Halacha: What Bracha Do You Say on Malawach?
Curious about the blessings for malawach, both the first and last brachot? Find all the information here, including an explanation about the quantity of food consumed.
- הידברות
- פורסם ו' חשון התשע"ז
#VALUE!
On themalawach, say the bracha Mezonot (first blessing)
After eating, say Al Hamichya (last blessing)
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The amount of food needed to require the last blessing (from "Daily Halacha" per the rulings of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef ztz"l):
For anything a person eats, they must say a "first blessing", such as the blessing of "Shehakol" or "Ha'etz". Even if they eat only a little of the food, they must bless it, provided they intended to eat it for nourishment. (However, if they only taste the food to adjust seasoning or similar, this does not require a blessing.) Therefore, someone who chews flavored gum, even if they swallow very little, must bless for the enjoyment of its taste. Similarly, anyone drinking something, even if only a single drop, must bless over it.
This rule specifically applies to the first blessing. The last blessing is only recited when one eats an "important amount" of food, quantified as an olive-sized portion (kezayit), which is 27 grams for eating, and for drinking, the measure is a quarter-log (revi'it), which is 81 grams.
Additionally, the eating or drinking must occur within a timeframe where the consumption is considered as one continuous action. For example, if someone eats an olive-sized amount of bread over an entire day, bit by bit, they cannot recite Birkat Hamazon afterward. Instead, the olive-sized portion must be consumed within the time it takes to eat half a loaf, with poskim differing on how long this time is; some say it's five minutes, while others suggest around seven and a half minutes (with further opinions existing). Therefore, it's always prudent during meals, particularly on Shabbat, to consume a kezayit within four and a half minutes to satisfy all opinions.
Regarding the last blessing on a beverage, one must drink a revi'it of the beverage (81 grams) in one go, since if there's a pause between sips, no last blessing is required. Therefore, one who drinks soup with a spoon doesn't recite the last blessing for that soup since they did not drink a revi'it continuously. Likewise, when one drinks hot coffee or tea, they do not say the last blessing, as they cannot drink it all at once.
