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For archives of the halachos of Bein HaMetzorim (The Three weeks and The Nine Days, the period of mourning the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash, which we are currently in until after Tisha B'Av) written last year, please click here.
1) One who recites a Bracha on a food item exempts all other food items of the same Bracha that are in front of him/her at the time of the Bracha. (Mishna Berura Siman 206:23 and Shulchan Aruch HaRav 206:9) However, if the Bracha was recited and afterwards he/she decides to eat another food item of the same Bracha that was not in front of them at the time of the Bracha not always does the initial Bracha work to exempt the new item.
There are 4 decisive factors that are necessary for the initial Bracha to work on a new food item that is now being brought to the table to eat.
Keep in mind, that the following 4 criteria only exempt the new food if it is a less prominent food than the original food on which the Bracha was recited, unless it was explicitly known at the time of the Bracha that the new food will be eaten. (Mishna Berura Siman 206:26. See also Mishna Berura Siman 211:32 and 33)
The four factors are:
a) If the new food was of the same variety as the original food (e.g. two apples), no new Bracha is required. (Mishna Berura Siman 206:20-22)
b) If at the time of the Bracha it was clear that you are now sitting down to a [non bread] meal (K'vius), no new Bracha is required on any new foods of the same Bracha that are brought out afterwards. (As one who sits down to lunch has in mind to exempt anything that may be served. Likewise, one who sits down to a fruit meal, exempts all fruit that may be brought out, as is common on Tu B'Shvat.) (Mishna Berura ibid. See also Sha'ar HaTzion 206:25)
c) If at the time of the Bracha you explicitly had in mind (Da'as) that you will be eating the second item, no new Bracha is required. (The Poskim advise doing this always, as to avoid questionable situations. (See Rama Siman 206:5 and Mishna Berura 206:21) A guest eating at a host's table does not need this explicit Da'as as he/she has the status of one who had in mind to eat whatever the host/hostess serves, and thus never needs a second Bracha.(Mishna Berura Siman 179:17) d) If at the time the second item was brought out, the first item has not yet been consumed totally, no new Bracha is required. (Mishna Berura Siman 206:22. According to some Poskim, as long as you had in mind to exempt a new food before the first food was consumed, even if it wasn't yet brought to the table, it will be exempted when it arrives. See Sefer V'Zos HaBracha Chapter 7 quoting Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach Zatzal. See also Mishna Berura Siman 174:3 regarding such a case by drinks) This only works for two similar items (e.g. an apple and a pear or a Danish and a cookie) but on 2 separate items such as a food and a drink or 2 distinct foods (e.g. Fish and ice cream) the original Bracha does not exempt the new food even if some of the original food is still in front of you. (Mishna Berura Siman 206:21 and Shulchan Aruch HaRav Siman 206:9, See also Shu"t Be'er Moshe Vol. 1 Siman 10) 2) All of the above is only if the food was in the home [and accessible] at the time of the original Bracha, but does not apply if the food was brought into the home from the outside (from the store or a neighbor's home, or if the food that was in a locked cabinet in the home is now accessible) as in such a case a new Bracha is always required.(Mishna Berura Siman 206:19 and Shulchan Aruch HaRav 206:9)
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER:
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers. Taken from the Q & A page on the Halacha For Todaywebsite.
Although the answers I give to questions are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, and aren't my own, they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.
Can you use hot or warm water to wash your hands & face during the 9 days?
Answer:
The water does not have to be freezing cold, but should not be enjoyabley warm either. You can add a little warm water to make it not freezing, and that's all. Soap may also not be used, unless the dirt will not come off without it.(See Mishna Berura 541:94-96)
Our holy sages, the Chazal tell us
תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן עולם הבא, שנאמר הליכות עולם לו, אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות - one who studies [at least two] Halachos daily is assured a portion in Olam Haba - the world to come. (:מגילה כ"ח )
Important Numbers
