K’dei Ichul - Continuous Drinking

Q. I drink water at my desk throughout the day. If I have not taken a sip of water for more than an hour, do I need to make a new beracha rishona, or does the beracha rishona that I said at the beginning of the day last throughout the day?

A. This is a matter of dispute among the poskim. The Magen Avrohom (184:9) writes that if someone had in mind to eat two foods or drink two cups of water and they delayed between the two longer than the amount of time that it takes for the original food or drink to be digested, a new beracha rishona is required for the second food or drink. The Shulchan Aruch Harav (184:3) follows this ruling as well. The rationale for this position is obvious. Since a beracha acharona is not recited after k’dei ichul, we see that the eating session ends when the food is digested. Just as one cannot recite a beracha acharona after k’dei ichul, the original beracha rishona ceases to be effective as well, and a new beracha is required if one wishes to continue eating. However, the Even Ha’ozer argues, that the Rambam (Hilchos Berachos 4:7) contradicts the ruling of the Magen Avrohom, and so long as one has in mind to continue eating or drinking, even if there was a delay of an entire day, there is no need to make a new beracha. The Minchas Yitzchok (5:102) adds an additional caveat. The leniency of the Even Ha’ozer only applies if at the time the beracha was recited the person specifically had in mind to continue drinking water throughout the day.

What is the logic of the Even Ha’ozer’s position? Apparently, he holds that once the food is digested a beracha acharona cannot be recited because the pleasure of eating has passed. However, with respect to the beracha rishona, as long as one plans to continue eating, there is no hesech hada’as (an interruption of intention), and the original beracha rishona remains active and in force.

The Mishnah Berurah (184:17 and Beiur Halachah 190:2) and Minchas Yitzchok side with the Even Ha’ozer.

In the next Halacha Yomis we will add further clarification about the position of the Even Ha’ozer.

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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.