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Laws Relating to Birkat HaMazon (4)

Text file

 

Translated by David Silverberg

 

I) INTERRUPTING IN THE MIDDLE OF BIRKAT HA-MAZON

 

     One may not interrupt in the middle of the recitation of birkat ha-mazon to greet somebody.  One may, however, interrupt birkat ha-mazon to respond to kaddish and kedusha (especially for "amen, yehei shemei rabba," "kadosh, kadosh…" and "barukh kevod.")

 

                When some necessity arises, one may interrupt his recitation of birkat ha-mazon after the point of the berakha, "Bonei be-rachamav Yerushalayim."  If a less urgent need arises, one may interrupt only after the point of "u-mikol tuv le-olam al yechasrenu."

 

     One may not signal (even silently) to someone or involve himself in other activities during the recitation of birkat ha-mazon; this applies even to simple activities.

 

The Source of the Halakha

 

     The Gemara in Masekhet Berakhot 13a says that when reciting shema, one may initiate a greeting to someone from whom he fears and respond to a greeting from someone he respects.  This halakha pertains to greetings while the individual finds himself in the middle of one of the paragraphs of shema.  In between the three paragraphs, however, the halakha is more lenient: one may initiate a greeting to someone he respects and respond to any greeting, regardless from whom.

 

     Tosafot (13b) derive from this passage that one may respond to kaddish and kedusha in the middle of shema, whereas these responses obviously involve respect for the Almighty.  This ruling of Tosafot is codified in the Shulchan Arukh (66).  Regarding shemoneh esrei, however, we are far more stringent: even should a king initiate a greeting, one may not interrupt his shemoneh esrei to respond.

 

     What about birkat ha-mazon?  Should we compare its recitation to that of shema in this regard, and allow certain interruptions, or does its halakha in this context correspond to that regarding shemoneh esrei, when no interruptions are allowed?

 

     The Orchot Chayim (Hilkhot Birkat Ha-mazon, 53), equates birkat ha-mazon with shemoneh esrei, a position cited anonymously by the Shulchan Arukh (183:8).  Accordingly, it would seem, one may not interrupt during the recitation of birkat ha-mazon, even to respond to kaddish or kedusha.

 

     Nevertheless, the Chazon Ish (55:3) ruled that although one may not interrupt birkat ha-mazon to greet another, one may do so for the purposes of kaddish or kedusha.

 

     When a considerable need arises, one may interrupt after "bonei be-rachamav Yerushalayim."  Preferably, however, one should not interrupt even after this point so that people don't become lax with regard to the fourth berakha (Terumat Ha-deshen, 39).

 

     During the "Ha-rachaman" section of birkat ha-mazon, one may, in principle, interrupt, since this portion is not considered part of birkat ha-mazon.  Nevertheless, even in this section one should preferably avoid unnecessary interruptions whereas it constitutes a continuation of sorts of the fourth berakha.  This view seems to emerge from the Tur's citation of Rabbenu Yechiel: "The custom is to elongate the berakha of 'ha-tov be-hameitiv' [the fourth berakha] and recite several forms of 'Ha-rachaman…'"  (Incidentally, the Avudraham writes that in the "Ha-rachaman" section each individual may add his own requests.  The wide variety of texts used for this concluding section testifies to this flexibility.)

 

     During the recitation of birkat ha-mazon, one may not occupy himself in any activity, such as arranging the dishes and the like.  This halakha appears in the Yerushalmi and Shulchan Arukh (183:12).  The Mishna Berura (191:5) elaborates on the severity of this halakha: "… because it appears as haphazard and casual.  It is forbidden even to perform light activity… even those regarding divrei Torah… for this indicates the individual's perception of birkat ha-mazon as haphazard and incidental.  This does not apply only to birkat ha-mazon; this holds true also when involved in prayer or reciting any berakha.  This is included in the statement of our Torah, 'If you walk with Me in happenstance,' meaning, that mitzvot must not be for us merely haphazard and incidental."

 

II) A MISTAKE IN BIRKAT HA-MAZON

 

     If an individual accidentally omits the insert for a given holiday in birkat ha-mazon after a meal whose consumption is required by halakha, he must repeat birkat ha-mazon. 

 

     Therefore, if one forgets to recite "retzei" after one of the first two meals on Shabbat, he repeats birkat ha-mazon.  The same applies to an omission of "ya'aleh ve-yavo" after the first two meals on Yom Tov.  If one omits "retzei" during birkat ha-mazon after "se'uda shelishit," he does not repeat birkat ha-mazon.

 

     One who forgets to recite "ya'aleh ve-yavo" on Rosh Chodesh or Chol Ha-moed, or "al ha-nissim" on Chanuka or Purim, does not repeat birkat ha-mazon.  However, one who forgets "al ha-nissim" has the opportunity to recite it in the "ha-rachaman" section of "birkat ha-mazon."  He should say, "Ha-rachaman hu ya'aseh lanu nissim ve-nifla'ot kemo she-asa la-avoteinu ba-yamim ha-heim ba-zman ha-zeh; bi-mei… " ["May the Merciful One perform miracles and wonders for us as He did for our forefathers, in those days during this time.  During the days of… "]

 

The Source of the Halakha

 

     The Gemara in Masekhet Berakhot (49a) says, "Whenever one must eat - he must go back to the beginning."  Meaning, whenever the consumption of a given meal is required by halakha, one must repeat birkat ha-mazon after that meal should he forget the insert for that day.  Therefore, in order to determine the instances where one must repeat birkat ha-mazon when forgetting an insert, we must establish which days require the consumption of a meal (meaning, the consumption of bread).

 

     The first two meals of Shabbat are clearly required by halakha.  The Gemara in Masekhet Shabbat (117a) derives the obligation of conducting meals on Shabbat from the thrice-repeated word "hayom" [today] in Moshe Rabbenu's command regarding eating the manna on Shabbat (Shemot 16:25).  Each instance of the word "hayom" introduces an obligation to eat one meal on Shabbat.

 

     In light of the straightforward implication of this Gemara, Tosafot (Yoma 79b & Sukka 27a) posit that one must eat bread at the third meal ("se'uda shelishit") just as he does at the first two.  Rabbenu Tam, by contrast, rules that one need not eat bread at se'uda shelishit; one fulfills his obligation by eating other foods (Sefer Ha-yashar).

 

     It thus turns out that according to Tosafot one must repeat birkat ha-mazon should he omit "retzei" after "se'uda shelishit," whereas Rabbenu Tam would not require a repetition in such an instance.

 

     The Shulchan Arukh (291:5) rules that one must eat bread at the third meal on Shabbat.  Yet, earlier (188:1) the Shulchan Arukh writes that one does not repeat birkat ha-mazon after "se'uda shelishit" should he forget "retzei."  The Bach and Magen Avraham resolve this apparent discrepancy based on the principle of "safek berakhot le-hakel" - we do not recite a berakha whose requirement is in doubt.  The Shulchan Arukh thus took into consideration those views that do not require the consumption of bread at "se'uda shelishit," and consequently ruled that one does not repeat birkat ha-mazon should he omit "retzei" after "se'uda shelishit."

 

     We will not elaborate in this context on the halakha of conducting meals on Yom Tov.  Suffice it to say that halakha requires conducting the first two meals of Yom Tov.  As such, one who forgets "ya'aleh ve-yavo" after these meals must repeat birkat ha-mazon (Shulchan Arukh 188:6; Mishna Berura 188:26).  By contrast, on Rosh Chodesh and Chol Ha-moed no such obligation exists.  Therefore, one who forgets "ya'aleh ve-yavo" on these days does not repeat birkat ha-mazon (Berakhot 49a, Shulchan Arukh 188:7).  The same applies on Chanuka and Purim should one omit "al ha-nissim."

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