Bracha Achrona After Eating Bread

Q. The Mishna (Berachos 51b) relates that after eating bread, one must bench before the bread is digested. This time frame is known as "k’dei ichul” (the time it takes for digestion to occur). How does a person know if digestion occurred?

A. Rav Yochanan maintains that k’dei ichul is the amount of time that elapses until one is hungry again. Reish Lakish states that it is as long as he is thirsty due to his eating. Reish Lakish also states that if one ate a small amount and was not satiated, the timespan is the amount of time it takes to walk 4 mil (72 minutes). When there is a dispute between Rav Yochanan and Reish Lakish, the halacha follows Rav Yochanan. Thus, if one ate bread or any other food (including fruit or wine) that requires a beracha acharona, the beracha acharona must be said before the person begins to feel hungry again, and this is the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch (OC 184:5). However, what is not clear is what should be done if one ate only a small amount of food and was not satiated at all. This is a matter of dispute. Most poskim hold that Rav Yochanan and Reish Lakish argue only in an instance where one was satiated after the meal, but if one ate a small amount, Rav Yochanan accepts the opinion of Reish Lakish that the time frame is 72 minutes. However, the Magen Avrohom (184:9) writes that Rav Yochanan argues with Raish Lakish in all situations, and even when eating a small amount the time frame is how long it takes for the food to be digested, which may be be less than 72 minutes. The Mishnah Berurah (184:20) writes that most poskim do not agree with the Magen Avrohom, and one always has a minimum amount of 72 minutes. The Mishnah Berurah recommends being strict lichatchila and not waiting too long to bentch. However, bidi’eved he rules like the majority of poskim that one always has a minimum of 72 minutes.

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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.