The Shulhan Aruch writes (Orah Haim 28; listen to audio recording for precise citation) that one is required to touch his Tefillin "at every moment" while he wears them, so that his mind will not be distracted from them. The Mishna Berura (commentary by Rav Yisrael Kagan, 1839-1933) clarifies that this refers to every time when a person mentions th…

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The Torah requires wearing the Tefillin Shel Rosh (the head Tefillin) "Bein Einecha" – "in between your eyes." It is clear from the Gemara that this verse is not to be taken literally to mean that one places the Tefillin on his forehead in between his eyes. In fact, the Gemara remarks that people who accept the literal meaning of this verse are dee…

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A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDe către Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

Where precisely on the arm should one position his Tefillin Shel Yad? Halacha requires that the entire box of the Tefillin Shel Yad be located on the muscle, the part of the arm between the elbow and shoulder that protrudes upwards when one bends his arm. If any part of the Tefillin Shel Yad extends off the muscle in either direction – be it downwa…

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One does not wear Tefillin on Shabbat or Yom Tov. See Shulchan Aruch 31:2, and Rama. This includes both the first day of Yom Tov and the additional day observed in the Diaspora. The custom among Sepharadim is not to wear Tefillin during Chol Ha'mo'ed Pesach or Chol Ha'mo'ed Sukkot, either. Among Ashkenazim, different customs exists in this regard o…

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A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDe către Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

If a person eats cereal with milk, which Beracha – or Berachot – does he recite? If, for example, the Beracha over the cereal itself is Mezonot, as is often the case, does the person recite only Mezonot, only She'hakol (the Beracha over milk), or both? The Gemara in Berachot establishes that when a person eats two foods together, he recites a Berac…

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The Shulhan Aruch establishes a fundamental rule concerning the Beracha to be recited on products made from fruit: if a fruit is crushed into a paste, then it still retains its status with regard to Berachot. The case under discussion is dates which were mashed into a paste and eaten in that paste form. The Shulhan Aruch ruled that as long as the f…

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The accepted custom is to recite the Beracha of "She'ha'kol" over coffee, and this is, of course, the Halacha. Interestingly, however, there is considerable discussion among the Poskim as to why this should be the case. The Rosh (Rabbenu Asher Ben Yehiel, 1250-1327) was of the opinion that if a fruit is boiled, the Beracha over the liquid is "Ha'et…

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There are certain fruits that grow on trees with unusual features, giving rise to the question of whether the Beracha over these fruits is "Ha'etz" – like for other fruits – or "Ha'adama." These fruits include papaya, banana, pineapple and passion fruit. As for papaya, Hacham Ovadia Yosef ruled (in Hazon Ovadia – Berachot, p. 23) that since the pap…

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Different opinions exist as to the Beracha recited over Labas – almonds with a thick coating of sugar. The Mishna Berura (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933) writes (204) that one recites "Ha'etz," just like over ordinary almonds, because the almond is the primary component and the sugar is secondary. The Ben Ish Hai (Rav Yosef Haim of Bagh…

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The Beracha recited over a chocolate bar that contains nuts is "She'ha'kol." The chocolate is clearly the primary component, while the nuts are secondary, and therefore one should recite "She'ha'kol" over the chocolate, and this Beracha covers the nuts. If one eats nuts with a thin glaze of honey, the Beracha is "Ha'etz." Although Hacham Bension Ab…

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A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDe către Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

The Shulhan Aruch rules (Orah Haim 206) that if a person recited the Beracha of "Boreh Peri Ha'etz" over a food that requires the Beracha of "Boreh Peri Ha'adama," he has not fulfilled his obligation, and he must then recite "Ha'adama." Something that grows directly from the ground – such as lettuce or other vegetables – cannot be said to have grow…

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The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 206:2) rules that if one mistakenly recited the Beracha of "Ha'adama" over a fruit that requires the Beracha of "Ha'etz," he has fulfilled his obligation. Thus, for example, if a person recited "Ha'adama" over an apple, he has fulfilled his obligation and does not then need to recite "Ha'etz," because after the fact, th…

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In an earlier edition of Daily Halacha, it was noted that if a person places small pieces of bread (less than a Ke'zayit) into a pot of hot soup, the bread is "downgraded" from the Beracha of "Ha'mosi" to the Beracha of "Mezonot." This Halacha is codified by the Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 168). The Halachic authorities debate the question of whether …

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If a person eats chicken which is prepared with stuffing – such as rice – how many Berachot does he recite? Must he recite two separate Berachot – "Mezonot" on the rice and "She'hakol" on the chicken – or should he recite just one Beracha? And if he must recite only one Beracha, which Beracha does he recite? The Halacha in this case depends on how …

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Although rice is not one of the standard grains (such as wheat and barley), Halacha nevertheless treats it as a grain because of its resemblance to standard grain, and thus it requires the Beracha of "Mezonot." Therefore, one recites "Mezonot" before eating cooked rice or products made from rice flour, though the Beracha Aharona recited after eatin…

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An ice-cream sandwich consists of two cookies, often made with chocolate or other flavoring, with ice cream in between them. Of course, cookies require the Beracha of "Mezonot" whereas over ice cream one recites the Beracha of "She'hakol." The question thus arises, which Beracha does one recite over an ice cream sandwich: "Mezonot," "She'hakol," or…

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A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDe către Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 211) presents the guidelines regarding the proper sequence to follow when one eats foods of different types, that require different Berachot. These Halachot are especially complex, but the basic rules are as follows: 1) If one is eating bread, then he recites the Beracha of "Ha'mosi" over the bread before eating any oth…

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If one tastes some food or drink purely for the purpose of tasting, and not for enjoyment, is he required to recite a Beracha? This issue is subject to a debate among the Rishonim (Medieval Halachic authorities). The Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon, Spain-Egypt, 1135-1204) ruled in Hilchot Berachot (1:2) that one does not recite a Beracha before tas…

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Halacha establishes specific protocols for situations where one has before him different kinds of bread that he will be eating, determining over which bread the Beracha of Ha'mosi should be recited. The first rule is that bread made from wheat is considered superior to bread from other grains, such as barley. Thus, if a person will be eating bread …

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One who plans on eating a Ke'besa – approximately 2 oz. – or more of bread must wash Netilat Yadayim with a Beracha. Within how much time after washing his hands must he eat this quantity of bread in order to justify the Beracha that he recited over the Netilat Yadayim? Normally, when Halacha requires the consumption of a Ke'zayit (half a Ke'besa),…

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The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 168) establishes that if one eats a significant quantity of "Pat Ha'ba'a Be'kisnin" (the precise definition of which will be discussed in a separate installment), such as cake, then he must wash Netilat Yadayim, recite "Ha'mosi" before eating, and recite "Birkat Ha'mazon" after eating, as though he was eating bread. Spe…

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If one eats 216 grams or more of "Pat Ha'ba'a Be'kisnin" (the precise definition of which will be discussed in a separate context), such as an entire box of cookies, then he must treat the cookies as bread with respect to Halacha. He thus washes Netilat Yadayim, recites "Ha'mosi" before eating, and recites Birkat Ha'mazon after eating. And, he does…

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A Daily Gemara podcast, brought to you by Daily GemaraDe către Rabbi Eli J. Mansour