Additions to Birkas Hamazon - Part 1: General Guidelines
On special days such as Shabbos and Yom Tov, additional supplications are added to Birkas Hamazon. The halachos pertaining to one who forgets these additions are extremely detailed, and many variables must be analyzed to determine the correct procedures to be followed. This article will break down the halachos for each special day. To provide a proper understanding of the halachic outcomes, we will first present some general guidelines.
Some additions are critical, and if omitted, bentching must be repeated. Others are not critical, and one fulfills his obligation of bentching even if the proper addition was not said. The rule is that following a meal in which one is obligated to eat bread, the additional supplication is considered critical, and bentching must be repeated if it is omitted. However, if eating bread was not obligatory at that meal (even if fasting is forbidden), the additional supplication is not critical, and repetition is not required if omitted.171 In either situation, one who realizes his mistake immediately can often rectify it, as described below.
If one omits Retzeih or Ya’aleh Veyavo and realizes his mistake before saying the Name of Hashem at the end of the berachah, he should return to Retzeih or Ya’aleh Veyavo and then continue with the words Uvenei Yerushalayim.172
If one only realizes his mistake after saying Hashem’s Name but has not yet said the word bonei, he should conclude the berachah with the words לַמְּדֵנִי חֻקֶּיךָ, and then return to Retzeih or Ya’aleh Veyavo, continuing from there.173
If one only realizes his mistake after saying the word bonei,174 he should complete the berachah of Uvenei Yerushalayim and then insert the compensatory berachah instituted by Chazal for such a situation.175
The compensatory berachah can only be recited if one has not yet started the next berachah of Birkas Hamazon (the berachah of Hatov Vehameitiv). Starting the next berachah according to some Acharonim176 means saying, בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ, מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הָאֵל. Before saying the word הָאֵל one can continue with the words of the compensatory berachah without having to go back to the beginning of bentching.
After saying הָאֵל, the berachah may no longer be recited. If the omission was a critical one, bentching must be repeated.177
Someone who does not know the text of the compensatory berachah must go back to the beginning of bentching. However, if he knows the beginning and end of the berachah, it suffices to say those parts and then continue onward.178
One who is unsure whether he said the additional supplication must assume that he did not say it.179 If, at the onset of bentching, he was planning on saying the addition and then, a while after completing bentching, a doubt entered his mind about whether he indeed said it, he can assume that he did.180 A child can also be trusted to say that he heard another person say the addition.181
171 Shulchan Aruch 188:7 and Mishnah Berurah, note 26. For further explanation of this matter see Halichos Shlomo, Rosh Chodesh 1, Dvar Halachah 28.
172 Mishnah Berurah 188, note 22.
173 Mishnah Berurah 188, note 22. This ruling applies to Ya’aleh Veyavo on Rosh Chodesh as well; see Avnei Yashfe I:40, based on Sha’ar Hatziyun 18.
174 Shoneh Halachos 188:9, based on Sha’ar Hatziyun 188:18. [See Sha’ar Hatziyun, who cites a second opinion regarding someone who remembers after saying the word bonei, but questions that ruling.]
175 Shulchan Aruch 188:6-7. If one recites Ya’aleh Veyavo or Retzeih at this point instead of reciting the special berachah, he does not fulfill his obligation and must repeat Birkas Hamazon in instances where the recitation of Ya’aleh Veyavo or Retzeih is critical (R’ S. Z. Auerbach cited in Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasah 57:5, footnote 15). Cf. Beiur Halachah, ד"ה שנתן.
176 Chayei Adam cited in Mishnah Berurah 188:23. Although Beiur Halachah, s.v. Ad, takes strong issue with this ruling, his final ruling is as stated in Mishnah Berurah (see Halichos Shlomo Rosh Chodesh 1, Devar Halachah 28 with footnote 77). Cf. Vezos Haberachah 15, p. 146.
177 Shulchan Aruch 188:6 and Mishnah Berurah, notes 23 and 24. For an analysis of the views and explanations of the Rishonim and Poskim on this matter, see Beiur Halachah, ד"ה לראש
178 Mishnah Berurah 188, note 17.
179 Mishnah Berurah 188, note 16.
180 Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasah 57, footnote 17 based on Mishnah Berurah 114, note 38.
181 R’ S. Z. Auerbach cited in Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasah ibid.