Sunday, February 28, 2016

Parshat Shekalim

Parshat Shekalim
Day: Sunday
Date: February 28, 2016
Parshat: Vayakhel, Shekalim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 685


On the Shabbat before the Rosh Chodesh Adar that precedes Nissan, or the Shabbat of Rosh Chodesh Adar itself when it falls on Shabbat, we take an extra Sefer Torah out from the aron and we read Parshat Shekalim from it. The reason is because during the era of the Bet Hamikdash on the first day of Adar they would announce that it was time to donate the annual the mahatsit hashekel to the Bet Hamikdash. The money that was raised was used to pay for the communal korbanot during the following year starting from Nissan. We also read a special hafatarah that alludes to the mahatsit hashekel. When Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbat we also add the first and last verses from the Rosh Chodesh haftarah.



DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Friday, February 26, 2016

The After Beracha on Mixtures Containing Wheat

The After Beracha on Mixtures Containing Wheat
Day: Friday
Date: February 26, 2016
Parshat: Ki Tisa
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 208


The beracha on a flour based food which contains less flour than other ingredients is still mezonot. If the mixture nevertheless contains enough flour for one to consume a kezayit of flour within seven and a half minutes and he indeed ate that much, al hamihya is said afterward. If there was not enough flour in the mixture to eat a kezayit within seven and a half minutes, no after beracha is said. Fillings in cookies or cake do not count toward the kezayit necessary for the after beracha. The beracha on Turkish delight made with cornstarch is shehakol and if a kezayit was eaten within seven and a half minutes the after beracha is boreh nefashot. If it is made from wheat based starch, the beracha is mezonot. If there was enough consumed that a kezayit of wheat was eaten in seven and a half minutes, the after beracha is al hamihya.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

One Who Said the Wrong After Beracha on Rice and Other Foods

One Who Said the Wrong After Beracha on Rice and Other Foods
Day: Wednesday
Date: February 24, 2016
Parshat: Ki Tisa
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 208


One who ate a kezayit of rice and also a kezayit of a grain based mezonot food, such as crackers, says al hamihya only and has in mind to also cover the rice. One who eats soup which contains rice that has been almost desolved says a beracha before eating the soup only and no beracha on the rice. As is the case generally when eating soup, no after beracha is said on the soup. (See DSH from Feb. 9, 2016 for more information on after berachot on soup). One who ate a kezayit of rice and accidentally afterward said al hamihya or birkat hamazon should not subsequently correct himself and say boreh nefashot. Likewise one who ate noodles and said birkat hamazon, or a kazayit of dates or a revi't of wine and accidentally said al hamihya does not then correct himself with the proper beracha.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Monday, February 22, 2016

The Proper Order When Saying Al Ha'etz and Boreh Nefashot

The Proper Order When Saying Al Ha'etz and Boreh Nefashot
Day: Monday
Date: February 22, 2016
Parshat: Ki Tisa
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 208


A person who ate fruits of the shiv'at haminim and also ate vegetables needs to say boreh nefashot and al ha'etz. The words "ve'al tenuvat hasadeh" that are said as part of the text of al ha'etz can technically be interpreted to include vegetables as well. Because of that, if a person had eaten fruits of the shiv'at haminim and also vegetables and then said al ha'etz, he can no longer say boreh nefashot since the words "ve'al tenuvat hasadeh" may have already covered the vegetables. Therefore, to avoid any issues, in such a situation boreh nefashot is said before al ha'etz. One who ate shehakol foods and fruits of the shiv'at haminim however, says al ha'etz first since those words cannot be interpreted to cover such foods.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Sunday, February 21, 2016

One Who Ate Half a Kezyit of Bread and Half a Kezyit of Mezonot

One Who Ate Half a Kezyit of Bread and Half a Kezyit of Mezonot
Day: Sunday
Date: February 21, 2016
Parshat: Ki Tisa
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 208


There is a mahloket among the poskim whether or not al hamihya can also cover foods that require birkat hamazon. In deference to the opinions that do not allow it, one may not say al hamihya as an after bercha after eating bread. Ideally, one should avoid placing himself in such a situation where he had half a kezayit of bread and half a kezayit of mezonot foods. One who did put himself in such a situation, should either eat another half kezayit of bread and say birkat hamazon or half a kezayit of mezonot and say al hamihya. If neither of those is possible, no after beracha is said. Likewise, one who ate half a kezyit of grain based mezonot foods and half a kezyit of rice, does not say any after beracha.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Friday, February 19, 2016

The After Beracha For One Who Had Half a Kezayit of Two Different Foods

The After Beracha For One Who Had Half a Kezayit of Two Different Foods
Day: Friday
Date: February 19, 2016
Parshat: Titzaveh
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 208


One who ate half a kezayit of fruits of the shiv'at haminim and half a kezayit of fruits that are not part of the shiv'at haminim does not say any after beracha at all since he did not have a full kezayit of either one. However, if one ate half a kezayit each from two different foods that both require boreh nefashot, such as apples and fish, then they are combined and he says boreh nefashot to cover both. Likewise, one who ate half a kezayit each from two different fruits that both require al ha'etz, such as figs and raisins, says al ha'etz afterward even though he did not have enough of either one for an after beracha. One who accidentally said boreh nefashot instead of me'en shalosh does not say me'en shalosh afterward.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

One Who Does Not Know the Al Ha'etz by Heart

One Who Does Not Know the Al Ha'etz by Heart
Day: Wednesday
Date: February 17, 2016
Parshat: Titzaveh
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 208


One who ate fruits of the shiv'at haminim and then realized that he doesn't know by heart the beracha of al ha'etz and he doesn't have a way to get a siddur, should not say the beracha at all. Boreh nefashot is not a universal beracha and therefore in this case he should not say that either. In order to avoid such situations it is recommended to learn the beracha by heart. Nowadays there are numerous suddurim that can be downloaded onto ones cell phone for just such a situation. One who ate a fruit and is not sure if the after beracha should be al ha'etz or boreh nefashot, does not say any after beracha at all.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

One Who is Unsure Whether or Not He Said Me'en Shalosh

One Who is Unsure Whether or Not He Said Me'en Shalosh
Day: Tuesday
Date: February 16, 2016
Parshat: Titzaveh
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 208


There are some poskim who maintain that me'en shalosh is a De'oraita requirement. Other poskim hold that the requirement is Derabanan. The Shulhan Aruch follows the option that maintains that it is Derabanan and therefore one who is unsure whether or not he said me'en shalosh does not say it again in order to be sure. It is is best though in that case to eat another kezayit of mezonot or fruits of the shiv'at haminim in order to require oneself to say the after beracha. In that case he does not say a new beracha before the food. Instead he should think the beracha without articulating the words.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Monday, February 15, 2016

The Beracha of Me'en Shalosh

The Beracha of Me'en Shalosh
Day: Monday
Date: February 15, 2016
Parshat: Titzaveh
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 208


The after beracha on fruits that are part of the shiv'at haminim, the seven species, is al ha'etz. The fruits included in this category are olives, dates, grapes, figs, and pomegranates. The after Beracha on grain products other than bread is al hamihya. The after beracha on wine and grape juice is al hagefen. The general name for these berachot is me'en shalosh. Al hamihya, al ha'etz, and al hagefen are specific names for the insert that is said as part of me'en shalosh. As mentioned previously, an after beracha is only said if one ate a kezayit, about an ounce, within seven and a half minutes, or drank a revi'it, just under three ounces, in one shot. It is unclear whether or not a person a drank a kezayit of liquid needs to say an after beracha. Since it is a safek, it is advisable to either drink less than a kezayit, or more than a revi'it. However, one who did drink an amount in between a kezayit and a revi'it does not say an after beracha.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Sunday, February 14, 2016

The After Beracha on Wine, Grape Juice, and Other Drinks

The After Beracha on Wine, Grape Juice, and Other Drinks
Day: Sunday
Date: February 14, 2016
Parshat: Titzaveh
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 207


As mentioned previously, one who said a beracha on wine or grape juice does not say shehakol on other drinks. One who said hagefen and then did not have enough wine to say an after berahca but did have enough of other drinks to require an after beracha, does not say al hagefen. Instead he says boreh nefashot to cover everything. One who drank a revi'it of hard alcohol all at once does not say an after beracha if that is not normally done where he is.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

The After Beracha on Chocolate

The After Beracha on Chocolate
Day: Wednesday
Date: February 10, 2016
Parshat: Terumah
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 207


A person who instead of chewing and eating chocolate the normal way sucked on it and softened and swallowed it, is considered to have drank rather than to have eaten it. Therefore if he consumed it in that fashion he does not say an after beracha even if he had a kezayit, 27 grams, worth of chocolate within seven and a half minutes. If he chewed and ate it regularly he does say an after beracha if he ate a kezayit within seven and a half minutes.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

The After Beracha on Soup, Ice Cream, and Yogurt

The After Beracha on Soup, Ice Cream, and Yogurt
Day: Tuesday
Date: February 9, 2016
Parshat: Terumah
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 207


One who is eating hot soup with a spoon does not say an after beracha when finished. However, if he drank it from a cup after letting it cool down somewhat, he does say an after beracha. A person who eats ice cream, whether on a cone or in a cup with a spoon, does not say an after beracha when done since it is highly unlikely that he ate a revi'it quick enough. One who drinks a revi'it of yogurt at once however, does says an after beracha.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Monday, February 8, 2016

After Berachot on Coffee and Tea

After Berachot on Coffee and Tea
Day: Monday
Date: February 8, 2016
Parshat: Terumah
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 207


One who drank hot tea or coffee does not say an after beracha when finished since it is consumed slowly and therefore highly unlikely that he drank a revi'it at once or in the amount of time that it usually takes people to drink a revi'it at once. There are some of our Ashkenazi brethren who maintain that as long as a revi'it was consumed within seven and a half minutes an after beracha is necessary, however the Sephardic custom does not follow that opinion. However, even though our custom is to not say an after beracha in that situation, one who hears an Ashkenazi person say boreh nefashot in that case should say amen. One should also not say an after beracha after drinking coffee that has cooled down somewhat, even if he drank a revi'it at once, since most people do not wait for their coffee to cool down and then drink it in gulps. However, if he allowed his tea to cool down somewhat and then drank a revi'it of that at once, he does say an after beracha.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Sunday, February 7, 2016

The Minimum Amount of Food Needed for an After Beracha

The Minimum Amount of Food Needed for an After Beracha
Day: Sunday
Date: February 7, 2016
Parshat: Terumah
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 207


The after beracha for any food not grown from the ground, any vegetables, and any fruits that are not part of the shiv'at haminim is boreh nefashot. An after beracha is only required if at least a kezayit, which is 27 grams metric or just under one ounce US, was eaten within seven and a half minutes. If less than that was eaten in seven and a half minutes no after beracha is said. The after beracha on drinks other than wine and grape juice is also boreh nefashot. One who drank less than a revi'it, which is 81 grams metric or just under three ounces US, in one gulp, does not say an after beracha on the drink. The three ounces must be continuous. If he drank an ounce, swallowed, and then drank another ounce that does not combine to qualify for an after beracha. In order to avoid mahloket, one should ideally not drink between one kezayit and one revi'it of liquid, he should ideally have either less than a kezayit or more than a revi'it at once. Once who ate from a few different foods enough of each to require a boreh nefashot says it only once to cover everything.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Friday, February 5, 2016

The Beracha of Hagefen Covers Other Drinks

The Beracha of Hagefen Covers Other Drinks
Day: Friday
Date: February 5, 2016
Parshat: Mishpatim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 206


The beracha of hagefen on wine and grape juice also covers any other drinks had during that sitting. Meaning, one who said or listened to hagefen at a kiddush on Shabbat does not then say shehakol on any drinks he has during the kiddush. It is important to note that the beracha only covers drinks, it does not cover other shehakol foods such as meat, eggs, or cheese. However, if he said shehakol on a drink, even if doing so was a mistake because he already had wine or grape juice during that sitting, then the shehakol will cover anything else with the same beracha had at that sitting.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Thursday, February 4, 2016

One Who Said Ha'adamah or Mezonot on Bread

One Who Said Ha'adamah or Mezonot on Bread
Day: Thursday
Date: February 4, 2016
Parshat: Mishpatim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 206


A person who said ha'etz on bread needs to say a new beracha since the beracha of ha'etz has no relevance to bread. However if he said ha'adamah there are some poskim who maintain that his beracha is valid. Likewise, if he said mezonot on bread there are poskim who maintain that it is also valid. There is a concept called "safek berachot lehakel," or, an uncertainty regarding Berachot is ruled leniently. Therefore, even though a number of poskim do not agree that ha'adamah or mezonot can be a valid beracha on bread, because of the concept of safek berachot lehakel no new beracha is required in such a situation.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

One Who Said an After Beracha on Only Part of His Food

One Who Said an After Beracha on Only Part of His Food
Day: Wednesday
Date: February 3, 2016
Parshat: Mishpatim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 206


One who ate and drank items that require boreh nefashot afterward and when saying the after beracha only had in mind the food or only the drinks, nevertheless does not need to say the after beracha again. Even if it the time he was saying the beracha he mistakenly thought that the food required a different after beracha than the one he said, still, no new after beracha is required.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

One Who When Saying the Beracha Had in Mind to Eat More Than What was in Front of Him

One Who When Saying the Beracha Had in Mind to Eat More Than What was in Front of Him
Day: Tuesday
Date: February 2, 2016
Parshat: Mishpatim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 206


One who in his own home is served fruit should ideally have in mind that the beracha he will say will include any fruit with the same beracha that will be served afterward. If he had that in mind, no new beracha is said on any subsequent fruit eaten during that sitting. If he did not have that in mind or if he did not intend to eat any more fruit, there is a difference of opinion whether a new beracha is necessary or not. In order to avoid the possibility of saying a beracha in vain, no new beracha is said in that case. It is important to note that even though no new beracha is said, it is still best to always have in mind to include any more fruit will be brought so as to avoid any mahloket. One who is a guest at someone else's house does not make a new beracha on anything subsequently served to him if it has the same beracha as what he already had - regardless of what he had in mind.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org

Monday, February 1, 2016

One Who Said a Beracha on Tea That was too Bitter

One Who Said a Beracha on Tea That was too Bitter
Day: Monday
Date: February 1, 2016
Parshat: Mishpatim
Yalkut Yosef: O"H: 206


In a case where a person said a beracha on tea and upon tasting realized that it would be too bitter to drink and added sugar to make it edible, it is questionable whether a new beracha is necessary to drink the tea with added sugar. However, if he does sometimes drink tea without sugar, it is clear that no beracha is said after adding some sugar to this current cup. On the flip side, if instead of adding sugar he was given a new cup of tea he definitely does need to say a new beracha. A person who accidentally said a beracha on non kosher food may not have any of the food even though the beracha will have been in vain. However, if the food is okay in general but not under the circumstances, such as on a fast day or milk within six hours of meat, he should taste a little bit so as not to have said a beracha in vain.


DSH is brought to you in memory of Rabbi Mordechai ben Daniel. Please visit us online at sephardichalacha.org