Forgotten Berachos - Mid-Consumption

QUESTION: I am in the middle of eating a food and I can’t remember if I said a beracha. Should I recite a beracha, should I continue eating without a beracha, or must I stop eating?

ANSWER: All agree that when there is a safek (doubt) whether one recited a beracha on a mitzva, the mitzva may be performed and the beracha is not said. This is based on the following two principals: 1) “Brochos ainom miakvos”, the fulfillment of a mitzva is not contingent on the recitation of the beracha, and 2) “safek brochos lihokel", one may not recite a beracha in a case of uncertainty because it is forbidden to utter G-d’s name in vain. However, Rebbi Akiva Eiger (OC 209:3) quotes a disagreement among Rishonim (Berachos 12a) whether this leniency applies to berachos on food as well. The basis of this dispute is the following. Some maintain that brochos ainom miakvos (the fulfillment of a mitzva is not contingent on the recitation of the beracha) applies only to berachos on mitzvos, but not to berachos recited on food. This is because it is prohibited to eat food without a beracha, as the Gemarah states in Berachos 35a-b, that one who eats without reciting a beracha is a thief who steals the food from Hashem. Thus, if one is uncertain if a beracha was recited on food, a beracha cannot be recited because it may be a beracha livatala (a beracha recited in vain), and the food cannot be consumed because it may be that a beracha was not recited and eating the food would be stealing from Hashem. Others maintain, that in cases of uncertainty a beracha is not required because it is a safek dirabanan (an uncertainty related to Rabbinic law) and the food can be consumed without a beracha. Shulchan Aruch (167:9) follows the opinion of most Rishonim that even regarding a safek on foods a beracha is not said and one may continue eating. The Mishnah Berurah (167:49) writes that it is proper, if possible, to listen to someone else recite the beracha, in order avoid this conflict.

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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.