Brochos Archives - AskTheRav

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…

Is it Minhag Chabad to say Shecheyanu when a father first holds his baby daughter?

He should say Shecheyanu when he sees her for the first time. Sources: סדר ברה״נ יב, יב. יש הטוענים שמנהג חסידים לא לברך. וכמדומה גם הגרמ״ש ע״ה אשכנזי מסר…

Does one have to wash hands after touching a baby’s feet (or other body parts that on an older person would be covered) before saying a Bracha etc?

If one touches areas on a child’s body which are normally uncovered they need not wash their hands. The definition of “normally uncovered” is as implies, and depends on age,…

Am I allowed to say Brachos before Alos Hashachar if that is when I wake up for the day and leave my house?

If you wake up after midnight, then you should say all Brachos, as you have become obligated by doing the action corresponding to the Bracha. Thus almost all Brachos will be…

Many times when I am driving I snack as I drive. However, throughout the drive I occasionally stop at a gas station to use the restroom or just to stretch my feet. In addition to that, I occasionally stop by a hotel for a few minutes. When would I need to make a Brachah Achronah, and when would I need to make a new Brachah Rishonah?

If you are eating bread: If you begin eating while the car is in motion, then you do not have to make a new Brachah Rishonah and /or Brachah…

I saw the Rav say that granola bars are Ha’adoma, but for the after Brachah one should try to either eat it B’toch Seuda or to eat a small amount of it at a time, taking care not to eat a Kezayis or more within a time-span of Achilas Pras . My question is for children where the above two options are not possible, is it better not to give them this snack, or to give it and just tell them to make a Borei Nefoshos?

L'chatchilla one should not eat a Kezayis of a granola bar out of a meal. It is only B'dieved if one ate a Kezayis out of a meal that they…