Halacha: What Blessing is Made on Grape Juice?
Want to know what blessing to recite over grape juice? Discover the initial and final blessings, including the required consumption amount.
- הידברות
- פורסם ו' חשון התשע"ז
#VALUE!
For grape juice, recite the "Ha'gafen" (initial blessing)
And at the end of drinking, recite the "Al Ha'gafen" (final blessing)
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The required consumption to be obligated in a final blessing (from "Daily Halacha" by the rulings of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, of blessed memory):
For everything a person eats, they must recite an "initial blessing" over it, such as "Shehakol" or "Ha'etz". Even if they consume only a small amount of that food, they are required to bless it as long as the purpose is eating. (However, if one is only tasting the food to correct it by adding spices, etc., no blessing is required for such tasting). Therefore, someone who chews flavored gum, even if they swallow only a tiny bit, must still bless for the enjoyment of its flavor. Likewise, anyone drinking something should bless it even if only having a single drop.
However, this applies only to the initial blessing. A final blessing is only recited if one consumed an "important consumption", which is the measure of a "k'zayit", meaning twenty-seven grams, and for drinks, the measure is "revi'it", which is eighty-one grams.
Additionally, the consumption or drinking must occur within a time frame that it combines into a single event. For example, if one eats a "k'zayit" of bread during an entire day, piece by piece, they certainly cannot recite "Birkat HaMazon" afterward. Instead, the consumption of a "k'zayit" must occur within the time frame of "Achilat Pras", which is debated by halachic authorities as being either five minutes or approximately seven and a half minutes (and there are other opinions). Therefore, it is correct to always be careful to eat a "k'zayit" (especially during Shabbat meals) within four and a half minutes to fulfill all opinions.
For a final blessing over a drink, one must drink a "revi'it" (eighty-one grams) all at once, because if there is a pause between sips, no final blessing is recited. Therefore, someone drinking soup with a spoon does not bless the final blessing on that soup, as they did not drink a "revi'it" at once, and similarly, someone drinking hot coffee or tea does not bless a final blessing because they are unable to drink it all at once.
