Correct Beracha on Mixture of Foods I

  1. Brochos on Mixed Foods (I)

When two or more types of solid foods are mixed, the halacha is to make the brocho only on the ikar, the food of primary importance, and that brocho also covers the tofel, the secondary food. For example, one does not make a brocho on spices, since they serve a secondary purpose, as they are used to enhance the flavor of the food. When two or more foods are combined and it is difficult to ascertain which is the primary ingredient, we make the brocho on the roiv, on the food that is in the majority. However, the Alter Rebbe writes, when discussing an example where solids and liquids are mixed, yet each one is still distinguishable from the other, that the halacha to follow the majority does not apply; it applies only if the solids and liquids were cooked together and form one indivisible entity. Although this is not clearly stated, we may infer that if we have two or more solids and one of them is the majority ingredient, even if they are not cooked together, we follow the majority rule and make the brocho on the item which is in the majority. For example, one should make a brocho on the fruit that constitutes the majority in a fruit salad.

In summary: We always make a brocho on the primary ingredient. When both are primary: if it is a mixture of solids and liquids?if cooked together, we make a brocho on the majority; if not cooked together, we make brochos on both. Regarding a mixture of solids, we always make a brocho on the majority ingredient whether cooked together (according to all opinions) or even if not cooked together (inference from the Alter Rebbe).

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Practical Halacha: One minute a day. By Horav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, shlita, Mara D'asra and member of the Badatz of Crown Heights.