Halacha: What Blessing Do You Say on Bread?
Want to know what blessings to recite before and after eating bread? All the information is here, including an explanation of the amount needed for the blessing.
- הידברות
- פורסם ו' חשון התשע"ז
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On the bread, the blessing hamotzi is recited (the first blessing).
And at the end of the meal, Birkat Hamazon is recited (the final blessing).
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The amount of food required to be obligated in the final blessing (from "Halacha Yomit" by the rulings of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Zatzal):
On every item a person eats, they must recite a "first blessing," such as the blessing "shehakol" or "ha'etz." Even if they eat only a small amount of that food, they are obligated to bless, as long as they eat it for consumption. (However, if it's just to taste the food to adjust the seasoning, no blessing is required.) Therefore, one who chews flavored gum, though they swallow only a very small amount, must bless for the enjoyment of the gum's taste. Also, one who drinks any amount, must bless on it even if they drink only a single drop of that beverage.
However, this applies specifically to the first blessing, but the final blessing is only said when consuming a significant amount. The amount considered significant is "kezayit," which is twenty-seven grams, and in drinking, the amount is "revi'it," which is eighty-one grams.
In addition, the eating or drinking must occur within a time frame such that the consumption combines together. For instance, if someone eats a kezayit of bread over an entire day, bit by bit, they cannot recite Birkat Hamazon afterward. The kezayit must be consumed within the time frame of "achilat pras," where some authorities say this is five minutes and others say it is about seven and a half minutes (with other opinions existing as well). Therefore, it is proper to always eat a kezayit, especially during Shabbat meals, within four and a half minutes to fulfill all opinions.
Regarding the final blessing on a beverage, one must drink a revi'it (eighty-one grams) at once. If someone drinks and pauses between sips, no final blessing is recited. Hence, one who eats soup with a spoon does not recite a final blessing, as they haven't drunk a revi'it at once. Similarly, someone drinking hot coffee or tea does not recite a final blessing because they cannot drink it in one go.
