. Question:One who realises while in the middle of birkas hamozon that he should in fact be reciting al hamichyo, what is he supposed to do now? Introduction: The brocho recited after eating a k’zayis of shivas haminim fruits or a mezonos food item is “me’ein sholosh”, commonly referred to as “al hamichyo”. This brocho is a single brocho that contains the essence of all the brochos of birkas hamozon, hence the name “me’ein sholosh”. Discussion: At the end of Orach Chayim Siman 208 the Beis Yosef quotes Rabbeinu Yona on Maseches Brochos who writes in the name of Rabbonei Tzorfas that birkas hamozon does not exempt the obligation of al hamichyo. Rabbeinu Yona himself writes that the two exceptions to this rule are wine and dates, because it is clear in the Gemoro regarding these two foods that birkas hamozon is “compatible” with them and would thus exempt them from the brocho of me’ein sholosh. Rabbeinu Yona also writes in the name of Rabbonei Tzorfas that even if a person just recited the first brocho of hazon on wine or dates he has fulfilled his obligation and does not need to recite another brocho acharona. The Rosh comments on this statement that this is only true if one has already concluded the brocho until “hazon es hakol” (inclusive), because at this juncture he can no longer recite another brocho. However, if a person realises his mistake before he concludes hazon es hakol he should not conclude the brocho but instead he should continue with nodeh lecho… and should conclude the brocho with “al ho’oretz v’al pri hagofen/v’al hapeiros”. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim Siman 208 Se’if 17) rules that even if one only recited the first brocho of hazon on wine or dates he has fulfilled his obligation and no longer needs to recite the appropriate brocho acharona (of me’ein sholosh). The Shulchan Aruch points out that this applies specifically to a situation where a person has concluded the first brocho of birkas hamozon. Otherwise, he should continue by reciting the essence of the second brocho and conclude with the conclusion of me’ein sholosh (“al ho’oretz v’al pri hagofen/v’al hapeiros” as appropriate). If a person has already concluded the brocho of hazon es hakol and subsequently he realises his mistake then he should not continue with birkas hamozon. In this situation, whether he is yotze will depend on the type of food that was eaten: In Bi’ur Halocho (d.h. “eloh”) the Mishna Berura addresses how it is possible to fulfil the obligation of me’ein sholosh by reciting just the first brocho of birkas hamozon, if there is no mention of birkas ho’oretz or Yerusholayim [which are essential components of me’ein sholosh]? The Mishna Berura answers that we are forced to say that these components only need to be mentioned l’chatchilo but are not considered essential b’dieved. Conclusion: If a person, in the middle of reciting birkas hamozon realises that he should in fact be reciting me’ein sholosh then if he has not yet concluded the first brocho of hazon he should continue and recite the essence of the second brocho and conclude with the conclusion of me’ein sholosh (“al ho’oretz v’al pri hagofen/v’al hapeiros” as appropriate). This will be counted as having recited birchas me’ein sholosh and will exempt any food items that require me’ein sholosh from a brocho acharona. |