The Order of Brachos on an Airline Meal Tray
When a person eats from a selection of different foods, there is a defined order in which the Brachos should be made. This requirement is a Hiddur Mitzva[1] required by Halacha to accord honour to the Brachos. In some cases it is more strictly mandated where not following the order would necessitate a Blessing which is not required or cause a Bracha Levatala.
Gedolei Yisroel were very Makpid on the order of Brachos and would test their Talmidim by serving them a selection of different food items to see the order in which they would make the Brachos.
These Halachos of Din Kedima are detailed and beyond the scope of this article, however there are some basic rules which apply. The basic sequence of preference for reciting Brachos are;
1. Hamotzi[2]
2. Mezonos on cake and the like which would qualify for Hamozti if a sufficient measure is consumed[3].
3. Mezonos on grain foods which have been cooked such as pasta, kneidelach etc.
4. Hagafen
5. Fruits which require Borei Pri Haetz
6. Borei Pri Haadama
7. Shehakol
8. Fragrances[4]
When eating multiple foods within a specific Bracha group, the Bracha is said over one food and this Bracha which will cover the other similar foods. Which of the foods the Bracha should be recited over is defined by further Halachic distinctions.
Within breads (and Mezonos), the order of preference will depend on the grain used. The correct order would be; wheat[5], barley, spelt[6] and then rye and oats. Note that this order applies within a Bracha group. When eating different Bracha groups, the Bracha order takes precedence. Therefore, even rye bread comes before a wheat Mezonos.
There is also a Din Kedima for whole foods over pieces. Therefore, whole bread-rolls take precedence over bread slices, even if the whole roll is of a lesser quality and is smaller than the slices[7]. If the slice is from a higher order grain it would take precedence over the whole roll[8].
If one has multiple types of the same food and both are whole e.g. two wheat rolls, the blessing should be recited over the larger one[9], unless the smaller one is of a better quality.
Within the Borei Pri Haeitz category, when one is served a selection of fruits, precedence is given to the fruits of the 7 species[10]. (Wheat and barley grains would be Haadama and come last unless they are cooked or baked so that they become Mezonos or Hamotzi). When there are more than one of the 7 species, there are further rules governing which fruit the blessing should be recited over[11].
There is also a concept that one makes the blessing over the type which one desires most (chaviv). However this only applies within one Bracha category itself i.e. one should not eat fruit before Mezonos even if the fruit is more chaviv. When eating fruits which have both Borei Pri Haadamah and Haeitz, if the Haadama is chaviv one does make the Bracha over it first[12]. The fruit which is chaviv takes precedence over the 7 species[13]. However, a whole fruit still takes precedence over a chaviv fruit[14].
When don’t the rules apply and when can the order be changed
All of these laws of sequence of blessings only apply when all of the food types are in front of you[15]. If the foods which would otherwise take precedence are not present on the table, one need not wait for them to be brought to be able to recite the Brachos in order.
It is obvious that if one does not wish to eat a particular food or does not intend to eat the food, they are not required to eat it for the sake of making the blessings in sequence[16].
However, when one does intend to eat from all of the foods and they are all present in front of them, the sequence should be followed. For example, when served a plate with pasta, meat and vegetables, Mezonos should be eaten first, followed by the vegetable and finally the meat.
But what if one doesn’t want to eat the foods in the order above?
The Acharonim write that one may deliberately remove an item from the table which would otherwise take precedence where one wishes to eat from the other types first[17]. It is possible that instead of removing the food, one may rely on covering the food with a cloth as we do when covering the Challah during Kiddush[18]. The cloth should be opaque.
If one wishes to eat a particular food first because of health or medicinal reasons, they may give it precedence to it[19].
The Poskim also write that if it is the customary practise or societal norm[20] to eat the foods in a particular order, one may do so, even if all of the foods are present and one will eat from all of them.
The Alter Rebbe[21] also writes that where there is a reason why one specifically wants to eat one type first, there is no problem in changing the order. If one does not want to eat a specific food at a specific time for any reason, they are not obligated to give it precedence - even though they will eat it shortly afterwards.
The example under discussion is to eat sweets or vegetables after Kiddush but before Hamotzi (which should take precedence according to the sequence). One is not required to delay eating the vegetables until after Hamotzi[22] if one wants to eat them now. Similarly, if one specifically wants to eat a food after the meal, they may do so even though the said food’s Bracha is higher up in the sequence.
If one has in front of them; fruit salad (Haeitz), which is usually eaten as dessert at the end of the meal, soup (Shehakol or Adamah) which is usually eaten at the beginning of the meal and pasta (Mezonos) for the main course e.g. pasta - the sequence above would require that one first eat the pasta, followed by the fruit and ending with the soup.
However, since there is reason to change the order i.e. because you want to eat the foods in the order in which they are usually served or consumed (because of societal norm or other similar reason), one may eat the soup as entre, followed by the pasta and keep the fruit for dessert.
Whilst usually the foods are served separately and will not be on the table at one time, this scenario will be relevant for airline meals and buffets where one will or may have entre, main-course and dessert all in front of them at the same time.
_______________________________
[1] Mishna Berura 168:1.
[2] Ram”o OC 211:5. See Mishna Berura 211:28
[3] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 9:7
[4] See Mishna Berura OC 211 that blessings over fragrance come after Shehakol
[5] Wheat takes precedence over barley as it is mentioned first in the verse of the 7 species.
[6] Spelt takes precedence as it is a subset of wheat. Oats and rye are subsets of barley.
[7] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:1
[8] Ibid. See there advice for a Yarei Shamayim
[9] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:3
[10] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:8. Even if the other fruits are whole and the 7 species are cut.
[11] See Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:9
[12] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:7
[13] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:8
[14] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:6
[15] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:16
[16] Ram”o 211:5
[17] See Piskei Teshuvos 211:1:3
[18] Where the Challahs are covered because according to the sequence Hamotzi should come before Hagafen. Az Nidberu 8:53 raises this possibility but perhaps this may only apply to Kiddush where one is not allowed to eat anything else before Kiddush.
[19] Az Nidberu ibid. Kaf Hachaim 211:5. The rationale is that at that moment, it is considered as though one does not wish to eat the other type of food.
[20] Kaf Hachaim ibid
[21] 249 Kuntres Acharon 4
[22] In this case there is not even an issue of causing an extra Bracha which is far more problematic (as the vegetables would have been covered by the Hamotzi). Therefore, certainly there is no problem in terms of changing the order of Brachos.
Gedolei Yisroel were very Makpid on the order of Brachos and would test their Talmidim by serving them a selection of different food items to see the order in which they would make the Brachos.
These Halachos of Din Kedima are detailed and beyond the scope of this article, however there are some basic rules which apply. The basic sequence of preference for reciting Brachos are;
1. Hamotzi[2]
2. Mezonos on cake and the like which would qualify for Hamozti if a sufficient measure is consumed[3].
3. Mezonos on grain foods which have been cooked such as pasta, kneidelach etc.
4. Hagafen
5. Fruits which require Borei Pri Haetz
6. Borei Pri Haadama
7. Shehakol
8. Fragrances[4]
When eating multiple foods within a specific Bracha group, the Bracha is said over one food and this Bracha which will cover the other similar foods. Which of the foods the Bracha should be recited over is defined by further Halachic distinctions.
Within breads (and Mezonos), the order of preference will depend on the grain used. The correct order would be; wheat[5], barley, spelt[6] and then rye and oats. Note that this order applies within a Bracha group. When eating different Bracha groups, the Bracha order takes precedence. Therefore, even rye bread comes before a wheat Mezonos.
There is also a Din Kedima for whole foods over pieces. Therefore, whole bread-rolls take precedence over bread slices, even if the whole roll is of a lesser quality and is smaller than the slices[7]. If the slice is from a higher order grain it would take precedence over the whole roll[8].
If one has multiple types of the same food and both are whole e.g. two wheat rolls, the blessing should be recited over the larger one[9], unless the smaller one is of a better quality.
Within the Borei Pri Haeitz category, when one is served a selection of fruits, precedence is given to the fruits of the 7 species[10]. (Wheat and barley grains would be Haadama and come last unless they are cooked or baked so that they become Mezonos or Hamotzi). When there are more than one of the 7 species, there are further rules governing which fruit the blessing should be recited over[11].
There is also a concept that one makes the blessing over the type which one desires most (chaviv). However this only applies within one Bracha category itself i.e. one should not eat fruit before Mezonos even if the fruit is more chaviv. When eating fruits which have both Borei Pri Haadamah and Haeitz, if the Haadama is chaviv one does make the Bracha over it first[12]. The fruit which is chaviv takes precedence over the 7 species[13]. However, a whole fruit still takes precedence over a chaviv fruit[14].
When don’t the rules apply and when can the order be changed
All of these laws of sequence of blessings only apply when all of the food types are in front of you[15]. If the foods which would otherwise take precedence are not present on the table, one need not wait for them to be brought to be able to recite the Brachos in order.
It is obvious that if one does not wish to eat a particular food or does not intend to eat the food, they are not required to eat it for the sake of making the blessings in sequence[16].
However, when one does intend to eat from all of the foods and they are all present in front of them, the sequence should be followed. For example, when served a plate with pasta, meat and vegetables, Mezonos should be eaten first, followed by the vegetable and finally the meat.
But what if one doesn’t want to eat the foods in the order above?
The Acharonim write that one may deliberately remove an item from the table which would otherwise take precedence where one wishes to eat from the other types first[17]. It is possible that instead of removing the food, one may rely on covering the food with a cloth as we do when covering the Challah during Kiddush[18]. The cloth should be opaque.
If one wishes to eat a particular food first because of health or medicinal reasons, they may give it precedence to it[19].
The Poskim also write that if it is the customary practise or societal norm[20] to eat the foods in a particular order, one may do so, even if all of the foods are present and one will eat from all of them.
The Alter Rebbe[21] also writes that where there is a reason why one specifically wants to eat one type first, there is no problem in changing the order. If one does not want to eat a specific food at a specific time for any reason, they are not obligated to give it precedence - even though they will eat it shortly afterwards.
The example under discussion is to eat sweets or vegetables after Kiddush but before Hamotzi (which should take precedence according to the sequence). One is not required to delay eating the vegetables until after Hamotzi[22] if one wants to eat them now. Similarly, if one specifically wants to eat a food after the meal, they may do so even though the said food’s Bracha is higher up in the sequence.
If one has in front of them; fruit salad (Haeitz), which is usually eaten as dessert at the end of the meal, soup (Shehakol or Adamah) which is usually eaten at the beginning of the meal and pasta (Mezonos) for the main course e.g. pasta - the sequence above would require that one first eat the pasta, followed by the fruit and ending with the soup.
However, since there is reason to change the order i.e. because you want to eat the foods in the order in which they are usually served or consumed (because of societal norm or other similar reason), one may eat the soup as entre, followed by the pasta and keep the fruit for dessert.
Whilst usually the foods are served separately and will not be on the table at one time, this scenario will be relevant for airline meals and buffets where one will or may have entre, main-course and dessert all in front of them at the same time.
_______________________________
[1] Mishna Berura 168:1.
[2] Ram”o OC 211:5. See Mishna Berura 211:28
[3] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 9:7
[4] See Mishna Berura OC 211 that blessings over fragrance come after Shehakol
[5] Wheat takes precedence over barley as it is mentioned first in the verse of the 7 species.
[6] Spelt takes precedence as it is a subset of wheat. Oats and rye are subsets of barley.
[7] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:1
[8] Ibid. See there advice for a Yarei Shamayim
[9] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:3
[10] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:8. Even if the other fruits are whole and the 7 species are cut.
[11] See Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:9
[12] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:7
[13] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:8
[14] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:6
[15] Seder Birchas Hanehenin 10:16
[16] Ram”o 211:5
[17] See Piskei Teshuvos 211:1:3
[18] Where the Challahs are covered because according to the sequence Hamotzi should come before Hagafen. Az Nidberu 8:53 raises this possibility but perhaps this may only apply to Kiddush where one is not allowed to eat anything else before Kiddush.
[19] Az Nidberu ibid. Kaf Hachaim 211:5. The rationale is that at that moment, it is considered as though one does not wish to eat the other type of food.
[20] Kaf Hachaim ibid
[21] 249 Kuntres Acharon 4
[22] In this case there is not even an issue of causing an extra Bracha which is far more problematic (as the vegetables would have been covered by the Hamotzi). Therefore, certainly there is no problem in terms of changing the order of Brachos.