Episode Notes
We will discuss the subject of tasting food, but not swallowing. This has many ramifications – including chewing gum, tasting food while cooking on a taanis, and other interesting discussions This week’s sugya discusses the concept of shiur as it pertains to birkas haneninin. It is interesting to note that, as we learned last week, Birchas Hamazon is D’oraisa and Birkas Hanehenin is D’rabanan – yet, the shiur for Birchas Hamazon is much greater (i.e. one needs to be satiated) than the shiur for Birkas Hanehenin. We discuss the reasons for this difference and if one should still be machmir in the shiur for Birkas Hanehenin. This has ramifications regarding when one can speak after reciting a bracha and eating – does he need to finish a kzayis? It also pertains to the Matzoh that we eat at the Pesach seder – do we need to eat two kzaysim – one for the mitzvah of Matzoh and one for the bracha of Hamotzi?
We also discuss the shiur achila as it pertains to bracha achrona, and whether beriya (a whole being) is different as it pertains to bracha achronal? Is one obligated to make a bracha achrona if the beriya is not the shiur of kzaiis? For example, if one eats a pomegranate seed, would he be obligated? Is this true only for the shivas haminim ? We discuss the advice of the poskim to refrain from eating a beriya that is less than the shiur to avoid this issue. We also included a l’halacha section that brings down the various halachic scenarios.