Brochos Archives - AskTheRav

If your using the bathroom very frequently do you say Asher Yatzer after each time?

Yes. If he forgot to recite the first time, he recites it only once later. However, if one is taking a medication causing him to urinate frequently, is different,…

מחר הבר מצוה של אחי הצעיר והוא בע”ה יעלה לתורה ב-770. אבא שלי לא יכל להגיע. בנוגע לברכת ברוך שפטרני – האם אפשרי לברך באמצעות הטלפון?

האב אינו צריך להיות נוכח בשעת העלי׳. ויברך ממקומו. אבל, עליו לומר בשינוי קצת ״מעונשו של בני״, או ״בני פלוני״. וכדאי שיהיו עשרה במקומו. אבל אינו מעכב. ואם רוצה…

Is a non Jewish family who will soon be going through conversion allowed to say Brochos on lighting the Menorah? And are there a group of Brochos they are not allowed to say in general?

They may not say Brachos on Mitzvos or Brachos which contain content which isn’t applicable such as "שלא עשני גוי" or ״אלקי אבותינו״. They may say Brachos on food.…

I bought peaches a few days ago. Forgot that we don’t say Shehechiyanu during Sefira. Can we make one on Lag BaOmer for new fruit?

Yes. מקור: סה״ש תשמ״ט ב ע׳ 745. Does it matter that I already bought the fruit and they would go to waste otherwise? In such a…

האם מברכים שהחיינו על טלית או סירטוק חדש? והאם מברכים ברכת הטוב והמטיב על יין משובח?

מפורסם מנהגנו שבדרך כלל אין מברכים על בגדים חדשים ואפילו על טלית, כ״א על פרי חדש, אלא אם יש סיבה אחרת המחייבת. בנוגע לברכת הטוב והמטיב על שינוי יין…

Is our Minhag to say or not to say Baruch Hu Uvaruch Shemo by the Birchos Hatorah? What about Birchos Haftarah? If yes, what about when a person is relying on listening to these Brachos for the account of 100 Brachos required daily?

The custom is to answer Baruch Hu Uvaruch Shemo in all these cases. Sources: שקו״ט בכ״מ באמירת ב״ה וב״ש בחזרת הש״צ כשיוצא יד״ח ק׳ ברכות, וכן בקריה״ת. ולהעיר…

If someone needs to change a baby diaper after Kiddush, would it be better to do it between Kiddush and washing or after washing where then another washing would need to take place to eat more bread?

After washing, provided that the pamper does not give off smell which makes it problematic to recite Brachos. Sources: הנה, בשו״ת מהרי״ל החדשות במה שצ״ל קידוש במקום סעודה…

If one washed and ate only a tiny piece of bread (they did not like the bread) is one supposed to say Birchas Hamazon? If not, what does one Bentch? (They ate other foods in this meal as well).

All articles of food combine to make up a Kazayis. So, if you ate half a Kazayis of something that requires the after-Brachah, Borei Nefashos Rabbos, and then you ate another half a Kazayis…

When one goes to eat at a friend or in-laws Shabbos day, and takes off the Tallis for the meal, may he put the Tallis back on and wear it in order to get it back home? Does it matter if it is cold outside?

It is not a problem, even if it is not cold. However, if the Tallis has been off for three hours or more, one would have to make a…

I am making a Simcha and serving potato borekas and pizza borekas. The caterer said that it is a water based dough not made with apple juice. What is the Brocha? Are we required to wash?

The Bracha is Hamotzi. See here.

What is the Bracha for Quinoa?

Haadama and Borei Nefashos, unless pureed and unrecognizable where it would be Shehakol. While quinoa is technically classified by many as a grain, it is not one of the…

When does Tekufas Nissan start? Meaning when could you make the Bracha on trees? (Since it is a leap year). The trees that we always go to have flowers now, but they might not have flowers in a month.

Tekufas Nissan is April 8th which this year corresponds to Monday 3 Nissan. However, the Bracha on the trees should be said in the month of Nissan, not earlier…

What is the Bracha on Cholent made of potato, barley and meat, where barley is all disintegrated?

Mezonos.

What is the bracha on guacomole – avocado dip?

If in liquid form, Shehakol. If not crushed completely to become a liquid and pieces are noticeable, Haetz.

Do we make a Bracha when we Toivel vessels nowadays? I heard that because the owner of the company of utensils may be a Jew, so we do not make Bracha out if this concern? (Unless we know for sure it is owned by a non Jew) Please explain.

If you are buying utensils in a place where most manufacturers of this type of product are non-Jewish, you should make a Bracha. Furthermore, if the you are buying the…

What Bracha does one make on the “LaraBar”?

Ha'etz. It appears that the dates are the primary ingredient and therefore it would require a Ha'etz. Even assuming that two ingredients are primary, we follow the majority ingredient,…

What Bracha does one make on “Mor” (myrrh)? And what Bracha on “Levona” (frankincense)?

Mor - Borei Minei Besamim. Levonah - Borei Atzei Besamim. Sources: מור - סדר ברכת הנהנין יא, ה, וכפס״ד השו״ע או״ח רטז, ב. לבונה - סדר ברה״נ שם ו,…

I made croutons to be used as additions in salad or snacking from leftover Challah, by baking it with oil. What Bracha will it be? Do I need to wash for it?

The Bracha is Hamotzi.

I am on a gluten-free diet and occasionally have rice for my meal, what Bracha can I make on it without making a Bracha Mezonos or Hamotzi on a wheat product?

If no Mezonos is possible, you should make on it Shehakol. You should still seek to make Haadama and Shehakol on other foods.

What is the proper way to say the Bracha before and after Hallel? In certain Siddurim it says that when half Hallel is said, the Tzibbur should be Yotzei the first Bracha with the Chazzans Bracha, but this does not seem to be common practice in Chabad. As well as the final Bracha some say that when we say Chatzi Hallel we do not say the Bracha. What is the proper way and why does it seem to say otherwise in many Siddurim?

The comment in Siddurim is the Psak of the Alter Rebbe. However, the Rebbe Rashab did not follow this Psak. The Rebbe once mentioned that the custom of Chassidim is…