2022/5782
Berachah Acharonah
Even if we could resolve the Berachah Rishonah dilemma, one still needs to resolve which Berachah Acharonah to make. Tosafot ask what Berachah Acharonah do we make in the case of HaKoseit Et HaChita? They raise the possibility of making an Al Ha'Adamah - the same text as Al Hamichyah with the language of Al Ha'Adamah instead. Tosafot rejects this possibility considering that this text has no roots in our Mesorah, tradition, and is therefore illegitimate. Tosafot concludes that one should make a Borei Nefashot. The Ri, however, argues that there remains a lingering doubt about what Berachah Acharonah one should make. Therefore, he concludes that it is proper for one should be stringent and only eat raw, whole grains in the context of a meal. Rambam writes that one who eats scalded grain in the grains original form, makes a Ha'Adamah and Borei Nefashot. The Tur cites the aforementioned Rambam and Tosafot and concludes that one should be careful to eat whole grains in the context of a meal. The Beit Yosef adds that the Rashba and the Rosh agree and is the accepted view in practice .
Strategies on How to Avoid the Berachah Acharonah issue
Approach I - the OU’s Solution
Although one could solve the Berachah Acharonah problem by eating the granola in the context of a meal, to establish a meal for a quick snack seems a bit excessive. Therefore, according to the OU (following Rav Belsky and Rav Schachter), one can eat less than a Kezayit, 27cc according to the opinion of Rav Chayim Na’eh, of oats and would be exempt from making a Berachah Acharonah. The Mishnah Berurah writes that if one ate less than a Kezayit of the main ingredient, but a Kezayit of the whole mixture one makes a Borei Nefashot. Therefore, if one eats less than 27cc, around 1½ nature valley bars, of granola bars then one can make a Borei Nefashot. That being said, these laws apply only if one ate the said amount within Kedei Achilat Pras, the time it takes to eat six or eight Kezaysim of the said food. Rav Schachter rules that Kedei Achilat Pras for granola bars is 2 minutes, but Rav Belsky is sure that it is less than 5 minutes. Rav Heinemann rules that it is ideally within a two minute span, BeDi'eved within a four minute span. However, if it took one longer than 2-5 minutes (depending on how one would Pasken) one would not make a Berachah Acharonah.
However, Rav Ovadia Yosef notes many Acharonim, including R. Akiva Eiger and the Beit Meir who question the ruling of the Magen Avraham upon which the Mishna Berurah bases his ruling. Moreover, the Mishna Berurah’s ruling emerges from (as he explains in Sha’ar HaTziyun 210:2) a S’feik S’feika, (double doubt). Yet the Mishna Berurah in 215:20 rules that one should not recite a Berachah even if case of a S’feik S’feika due to the principle of Safeik Berachot LeKulah (one should omit a Berachah if he is unsure as to whether he must recite that Berachah).. Rav Yosef compellingly concludes that one should not deliberately enter into a situation where acccording to many Acharonim one is reciting a Berachah LeVatalah. Therefore the OU’s recommendation to deliberately design a situation to rely on the ruling of the Mishna Berurah in 21o:1 is highly questionable even for Ashkenazic Jews.
Approach II - Borei Nefashot
Additionally, one could argue that a Borei Nefashot BeDi'eved covers an Al Hamichyah just like a SheHakol covers a Mezonot. The Eirech Hashulchan, Kaf HaChayim, Knesset HaGedolah, along with others hold that a Borei Nefashot can take the place of an Al Hamichyah. However, the majority of the Achronim, including the Mishna Berura (202:55) hold that a Borei Nefashot is ineffective even BeDi'eved for a food that requires a Berachah Achat Mei’ein Shalaosh. Rav Ovaida Yosef concludes that if one made a Borei Nefashot on a Mezonot food he should not repeat, since the general principle is Safeik Berachot LeKulah (one should omit a Berachah if he is unsure as to whether he must recite that Berachah). Ideally, one should never make a Borei Nefashot on a Mezonot food as there are those who say it may not be effective.
Approach III - Eating Two Separate Foods
The Aruch Hashulchan offers another possibility by eating two separate foods one requiring Borei Nefashot and one requiring an Al Hamichyah. Rav Forst, however, believes that eating other foods would not help remove the doubt. Rav Forst reasons that since it is one of the five grains it is too significant to warrant a Borei Nefashot. However, since it is not made into a dish, it is not sufficiently significant to merit an Al Hamichyah. The last possible option is to make an Al Ha'Adamah but as Tosafot said this Berachah is not extant. Since none of these options work, it is proper to eat whole grains only in the context of a meal.
Summary
Mishna Berurah (208:18) notes that if one ate whole grains (such as granola) outside the framework of a meal a Borei Nefashot should be recited. He explains that the Ikkar HaDin (baseline Halacha) requires only a Borei Nefashot on such food. Yalkut Yosef (Orach Chayim 208:9) indicates his agreement. Thus, it seems best to rely on the Ikkar HaDin in the case of oat based granola bars a recite a Borei Nefashot, rather than relying on the OU’s solution. In the attempt to satisfy a stringency, the OU is advising to deliberately set up a situation where one will risks reciting a Berachah LeVatalah according to many Acharonim including R. Akiva Eiger, the Beit Meir and Rav Ovadia Yosef.
Puffed Grains
Another challenging Berachah question arises by puffed grains. There are two main ways of puffing grains that are common in various breakfast cereals. The first way is known as gun puffing: the process of pressure popping grains in heated chambers. Cereals such as Sugar Crisps are puffed via gun puffing. Alternatively, grains can be puffed through a process known as oven puffing. Oven puffing refers to the process where whole rice is cooked (in a water medium) with sugar and flavorings. The kernels are then dried and slightly crushed. The grains (which seemingly are no longer whole; see Mishnah Berurah 208:3) are then placed in an extremely hot oven for puffing. Another way of oven puffing grains is to ground the rice and make it into a batter which is then cooked and puffed. Cereals such as Fruity Pebbles, Rice Krispies and Cocoa Pebbles are puffed through oven puffing.
What Berachah Does one Recite?
For puffed grains that have not had their bran removed, such as Kashi’s 7 Whole Grain Puff’s, one would make a Ha'Adamah. For most other puffed grains, the grains go through a process known as pearling. Pearling refers to the process where the bran is removed. During the pearling process, some of the endosperm may incidentally be removed. According to many poskim if the bran along with some of the endosperm is removed it is no longer considered whole. However, gun puffed grains are not necessarily halachically cooked and may not be fit for a Mezonot. Due to the complex nature of the cooking process in gun puffed grains, Rav Moshe Feinstein writes that one can make either a Mezonot or a Ha'Adamah. For the Berachah Acharonah Rav Moshe Feinstein says that one should make a Borei Nefashot. Although one can make a Mezonot, like rice, the Berachah Acharonah is still a Borei Nefashot. Rav Binyamin Forst and Rav Bodner recommend reciting a Ha'Adamah despite the possibility of making a Mezonot. Yalkut Yosef (O”C 208:9) similarly rules that Haadamah should be recited on the Israeli cereal “Shalva” (which is puffed wheat). For oven puffed grains one recites a Mezonot (since they are cooked) and Borei Nefashot (if the said grain is rice) or Al Hamichyah (If the said grain is wheat or oats).
Conclusion
Eilu Va’Eilu Divrei Elokim Chayim, both this opinion and that are the words of Hashem. When taking a step back, all of the approaches laid out above come from extremely reputable and knowledgeable sources and can be relied upon without worry. One must choose an approach based on what his Rav tells him. This article is merely meant to bring clarity regarding the fascinating discussion and the Ruchniut (Torah spirituality) behind a mundane food.
In R. Jachter’s opinion, one should recite a Borei Pri HaAdama on oat based granola bars and gunned puffed grains, and afterwards recite a Borei Nefashot since no other viable option (other than eating them in the context of a bread meal, which in this case is impractical) exists.
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