connection to the Infinite.

Basic laws to the Pre Blessings
- One should say a blessing on any amount of food.
- One must be very careful not to mention God's name in vain. Therefore, before you start saying the blessing, you should know which blessing is the appropriate one.
- Food should not be in your mouth while reciting a blessing.
- Between the blessing and the first bite you must not talk or wait any amount of time.
- If you forgot to say a blessing before eating, as long as you still have some food left you can still make the blessing.
- If one has in front of him e.g. 2 apples, one is a whole one and the other one is cut up, you should make the blessings over the whole one. If both are cut, you should say the blessings over the larger one.
- When one has in front of him different types of foods but all are the same blessings, e.g. candy, soda etc. you should say the blessings on the one you desire most.

Basic laws to the After Blessings
In order to be obligated to recite the 'After Blessing', you must take 2 things in consideration.
1. Amount
Food: - Bread or cakes (Hamotzi & Mezonot) you must eat at least' the amount of (Kazayit) an Olive in weight which comes to be 17.3 grams (0.61 ounces).
Drinks: - Drinks, you must drink at least the amount of (Revee'it) 86 grams (2.9 fluid ounces)
2. Time
The time is the same whether it's food or drink. In order to be required to say the After blessings you must drink/eat the required amount within (Kedei Achilat Pras) which is 4 minutes.
So for example drinking a hot cup of cocoa, since usually you would sip it you wouldn't drink the required amount of 4 minutes. The best way to get out of any questions would be to drink something else like milk, or to save some of the cocoa/coffee till it gets cool enough to drink the required amount in the required time.



Display of Food Blessings

Six pre blessings


Hamotzi
 
For Bread
 Hebrew:
 Phonetic Hebrew:
Baruch atah Adonai eloheynu melech ha-olam ha-mo-tzi lechem min ha-aretz 
 English:
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the Universe, who brings forth bread from the earth 


HaGafen
 
For wine or grape juice
 Hebrew:
 Phonetic Hebrew:
Baruch atah Adonai eloheynu melech ha-olam bo-ray p'ree ha-gafen 
 English:
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the vine 


Mezonot
 
For wheat, barley, rye, oats or rice
 Hebrew:
 Phonetic Hebrew:
Baruch atah Adonai eloheynu melech ha-olam Bo-ray me-nay m'zonote 
 English:
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the Universe, who Creates species of sustenance 


Ha'etz
 
For fruit that grow on trees
 Hebrew:
 Phonetic Hebrew:
Baruch atah Adonai eloheynu melech ha-olam Bo-ray p'ree ha-etz 
 English:
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the tree 


Ho'adama
 
For produce grown in the soil
 Hebrew:
 Phonetic Hebrew:
Baruch atah Adonai eloheynu melech ha-olam Bo-ray p'ree ha-adamah 
 English:
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of the fruit of the earth 


She'hakol
 
For drinks etc
 Hebrew:
 Phonetic Hebrew:
Baruch atah Adonai eloheynu melech ha-olam sher-ha-kol neeh-yeh bid-vah-ro 
 English:
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the Universe, by whose word all things come into being 



Three after blessings

Boray Nefashot
English: Blessed are you Adonoy our g-d, the king of the world, who created many beings and their needs, for all that you created to sustain these beings, blessed be the one who lives forever.

Phonetic Hebrew:
Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu Me-lech Ha-o-lam,
bo-rei n'fa-shot ra-bot v'ches-ro-nan, al kawl mah she-ba-ra-ta l'ha-cha-yot ba-hem ne-fesh kawl chai, ba-ruch chei ha-o-la-mim.

Hebrew:


Birkat Ha-mazon - Grace after meals


This is the first paragraph. One should try to say at least to the half point

Phonetic Hebrew:
Baruch ata Adonoy, Eloheinu melech ha-olam, ha-zan es ha-olam kulo be-tuvo
be-chein be-chesed uve-rachamim hu nosein lechem le-chol basar, ki le-olam chasdo. Uv-tuvo ha-gadol, tamid lo chasar lanu ve'al yechsar lanu mazon le-olam va’ed. Ba'avur shemo ha gadol ki hu El zan umi-farneis la-kol u-meitiv la-kol u-meichin mazon le-chol beriyosav asher bara. Baruch ata Adonoy, ha-zan es ha-kol.

English: Blessed are you, Lord our God, Sovereign of the world, who provides food for the entire world in His goodness, with grace, kindness and mercy. He supplies bread for all living beings, for His kindness is everlasting. Because of His great goodness, we have never lacked food, nor will we ever lack it on account of His great name. For He is God who nourishes and sustains all, and is good to all, and who supplies food for all His creatures which He created. Blessed are You, God, who provides food for all.

Hebrew:


Al Hamichyah
English:
Wheat, oats, barley, rye
and spelt
Grape, wine
or grape juice
Dates, figs, pomegranates,
olives and grapes
  Start: Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, E-lo-hei-nu, Me-lech Ha-o-lam,
al ha-mich-yah
v'al ha-kal-ka-lah,
al ha-ge-fen
v'al pri ha-ge-fen,
al ha-eitz
v'al p'ri ha-eitz,
  v'al t'nu-vat ha-sa-deh,  v'al e-retz chem-dah to-vah ur-cha-vah
  she-ra-tzi-tah v'hin-chal-ta la-a-vo-tei-nu,  le-e-chol mi-pir-yah
  v'lis-bo-a mi-tu-vah. Re-chem^na, A-do-nai E-lo-hei-nu,
  al Yis-ra-eil a-me-cha,  v'al Y'ru-sha-la-yim i-re-cha,
  v'al Tzi-yon mish-kan k'vo-de-cha, v'al miz-ba-cha-cha  v'al hei-cha-le-cha.

  U-v'nei Y'ru-sha-la-yim  ir ha-ko-desh bim-hei-rah v'ya-mei-nu,
  v'ha-a-lei-nu l'to-chah  v'sam-chei-nu b'vin-ya-nah,
  v'no-chal mi-pir-yah  v'nis-bah mi-tu-vah,
  un-va-re-ch'cha a-le-ha  bik-du-shah uv-ta-ha-rah,

Sabbath include: ur-tzei v'ha-cha-li-tzei-nu b'yom ha-Shabbat ha-zeh,
Rosh Chodesh include: v'zach-rei-nu l'to-vah b'yom rosh ha-cho-desh ha-zeh,

Other insertions: are made on other holidays.
  ki a-tah A-do-nai tov u-mei-tiv la-kol, v'no-deh l'cha al ha-a-retz
v'al ha-mich-yah.
v'al pri ha-ga-fen
v'al ha-pei-rot
  Ba-ruch a-tah A-do-nai, al ha-a-retz
v'al ha-mich-yah.
v'al pri ha-ga-fen.
v'al ha-pei-rot.

Phonetic Hebrew:






 
3) Express list of varies foods and its blessings:
     


Y



Select
a letter above for instant shortcut.
If you don't see the food that your looking for, please feel free to
ask the Rabbi
Copyright © 2008 Hanefesh: National Assembly of Hebrew Students

Food
Pre Blessing
After Blessing
  Alcoholic Beverages (except wine) She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Ale She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Almonds (nut) Ha'etz Boray Nefashot
  Apple
          baked
          cake
          cider
          jelly (without pieces)
          juice
          preserves (with pieces)
          sauce
          strudel
Ha'etz
Ha'etz
Mezonot
She'hakol
She'hakol
She'hakol
Ha'etz
Ha'etz
Mezonot
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Al Hamichyah
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Boray Nefashot
Al Hamichyah
  Apricot Ha'etz Boray Nefashot
  Asparagus (Soup as well) Ho'adama Boray Nefashot
  Aspirin None *1
-------
  Aubergine Ho'adama Boray Nefashot
  Avocado Ha'etz Boray Nefashot
  Bagels Hamotzi Birkat Hamazon
  Baked Beans Ho'adama Boray Nefashot
  Bamboo shoots Ho'adama Boray Nefashot
  Banana Ho'adama Boray Nefashot
  Barley (pearled) Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Barley (raw, fresh) She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Beans (soup) Ho'adama Boray Nefashot
  Beef She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Beer She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Blackberries Ha'etz Boray Nefashot
  Bologna She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Bologna Sandwich Hamotzi Birkat Hamazon
  Brandy She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Bread Hamotzi Birkat Hamazon
  Bread Stuffing Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Broccoli Ho'adama Boray Nefashot
  Brownies Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Butter Milk She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Butter Cookies Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Cabbage - cooked/coleslaw/soup Ho'adama Boray Nefashot
  Cake - all types Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Candy She'hakol
*2
  Cantaloupe Ho'adama Boray Nefashot
  Carbonated Water/Soda She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Caramel She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Carob Ha'etz Boray Nefashot
  Carp She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Carrots raw/cooked Ho'adama Boray Nefashot
  Cashew nuts Ha'etz Boray Nefashot
  Cauliflower Ho'adama Boray Nefashot
  Celery Ho'adama Boray Nefashot
  Cereals *3  
  All Bran She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Almond Delight Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Alpha Bits Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Apple Raisin Crisp Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Bran chex She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Bran flakes Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Cheerios Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Cinnamon Toast Cunch Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Clusters Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Cocoa Pebbles Mezonot Boray Nefashot
  Cocoa Puffs She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Corn Chex She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Corn Pops Ho'adama Boray Nefashot
  Corn Flakes Ho'adama Al Hamichyah
  Corn Total She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Crispix She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Crunchy Bran Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Double Chex Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Fiber One She'hakol Boray Nefashot
  Frosted Flakes Ho'adama Boray Nefashot
  Frosted Rice Mezonot Boray Nefashot
  Fruit & Fibre Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Fruit Loops Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Fruity Pebbles Mezonot Boray Nefashot
  Golden Grahams Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Honeycomb Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Just Right Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Kix Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Life Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Maltex Mezonot Al Hamichyah
  Nutrific