Halacha: What Blessings to Recite for Vegetable Soup?
Curious about the blessings for vegetable soup—both before and after consumption? Find all the details here, including an explanation of the required quantity.
- הידברות
- פורסם ו' חשון התשע"ז
#VALUE!
The blessing for vegetable soup depends on visibility: if the vegetables are distinguishable, recite 'ha'adama'. If they are not distinguishable, recite 'shehakol'. (First Blessing)
After eating, recite 'borei nefashot' (Final Blessing)
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The amount needed to be consumed to require a final blessing (from "Daily Halacha" by the rulings of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef of blessed memory):
For everything a person eats, they should recite a "First Blessing" such as "shehakol" or "ha'etz", even for just a small amount, as long as it is intended for consumption. (However, if one is only tasting to adjust seasoning and not consuming for pleasure, no blessing is made). Therefore, even chewing gum with flavor, though little is swallowed, still requires a blessing for enjoying its taste. Similarly, when drinking, one should recite a blessing even for just a sip.
This applies only for the first blessing; the final blessing is only said after eating a "significant amount" of consumption, defined as a "kezayit", or 27 grams, and for drinking, a "revi'it", or 81 grams.
Additionally, the eating or drinking should occur within a specific time to combine the consumption amounts. If someone eats a "kezayit" of bread over an entire day, crumb by crumb, they cannot recite Grace After Meals. The consumption must occur within the time frame of "Achilat Pras", and opinions differ on this, with some suggesting around five minutes and others around seven and a half minutes (and other views). Therefore, one should be careful, especially during Shabbat meals, to eat a "kezayit" within four and a half minutes to satisfy all opinions.
For the final blessing on drinks, the "revi'it" must be consumed at once. If someone pauses between sips, no final blessing is recited. Thus, someone sipping soup with a spoon does not recite a final blessing on the soup, as they have not consumed a "revi'it" all at once. Similarly, someone drinking hot coffee or tea does not recite a final blessing, as they cannot drink it all at once.
