Halacha: What Blessing Do We Say Over a Mandarin?

For the mandarin, we say the blessing Ha'etz (first blessing)

And at the end of the meal, we say Borei Nefashot (last blessing)

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The quantity of food required to be obligated in a last blessing (from "Halacha Yomit" based on the rulings of the late Rabbi Ovadia Yosef of blessed memory):

On everything a person eats, they should say a "first blessing," such as the blessing "Shehakol" or "Ha'etz." Even if they eat only a little of that food, they must bless it, provided they intend to eat. (However, if they are only tasting it to adjust seasoning or similar, they do not bless this eating at all). Therefore, someone who chews flavored gum, even though they might swallow very little of it, must bless it for enjoying the flavor of the gum. Similarly, anyone who comes to drink anything must bless it, even if they intend to drink just one drop of that beverage.

However, all this specifically pertains to the first blessing, but the last blessing is only recited when one eats a "significant amount," and the measure of a significant amount is the size of an "olive," meaning twenty-seven grams, and in drinking, the measure is a "revi'it," which is eighty-one grams.

Additionally, the eating or drinking should be consumed within the time frame that allows it to combine. For if a person eats an "olive size" of bread over the course of a whole day, piece by piece, they certainly cannot bless the grace after meals. Rather, the consumption of the olive size must all be within the time frame of "Achilat Pras," and the authorities differ on how long this is, with some saying it is five minutes and others saying about seven and a half minutes (and there are other opinions). Therefore, it is always right to be cautious to eat an olive size (especially on Shabbat meals) within four and a half minutes to fulfill all opinions.

Concerning the last blessing on a drink, one should drink a revi'it of the beverage (which is eighty-one grams) all at once, for if they drank and paused between sips, they do not bless a last blessing at all. Therefore, someone who drinks soup with a spoon does not bless a last blessing on that soup because they did not drink a revi'it all at once. Similarly, someone who drinks coffee or tea while it is hot does not bless a last blessing because they cannot drink it all at once.​