The Beracha Acharona on Raw Grain

Q. What beracha acharona is recited on raw or toasted grains (wheat, oats, etc.)?

A. The beracha rishona on the five grains (wheat, barley, spelt, oats and rye) if eaten raw or toasted is Borei pri ha’adama. However, Shulchan Aruch (208:4) quotes Tosfos (12th or 13th century commentators) was uncertain what beracha acharona should be recited for the following reason. There are three tiers of beracha acharona. The beracha acharona of most foods is “Borei nifoshos”, which consists of one beracha. The second tier is bread, which is a preeminent food, and therefore the beracha acharona is “Hazon es ha’olam”. The Biblical beracha on bread consists of three berachos. The third category is a middle level of importance. It includes grains and fruits listed in the Torah as the special species of Eretz Yisrael. These include cooked or baked foods made with the five grains (the beracha acharona is Al hamichya) and the five fruits which grow in Israel, i.e. grapes, figs, dates, olives and pomegranates (the beracha acharona is Al Ha’eitz). The beracha acharona of the last group is known as “Beracha achas mei’ein shalosh” (one beracha similar to three), because it is a condensed version of Birchas hamazon in one beracha. Tosofos suggests that the beracha acharona on the five grains when roasted or toasted should also be mei’ein shalosh, since they are the special grains of Israel. However, Tosofos is faced with a dilemma. What text should be used? Al hamichya is inappropriate, because only baked items are considered “michya” (foods of sustenance). Perhaps one should say a beracha that is similar to Al Ha’eitz which is said for the five species of fruit. Since the grains are not fruit, the beracha should begin “Al Ha’odama”. However, there is no mention of this text in the entire Talmud. Tosfos remains uncertain whether to say “Al Ha’odama” or “Borei nifoshos”. To avoid this uncertainty, Tosofos recommends that raw or toasted grains should only be consumed as part of a meal. This way one can recite Birchas Hamazon and avoid the issue. However, if one did eat a kezayis of raw or toasted grains, outside the context of a meal, one should recite the shorter beracha of Borei nefashos (Mishnah Berurah 208:18).

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.