Chapter 51: 4-6
Blessings After Eating
4. All foods can be combined to make up the measure of a k'zayis. A person
who ate half a k'zayis of a food over which borey nefoshos is recited and
half a k'zayis of a food for which the "single threefold blessing" (al
hamichyoh, or al ho'eitz) is recited - or half a k'zayis of bread - should
recite borey nefoshos as a b'rochoh achronoh.
It appears to me that the same law applies if a person ate half a k'zayis
of fruit that requires the blessing al ho'eitz and either half a k'zayis of
a type of food that requires the blessing al hamichyoh or half a k'zayis of
bread (although, at present, there is no food which in its own right
requires the blessing borey nefoshos, nevertheless,) he should recite the
blessing borey nefoshos.
If a person ate half a k'zayis of a food which requires the blessing al
hamichyoh and half a k'zayis of bread, he should recite the blessing al
hamichyoh. Eating and drinking cannot be combined together [for such purposes].
5. [The following rules apply when] a person eats half a k'zayis of food,
waits, and then eats another half of a k'zayis. If the duration of time
from when he began to eat until he concluded eating was not more than it
takes to eat a standard measure of food,* the two are combined and he is
required to recite a b'rochoh achronoh. However, if he waited longer, the
two are not combined [and he may not recite a b'rochoh achronoh]. With
regard to drinking, even if he hesitated for less time, the two are not
combined.**
* {Most Sages consider the standard measure of food as the equivalent of
four medium size eggs. However, some consider it as the equivalent of three
large eggs. The standard measure of food means the time it takes to consume
that amount. Thus, there is also a divergence of opinion about this
measure. Shiurei Torah considers this to be between 4 and 9 minutes,
depending on the nature of the Halachic issue involved (in the present
context, 4 minutes). The Chazon Ish requires one to consider 2 minutes, also.}
** {Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi in his Piskei Siddur and the Mishnoh B'ruroh
210:1 maintain that the standard measure of food applies with regard to
drinking as well.}
6. Generally, a person who drinks a hot beverage (e.g., tea or coffee)
slowly, does not drink the minimum measure of liquid at one time. Hence,
his drinking is not considered a single act, and he need not recite a
b'rochoh achronoh.* This applies even though this is the normal manner in
which one partakes of such beverages.
* {According to the opinions mentioned in the previous note, one should
recite a b'rochoh achronoh after drinking these beverages with the above
mentioned time limit.}
