Halacha: What Blessing is Recited Over Tea?
Wondering which blessings to recite over tea, both first and last? Here is everything you need to know, including an explanation about the amount that triggers a concluding blessing.
- הידברות
- פורסם כ"ב חשון התשע"ז
#VALUE!
Theteais blessed with the Shehakol blessing (first blessing)
At the end of the meal, recite the Boreh Nefashot blessing(final blessing)
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The amount consumed to be obligated for a concluding blessing (from "Daily Halacha" based on the rulings of Maran Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt"l):
For everything a person eats, one must recite a "first blessing," such as the "Shehakol" or "Ha'etz" blessing. Even if one only eats a small amount of that food, as long as the intention is for eating, one must bless it. (However, if one only tastes the food to correct it by adding spices, no blessing is recited for this kind of tasting.) Therefore, someone chewing flavored gum, even if they swallow very little, must bless for the enjoyment from the gum's taste. Similarly, when drinking anything, one must bless it even if only drinking a single drop.
This applies specifically to the first blessing, but a concluding blessing is only recited after eating a "significant amount," which is the size of an olive (27 grams), and in drinking, the amount is a "quarter log," which is 81 grams.
Additionally, the eating or drinking should occur within a time frame that combines these acts. If someone eats an olive-size piece of bread over an entire day, piece by piece, they certainly cannot recite the Grace After Meals. Instead, the olive-size portion must be consumed within the time frame of "eating a half-loaf," which is subject to different opinions: some say it's five minutes, while others say it can be up to seven and a half minutes (and there are other opinions). Thus, it is correct to always ensure eating an olive-size amount (especially on Shabbat meals) within four and a half minutes to fulfill all opinions.
Regarding the concluding blessing on a drink, one must drink a quarter log (81 grams) all at once. If there is an interruption between sips, no concluding blessing is recited. Therefore, when drinking soup with a spoon, no concluding blessing is made for that soup, as the required amount is not consumed at once. Similarly, when drinking hot coffee or tea, no concluding blessing is recited, as it is impossible to drink the amount all at once.
