Halacha: What Blessing is Recited Over Meat?
Curious about the blessings for meat, including the initial and concluding blessings? Find all the details here, including guidelines on portion size.
- הידברות
- פורסם כ"ד תשרי התשע"ז
#VALUE!
For meat, recite shehakol (first blessing)
At the end of the meal, recite borei nefashot (concluding blessing)
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The portion size to warrant a concluding blessing (from "Daily Halacha" derived from the rulings of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, of blessed memory):
For any food a person eats, they must recite a "first blessing" over it, such as the blessing "shehakol" or "ha'etz". And even if they eat only a small amount of that food, they are obligated to bless it, as long as they intend to consume it for nourishment. (However, if one only tastes the food to improve it by adding spices, they do not bless this consumption at all). Thus, someone who chews flavored chewing gum must bless it, even though they only swallow a very small amount, for they derive enjoyment from the flavor of the gum. Similarly, anyone who comes to drink something must bless it, even if they drink only one drop of it.
This rule applies specifically to the first blessing, but a concluding blessing is only said if one has eaten a "significant amount," defined as the measure of an "olive's bulk," which is twenty-seven grams, and for a drink, the measure is a "revi'it," which is eighty-one grams.
Additionally, the eating or drinking must be done within a period enabling the consumption to be considered together. For if one were to eat an olive's bulk of bread throughout an entire day, piece by piece, they certainly could not recite the Grace After Meals afterward. Instead, one must eat an olive's bulk within the time of "eating a pras" (a small meal), and opinions differ on the duration of this time, with some saying it is five minutes, others seven and a half minutes, (and there are other views as well). Therefore, it is wise always to consume an olive's bulk (especially during Shabbat meals) within four and a half minutes to satisfy all opinions.
Regarding the concluding blessing for a drink, one must consume a revi'it (eighty-one grams) in one gulp, for if they pause between sips, they do not recite a concluding blessing at all. Therefore, if someone drinks soup with a spoon, they do not recite the concluding blessing for drinking that soup, since they did not consume a revi'it in one motion. Similarly, drinking hot coffee or tea does not warrant a concluding blessing, as one cannot drink it all at once.
