Fwd: Halacha Yomis - Rosh Hashana Fruits, Order Of Berachos

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: OU Kosher <noreply@ounetwork.org>
Date: Fri, Sep 23, 2022, 7:01 AM
Subject: Halacha Yomis - Rosh Hashana Fruits, Order Of Berachos
To: <agentemes4@gmail.com>

 

What is the halacha for fruits eaten at the beginning of the meal on Rosh Hashanah?   The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis This column is dedicated in memory of: Rav Chaim Yisroel ben Reb Dov HaLevi Belsky, zt'l Senior OU Kosher Halachic Consultant from 1987-2016 Q. On Rosh Hashanah night after reciting Hamotzi, I will eat a number of foods as a siman tov (good omen) for the coming year. Among those, it is customary to eat three fruits: apples (dipped in honey), dates and pomegranates. What is the halacha for fruits eaten at the beginning of the meal on Rosh Hashanah? Do I recite a beracha of Borei Pri Ha'eitz on these fruits or are they covered by Hamotzi? If a beracha is required, which fruit should I eat first? A. The Mishnah Berurah (583:3) writes that one is required to recite Borei Pri Ha'eitz (one time) on these fruits. The beracha of Hamotzi does not cover these items because they are served as a "siman tov" (a good omen) to merit a good year, and not as part of the meal. When eating more than one fruit, halacha establishes rules of priority (kedimos) based on the level of importance of each item. Which fruit is eaten first on the night of Rosh Hashana? There are three different opinions in the poskim about this matter. In general, fruit of the seven species of Israeli listed in the Torah (Devorim 8:8) take precedence, because they are more important. Furthermore, dates have a more prominent position than pomegranates in the aforementioned verse, and for that reason, they take precedence for brochos as well. As such, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt"l (Halichos Shlomo, Tishrai,1:17) writes that the berocha of Ha'eitz is recited on the dates and the pomegranate and apple follow without an additional beracha. The Kaf Hachayim (583:14) quotes others who maintain that the Borei Pri Haetz is recited on the apple on the night of Rosh Hashanah because the apple dipped in honey is the most important siman tov of the evening, as reflected in Kabalistic literature (see Maharil Hilchos Rosh Hashana 7). It is well known that many great rabbis recited the beracha on the apple first. Still other poskim recommend avoiding the issue altogether by not bringing the dates and pomegranates to the table until after the beracha is recited on the apple. The beracha is recited on the apple while having in mind the other fruit, but the they are left in a different room until after the apple is consumed (See Sefer Piskei Teshuvos 583:2). More about this program and to subscribe visit https://oukosher.org/halacha-yomis-email/ View archive on https://oukosher.org/halacha-yomis/ Subscriber comments and questions related to this mailing can be sent to GerstenE@ou.org. These questions and their answers may be selected to become one of the Q and A's on OU Kosher Halacha Yomis. Dedicated by Gerald and Karin Feldhamer in memory of their parents R' Moshe ben R' Elyokim Getzel Feldhamer and Pesha bas Reb Mordechai R' Avrohom Abba ben R' Chaim Finkelstein and Taube bas R' Yissocher Dov HaKohen In memory of R' Kalman ben R' Moshe Feldhamer    ***Newly Released*** Fifth Edition - OU Manual for Checking Fruits and Vegetables is now available **NEW from OU Press** Halacha Yomis: A Daily Halachic Companion Halacha Yomis is now available as a highly readable compendium of practical laws and customs   Forward     Unsubscribe Please do not 'reply' to this message. The inbox of noreply@ounetwork.org is not monitored.