Laws of primary and secondary foods

Siman 54: Laws of primary and secondary foods

Presented here for study, not as a practical ruling. The Shulchan Aruch rules by Sephardi custom, the Rema's glosses by Ashkenazi custom, and the Kitzur follows Ashkenazi custom. For a practical question, ask your rabbi.

א אִם אָכַל שְׁנֵי דְּבָרִים אוֹ אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה, וְהָאֶחָד עִקָּר אֶצְלוֹ וְהַשֵּׁנִי הוּא טָפֵל לוֹ, שֶׁאֵין כַּוָּנָתוֹ לְאָכְלוֹ, אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל הָעִקָּר, וְאִם לֹא הָיָה לוֹ הָעִקָּר לֹא הָיָה אוֹכֵל כְּלָל אֶת הַטָּפֵל, כְּגוֹן שֶׁחָלַשׁ לִבּוֹ, וּכְדֵי לְחַזֵּק לִבּוֹ אוֹכֵל דָּג מָלִיחַ אוֹ צְנוֹן, אֶלָּא מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם דְּבָרִים חֲרִיפִים אוֹכֵל גַּם מְעַט פַּת, אוֹ דָּבָר אַחֵר לְמַתֵּק הַחֲרִיפוּת, וְכֵן אִם מִתְאֲוֶה לִשְׁתֹּת יַיִן שָׂרָף וְשׁוֹתֶה, וּבִכְדֵי לְמַתֵּק הַחֲרִיפוּת אוֹכֵל אַחֲרָיו מְעַט פַּת, אוֹ אֵיזֶה פְּרִי, מְבָרֵךְ רַק עַל הָעִקָּר, וְעַל הַטָּפֵל אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ לֹא לְפָנָיו וְלֹא לְאַחֲרָיו, כִּי נִפְטָר בִּבְּרָכָה שֶׁעַל הָעִקָּר, וְגַם נְטִילַת יָדַיִם אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ.

1 If you eat two articles of food, or you eat and drink, one of which is primary to you while you regard the other as secondary, [that is to say] you would never have eaten [the secondary food], if you had not partaken of the primary food, [in other words] if not for the primary food, you would not have eaten the secondary food at all. For example, if you feel faint, and, in order to fortify yourself, you eat some herring or radishes, but since they have a sharp flavor, you also eat a small piece of bread or something else to soften the sharp taste, or if you crave a drink of whiskey and you have one, and in order to soften the sharp taste, you eat a small piece of bread or some fruit afterwards, then you say the berachah only over the primary food, but over the secondary food no berachah should be said; neither a preceding, nor a concluding berachah, because it is exempt with the berachah you recited over the primary food. Neither does it require the washing of the hands.

ב וְדַוְקָא אִם אוֹכֵל אֶת הָעִקָּר תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ אֶת הַטָּפֵל, וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁבֵּרַךְ עַל הָעִקָּר הָיָה דַּעְתּוֹ לֶאֱכוֹל גַּם אֶת הַטָּפֵל, אוֹ שֶׁהוּא רָגִיל בְּכָךְ, דַּהֲוֵי כְּאִלּוּ הָיְתָה דַּעְתּוֹ לְכָךְ וְאוֹכֵל אֶת הַטָּפֵל בְּאתוֹ מַעֲמָד, לְאִפּוּקֵי אִם הָלַךְ בֵּינְתַיִם לְחֶדֶר אַחֵר, שֶׁאָז צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ גַּם עַל הַטָּפֵל.

2 This rule [regarding secondary food] applies only to a case when you eat the primary food first and the secondary food later, and at the time you said the berachah over the primary food, you also had in mind to eat the secondary food, or you usually eat them in that manner, which is then considered as though you purposely intended [to exempt the secondary food with the berachah over the primary]. You must therefore eat the secondary food in the same place. This rule would be excluded if you did go to another room before [eating the secondary food], for then you would have to say a berachah over the secondary food as well.

ג וְכֵן אִם אוֹכֵל מִתְּחִלָּה אֶת הַטָּפֵל וְאַחַר כָּךְ אֶת הָעִקָּר, כְּגוֹן שֶׁרוֹצֶה לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן אוֹ יַיִן שָׂרָף, וּכְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁתּוֹת אַלִּיבָּא רֵיקָנָא אוֹכֵל תְּחִלָּה אֵיזֶה דָּבָר קָטָן, צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ גַּם עַל הַטָּפֵל. וְאָמְנָם כֵּיוָן שֶׁהוּא רַק טָפֵל עַתָּה, יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים, דְּיָרַד מִבִּרְכָתוֹ וְאֵין מְבָרְכִין עָלָיו רַק שֶׁהַכֹּל, וְיֵשׁ חוֹלְקִין. וּלְהוֹצִיא אֶת עַצְמוֹ מִידֵי סְפֵקָא, יִשְׁתֶּה תְּחִלָּה קְצָת מִן הָעִקָּר וִיבָרֵךְ עָלָיו לִפְטוֹר אֶת הַטָּפֵל (רי"ב)

3 Similarly, if you eat the secondary food before eating the primary food, for example, if you wish to drink wine or whiskey, and in order not to drink it on an empty stomach you first eat a little snack, then you must also say a berachah over the secondary food. However, since it is only secondary, some authorities maintain that the berachah was brought down to a lower level and you say only Shehakol over it; but others disagree. In order to remove any doubt, you should drink first a little of the primary food [wine or whiskey], say the berachah over it, and thereby you exempt the secondary food [from a berachah].

ד אִם כַּוָּנָתוֹ לִשְׁנֵיהֶם, כְּגוֹן שֶׁהוּא שׁוֹתֶה יַיִן שָׂרָף וְאוֹכֵל גַּם מִינֵי כִּיסְנִין וְדֻבְשָׁנִין (האניג קוכען) אוֹ מִרְקַחַת וְכַדּוֹמֶה, צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ עַל שְׁנֵיהֶם. וִיבָרֵךְ תְּחִלָה עַל הַכִּיסְנִין אוֹ הַמֶּרְקַחַת שֶׁהֵם חֲשׁוּבִים, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מְבָרֵךְ עַל הַיַּיִן שָׂרָף, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן אִם אוֹכֵל פַּת כִּיסְנִין וְשׁוֹתֶה גַּם כֵּן קַאפֶע שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ עַל שְׁנֵיהֶם, דְּהַיְנוּ תְּחִלָּה עַל פַּת הַכִּיסְנִין וְאַחַר כָּךְ עַל הַקַאפֶע שֶׁהֲרֵי כַּוָּנָתוֹ לִשְׁנֵיהֶם.

4 If you wish to partake of two articles of food [each for its own sake], for example, you are going to drink whiskey and also eat some pastry, honeycake, preserves, or the like, you should say a [separate] berachah over each; first, the berachah over the cake or the preserves because they are considered more important and then the berachah over the whiskey. Especially, if you eat some pastry and also drink coffee, you should say a separate berachah over each; that is to say, first over the pastry and then over the coffee, because you had in mind to eat both.

ה שְׁנֵי מִינִים שֶׁנִּתְבַּשְּׁלוּ יַחַד, אִם כָּל מִין מֻבְדָּל לְעַצְמוֹ, מְבָרֵךְ עַל כָּל מִין בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ בְּרָכָה הָרְאוּיָה לוֹ. אֲבָל אִם נִתְמַעֲכוּ וְנִדַּבְּקוּ, אֲזַי אַזְלִינָן בָּתָר רֻבָּא, וּמַה שֶׁהוּא הָרֹב זֶהוּ הָעִקַּר וּמְבָרְכִין עָלָיו, וְהַשֵּׁנִי נִפְטָר. אַךְ אִם אֶחָד הוּא מֵחֲמֵשֶׁת מִינֵי דָּגָן, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא הַמִּעוּט הוּא הָעִקָּר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי בְּסִימָן מ"ח סָעִיף י' עַיֵן שָׁם (ר"ח רי"ב).

5 [If you eat] two different kinds [of food] that were cooked together, and each kind is recognizable, you must say over each kind the berachah that is appropriate for it. But if the foods were mashed and cling together, we apply the rule of "follow the majority," and that which is predominant is considered the primary food over which the berachah is said, and this exempts the secondary food. However, if one kind is of the five species of grain, even if it is the least in quantity, it is considered the primary ingredient as I have written. See chapter 48:10.

ו מַאֲכָל שֶׁנָּתַן לְתוֹכוֹ חָלָב אוֹ מָרָק לְאָכְלָם בְּיַחַד, אִם עִקַּר כַּוָּנָתוֹ הַמַּאֲכָל, אֲזַי מְבָרֵךְ רַק עָלָיו, וְהֶחָלָב אוֹ הַמָּרָק טְפֵלִים. וְאִם כַּוָּנָתוֹ רַק עַל הַמָּרָק וְהֶחָלָב, מְבָרֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶם, וְהַמַּאֲכָל הוּא טָפֵל. וְאִם כַּוָּנָתוֹ עַל שְׁנֵיהֶם (וְאֵין בִּרְכוֹתֵיהֶן שָׁווֹת), מְבָרֵךְ תְּחִלָּה עַל הַמַּאֲכָל וְאוֹכֵל מִמֶּנּוּ מְעַט, וְאַחַר כָּךְ מְבָרֵךְ עַל הַמָרָק אוֹ עַל הֶחָלָב. וְאֵין הוֹלְכִין בָּזֶה אַחַר הָרֹב. וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם הַמַּאֲכָל הוּא מִין דָּגָן, אֵינוֹ נֶחְשָׁב עִקָּר לְעִנְיָן זֶה, (מַאֲכָל שֶׁנִּתְבַּשֵׁל בְּמַיִם אוֹ בְּחָלָב, עַיֵן לְעֵיל סִימָן מ"ח וסִימָן נ"ג) (סִימָן קס"ח ר"ב).

6 If you add milk or soup to a dish with the intention of eating the two together, if your main intent is [to eat] the food, then you say the berachah over that only, since the milk or the soup is only secondary. But if your intent is primarily the soup or the milk, you recite the berachah over them, for then the food is secondary. But if you care equally for both (and each requires a different berachah), you first say the berachah over the food, eat some of it, and then say the berachah over the soup or the milk. In this case the "majority rule," [which dictates that you say the berachah over the food that is in greater quantity] does not apply. Even if the food consists of a grain product, it is not considered important in this connection. (Regarding foods boiled in water or milk see chapters 48 and 53.)

ז בְּשָׂמִים שְׁחוּקִים שֶׁעֵרְבָן עִם סֻכָּר, הַבְּשָׂמִים הֵם הָעִקָּר וּמְבָרְכִין עֲלֵיהֶם בְּרָכָה הָרְאוּיָה לָהֶן. עַל אֱגוֹז מוּסְקַט בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ. עַל קִּנָּמוֹן (צימרינד) בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה. וְכֵן עַל זַנְגְּבִיל (אונגבער) בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה.

7 In a mixture of ground spices and sugar, the spices are considered the primary ingredient, thus you should say the appropriate berachah over them. Over nutmeg, you say Borei peri ha'eitz, over cinnamon Borei peri ha'adamah, and over ginger, you say Borei peri ha'adamah.

ח הַשּׁוֹתֶה שֶׁמֶן זַיִת כְּמוֹ שֶׁהוּא, אֵינוֹ מְבָרֵךְ עָלָיו כְּלָל, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מַזִּיק לוֹ. וְאִם עֵרְבוֹ עִם שְׁאָר דְּבָרִים, הוּא הַטָּפֵל וּמְבָרֵךְ רַק עַל הָעִקָּר. אַךְ אִם יֵשׁ לוֹ מֵחושׁ שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ אֶת הַשֶּׁמֶן לִרְפוּאָה, וּבִכְדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַזִּיק לוֹ הוּא מְעָרְבוֹ בִּשְׁאָר דָּבָר, מֵאַחַר שֶׁעִקַּר כַּוָּנָתוֹ עַל הַשֶּׁמֶן, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא הַמֻּעָט, מְבָרֵךְ עָלָיו בִּרְכָתוֹ שֶׁהִיא בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ וּפוֹטֵר אֶת הַדָּבָר הָאַחֵר. וְאִם הוּא צָמֵא וְעִקַּר כַּוָּנָתוֹ לִשְׁתּוֹת לִצְמָאוֹ, אֶלָּא שֶׁאַגַּב הוּא נוֹתֵן בּוֹ שֶׁמֶן לִרְפוּאָה, מְבָרֵךְ רַק עַל הַמַּשְׁקֶה. וְכֵן הַדִּין אִם נוֹתֵן לְתוֹךְ הַמַּשְׁקֶה אֱגוֹז מוּסְקַט אוֹ קִנָּמוֹן (צִימְרִינד) אוֹ זַנְגְּבִיל, דְּאַזְלִינָן בָּתַר הַכַּוָּנָה.

8 If you drink olive oil in its natural state, you say no berachah at all because it is harmful to your [health], but if you mix [the oil] with other ingredients it becomes secondary, and you say the berachah only over the primary ingredient. However, if you are ill and you must drink [the oil] for medicinal purposes, but in order to prevent its harmful side effects, you mix it with another substance; since the oil is the primary element, even if it is less in quantity [than the other ingredient], you say the berachah over [the oil] which is Borei peri ha'eitz, and thereby you exempt the other ingredient. If you are thirsty and you drink [a beverage] to quench your thirst, but, as a supplement, you add olive oil to it for health reasons, then you say the berachah only over the beverage. This law applies also if you add muscatels, cinnamon, or ginger to the beverage, for you must always consider your main objective.

ט כָּל מִינֵי מֶרְקַחַת, הַדְּבַשׁ וְהַסֻכָּר הֵן טְפֵלִים וּמְבָרְכִים עַל עִקַּר הַפְּרִי בִּרְכָתוֹ הָרְאוּיָה לוֹ (וְעַיֵּן לְעֵיל סִימָן נ"ב).

9 In all kinds of preserves the honey and the sugar are secondary [ingredients]. You should recite the berachah which is appropriate for the fruit, which is the primary component. (See Chapter 52 above).

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