Q. Shalom Aleichem Harav.
When one is waiting for a bagel to finish toasting and wants to eat a danish, does this constitute a bracha she’eina tzricha? assuming it doesn’t since there is significant hunger; would one make an after bracha (assuming they will not continue eating it during the meal)
Is there a Heicha Timtza for making an after bracha during a seudah for foods eaten prior to washing
Skoyach.
A. Mishna Berura (116: 4) quotes Hagraz opinion that if someone likes to consume certain foods or drinks before starting the main meal or to ingest them as an appetizer, he does not have to be concerned with reciting an unnecessary brocho. He also quotes the Chaye Odom (41: 4) that the same applies if there is a distinct waiting time before the meal begins. Vesen Brocho (p. 80) mentions that this corresponds to a time space 15 to 30 minutes. Horav Shlomo Miller’s opinion is that the same applies if one is hungry and desires to eat immediately.
Mishna Berura (ibid. 2) rules that if one ate mezonos before washing hands for the seuda, for pleasure or to satisfy his hunger, he should recite the end brocho before the beginning of the meal. However, if he plans to eat the mezonos also during the meal, Mishna Berura quoting Chayei Odom rules that it is all considered as one extended meal and the birchat hamazon recited at the end will exempt the mezonos eaten before it started.
Mishna Berura (ibid.) also maintains that if one ate before the seuda foods that one may require to recite a brocho even when eaten at the meal, such as fruits, if he does not intent to eat any more then, he should recite the end brocho on those fruits before the meal. If he did not, he should then recite this brocho during the meal. This will have one recite an after brocho while in the middle of a seuda.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
Important Numbers
