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Shehecheyanu the first time one puts on tefillin

That is a very astute question for a bar mitzva, one which shows that, already at your age,...

Berachot on fruit salad

You imply that you know the beracha rishona for the fruit salad, and this actually will affect the...

Birkat haTorah for one who wakes up during the night

It is hard to avoid uncertainties in the various related scenarios of this general case, but we will...

Does Birkat HaMazon cover cake that was eaten before the meal?

If one knows that he is about to eat bread (which constitutes a meal), he should, in most...

Teaching berachot over non-kosher food

[We do not refer, in this response, to the educational challenges that exist in such a sensitive situation,...

Does a mistaken beracha exempt other foods?

In order to answer your question, we will have to investigate some of the concepts that you correctly...

Berachot made by a katan on behalf of a gadol

We will start with the explicit Talmudic sources concerning what a katan can and cannot do in this...

Talking Between Netilat Yadayim and Eating

There are three different stages to deal with in this context, and many people are not aware of...

Making a New Beracha After Having Planned to Finish Eating

Intention regarding what one plans to eat affects the need for additional berachot in two different ways, and...

Does the Beracha on Grape Juice Exempt Other Drinks?

The accepted practice, in agreement with the majority of poskim, is that grape juice is treated like wine...

How Often Should One Make Berachot When Drinking Throughout a Hike?

We will first determine whether a beracha rishona can cover that which one subsequently drinks or eats at...

The Unique Characteristics of the Third to Join a Zimun‎{&&}‎

You are correct that two people who ate together have a special status regarding a zimun. This is...

Beracha on Solution Drunk for Diagnostic Purposes

The gemara says that one must make a beracha before eating because one may not benefit from the...

Reciting Birkat HaGomel on Behalf of a Group

A story in the gemara forms the basis of the answer to your question. After Rav Yehuda recuperated...

How Long to Wait After Zimun to Resume Eating

The gemara cites a machloket regarding until which point birkat hazimun extends. Rav Nachman says it is until...

Is it Preferable to Start a Meal with Bread?

One is not required to eat bread if he does not want to, even if it means that...

One Who is Uncertain if He Recited Birkat HaMazon

The Shulchan Aruch rules that if one is unsure whether he bentched or not, he should nevertheless bentch....

Moving to a New Location in the Midst of a Meal

You have made the question more manageable by asking specifically about a meal, which we are assuming includes...

The Beracha on Schnitzel

The truth is actually not simple. As we will see, much of the difficulty is not a matter...

Factors that Determine the Precedence of Berachot

First, we will explore whether you could have eaten grapes based on the beracha that you made. Then...

Beracha Acharona After Ice Cream and Ices

We will start by discussing the parallel discussion among the poskim regarding tea and coffee, and we will...

Repeating Tefillat HaDerech During An Ongoing Trip

The Kolbo cites the Maharam MiRotenberg’s assertion that one says Tefillat HaDerech only once during the day even...

Beracha at the Place Where One Was Saved in a Car Accident

First, if you are Ashkenazi, reciting HaGomel as you did was proper, as one recites the beracha after...

Reciting HaGomel for a Child Who Was Saved

Regarding a question about something that already happened, we should consider the matter from two perspectives: What is...

Birkat HaMazon After Significant Delay

The mishna states that one can bentch only until the food is digested. The gemara offers two opinions...

Two Out of a Group Who Want to do a Zimun‎

The gemara says that if three people eat together, one stops eating to answer for two who want...

When to Make a Beracha on the Morning Netilat Yadayim

The gemara describes the morning berachot as being recited as one performs the particular action to which each...

Answering Amen to an Electronically Heard Beracha

One can be yotzei a beracha by hearing it only if it is made by a person who...

Shehecheyanu on Vegetables

We must distinguish between the answer in principle and in practice. In principle, Shehecheyanu applies to anything that...

Combining Small Amounts of Foods for a Beracha Acharona

We will focus on only a few of this issue’s many possible permutations. We start with the case...

A series of responsa books written by the rabbis of the Institute for scholars and rabbis from around the world in all areas of Halacha.

Halachic Advisory Service

Shehecheyanu the first time one puts on tefillin

Berachot on fruit salad

Birkat haTorah for one who wakes up during the night

Does Birkat HaMazon cover cake that was eaten before the meal?

Teaching berachot over non-kosher food

Does a mistaken beracha exempt other foods?

Berachot made by a katan on behalf of a gadol

Talking Between Netilat Yadayim and Eating

Making a New Beracha After Having Planned to Finish Eating

Does the Beracha on Grape Juice Exempt Other Drinks?

How Often Should One Make Berachot When Drinking Throughout a Hike?

The Unique Characteristics of the Third to Join a Zimun‎{&&}‎

Beracha on Solution Drunk for Diagnostic Purposes

Reciting Birkat HaGomel on Behalf of a Group

How Long to Wait After Zimun to Resume Eating

Is it Preferable to Start a Meal with Bread?

One Who is Uncertain if He Recited Birkat HaMazon

Moving to a New Location in the Midst of a Meal

The Beracha on Schnitzel

Factors that Determine the Precedence of Berachot

Beracha Acharona After Ice Cream and Ices

Repeating Tefillat HaDerech During An Ongoing Trip

Beracha at the Place Where One Was Saved in a Car Accident

Reciting HaGomel for a Child Who Was Saved

Birkat HaMazon After Significant Delay

Two Out of a Group Who Want to do a Zimun‎

When to Make a Beracha on the Morning Netilat Yadayim

Answering Amen to an Electronically Heard Beracha

Shehecheyanu on Vegetables

Combining Small Amounts of Foods for a Beracha Acharona

Ask The Rabbi

A series of responsa books written by the rabbis of the Institute for scholars and rabbis from around the world in all areas of Halacha.

Halachic Advisory Service

Send a question

Shehecheyanu the first time one puts on tefillin

Berachot on fruit salad

Birkat haTorah for one who wakes up during the night

Does Birkat HaMazon cover cake that was eaten before the meal?

Teaching berachot over non-kosher food

Does a mistaken beracha exempt other foods?

Berachot made by a katan on behalf of a gadol

Talking Between Netilat Yadayim and Eating

Making a New Beracha After Having Planned to Finish Eating

Does the Beracha on Grape Juice Exempt Other Drinks?

How Often Should One Make Berachot When Drinking Throughout a Hike?

The Unique Characteristics of the Third to Join a Zimun‎{&&}‎

Beracha on Solution Drunk for Diagnostic Purposes

Reciting Birkat HaGomel on Behalf of a Group

How Long to Wait After Zimun to Resume Eating

Is it Preferable to Start a Meal with Bread?

One Who is Uncertain if He Recited Birkat HaMazon

Moving to a New Location in the Midst of a Meal

The Beracha on Schnitzel

Factors that Determine the Precedence of Berachot

Beracha Acharona After Ice Cream and Ices

Repeating Tefillat HaDerech During An Ongoing Trip

Beracha at the Place Where One Was Saved in a Car Accident

Reciting HaGomel for a Child Who Was Saved

Birkat HaMazon After Significant Delay

Two Out of a Group Who Want to do a Zimun‎

When to Make a Beracha on the Morning Netilat Yadayim

Answering Amen to an Electronically Heard Beracha

Shehecheyanu on Vegetables

Combining Small Amounts of Foods for a Beracha Acharona

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