“Question:
1) What is the correct brocho to say on rogelach if the dough is plain and not sweet?
2) And do they require a brocho if eaten as dessert at the end of a meal?
Discussion: 1) Baked dough products are by default hamotzi unless they can be classified as pas habo’oh b’kisnin, and the brocho on pas habo’oh b’kisnin is mezonos (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim Siman 168 se’if 6). However, pas habo’oh b’kisnin will only be mezonos if one eats a small amount. If one eats an amount of pas habo’oh b’kisnin that others would eat for a meal [as opposed to a snack] the brocho reverts back to hamotzi.
The definition of pas haboh b’kisnin is subject to major debate among the Rishonim (see Beis Yosef and Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim Siman 168 se’if 7):
• The Rashbo explains that pas haboh b’kisnin is dough that is filled with “pockets” of honey, sugar or similar substances, for example a pie or tart that consists of a regular plain dough and is filled with a sweet filling. However, the filling must be present at the time of baking; and not added after the dough is baked (see Graz Siman 168 se’if 9).
• The Rambam learns that pas haboh b’kisnin is a dough that sweet substances are mixed into and kneaded with the dough, and the taste of the sweet components is discernible in the dough (for example a cake).
• Rav Hai Gaon and the Aruch learn that pas haboh b’kisnin is a regular dough that has a brittle consistency when baked (for example crackers or biscuits).
The Shulchan Aruch (Siman 168 se’if 7) rules that all of these three classifications are independently applicable l’halocho; i.e. if a bread-like product fits into any of these three classifications the food item in question is mezonos and not hamotzi.
Returning to rogelach; even if the dough is plain and not sweet since it is filled with chocolate, cinnamon or another sweet substance it will be classified as pas haboh b’kisnin according to the Rashbo (the first opinion quoted above) and consequently their brocho is mezonos. As with other pas haboh b’kisnin products, their brocho will only be mezonos if one eats a small quantity. If one eats a large quantity of rogelach their brocho may become hamotzi and will require birkas hamozon (depending on the quantity eaten).
2) Regarding making a brocho on rogelach eaten as dessert: Even though the Shulchan Aruch (ibid) rules to say mezonos (and not hamotzi) on any item that is pas habo’oh b’kisnin according to any one of the three opinions, during a meal it is not possible to say mezonos until all opinions are satisfied that the item in question is not bread (Bi’ur Halocho Siman 168 se’if 8 d.h. “te’unim”; Siman 176 d.h. “borech”). This is because the only reason to say mezonos during a meal is if the food item that will be eaten has not been exempted with hamotzi recited at the beginning of the meal. Since the definition of pas habo’oh b’kisnin is subject to major dispute among the Rishonim, effectively each pas habo’oh b’kisnin item is a sofek hamotzi and may therefore be covered by the hamotzi recited at the beginning of the meal. Of course, we are only discussing mezonos eaten as dessert and not for satiation and that is why it is requires a brocho when eaten as a dessert (see Shulchan Aruch Siman 168 se’if 8 and Mishna Berura s.k. 40).
The only scenario that validates saying mezonos during a bread meal on pas habo’oh b’kisnin is if the food item in question is pas habo’oh b’kisnin according to all opinions (see Shulchan Aruch ibid). In such a case, all opinions will agree that the food item is mezonos, and will therefore not be exempted with the hamotzi and will require mezonos during a bread meal.
Conclusion: 1) The correct brocho to say on rogelach is mezonos (even if the dough is plain and not sweet) because they are baked with a filling. 2) Rogelach eaten during a meal will only require mezonos if they fit all three criteria of pas habo’oh b’kisnin; i.e. they are filled, they have a sweet dough and they are also brittle.
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