Parshas Matos-Maasei 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Jul 24
- 2 min read
Monetary, Interpersonal Laws and Din Torah (40)
Traveling: Shinui Makom. There are a number of relevant halachos about berachos when traveling by car. The most common is regarding change of place (שינוי מקום) while eating. This can necessitate a new beracha rishona before continuing to eat. To understand this we have to become familiar with the laws of shinui makom under regular circumstances. These are very important halachos to master for the whole year.
Berachos. If a person is eating and changes his location by leaving the house or entering the house, it can invalidate his first beracha. Just like a decision to stop eating requires one to repeat a beracha if he changes his mind for a new act of eating (1), a change of place is considered a new act of eating (2). Halacha views eating as being associated with a particular place. This need for a new beracha depends on: 1) The type of food being eaten, and 2) If he was eating alone or with other people.
Type of Food. When one eats bread or mezonos (except rice), he must say the after-beracha in that place, due to the important act of eating such foods in that place. Even if he left that place, he must still make an effort to return to recite the after-beracha. However, if he eats foods that have only a Borei Nefashos as the after-beracha, he doesn’t need to return and can recite the beracha where he is (3). If he consumed wine or fruits of the seven special species, there is a difference of opinion if he must return (4), and because of the doubt he should return for the beracha. Whenever there is a clear obligation to return [he ate a kezayis of bread or mezonos], this creates an attachment to the first place and halacha considers it as if he never left. No new beracha is necessary to continue eating. However, by Borei Nefashos items, a new beracha is needed. In all these cases there is no difference if one wants to continue eating in the new or old place. Regarding wine and the seven special species of fruits (ז' המינים) since there is a doubt, one should avoid the situation by not changing locations. If he did he should not say a beracha before continuing.
Eating with Others. Even if one ate a Borei Nefashos food, if he purposely ate with even one other person, there is a degree of attachment between them, and his first beracha is still valid if he returns to his first company (5). (To be continued next week iy”H)
(1) שו"ע או"ח קע"ט (2) שם:קע"ח (3) שם:קעח:כו (4) שם:ה (5) שם:ב