Additions to Birkas Hamazon - Part 2: Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh
Shabbos
The supplication of Retzeih is added to bentching following any meal that is eaten on Shabbos.182
When bentching after the first two Shabbos meals, the addition of Retzeih is critical since eating bread at these meals is obligatory, according to all opinions. Therefore, if Retzeih is omitted, bentching must be repeated.183
Regarding Seudah Shlishis, there is a disagreement on whether it is necessary to eat bread.184 The primary view accepted as the halachah follows those who require it. However, in deference to the lenient opinion, which maintains that one may eat other foods, we do not consider it an obligatory bread meal, and therefore bentching is not repeated if Retzeih was omitted.185
Some Poskim rule that one who eats pas haba’ah bekisnin186 for Kiddush before his Shabbos day meal fulfills his obligation of eating a Shabbos meal.187 Accordingly, the actual Shabbos meal that follows is considered a non-obligatory bread meal, and if Retzeih is omitted at that meal, bentching should not be repeated. However, others are unsure about this and rule that it is appropriate for one to eat another kezayis of bread, thereby obligating himself to bentch again without a doubt.188 A third opinion argues that even if it were true that a person can fulfill his obligation of eating a Shabbos meal by eating pas haba’ah bekisnin, that is not a person’s intention when he eats pas haba’ah bekisnin after Kiddush. Consequently, the subsequent Shabbos meal remains obligatory, and bentching would need to be repeated if Retzeih is omitted.189
For those who realize their omission before starting Hatov Vehameitiv, there is a special berachah that can be said instead of Retzeih. The text of the berachah is:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁנָּתַן שַׁבָּתוֹת לִמְנוּחָה לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבָה לְאוֹת וְלִבְרִית בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' מְקַדֵּשׁ הַשַּׁבָּת.190 This text is said by someone who omits Retzeih after any of the three Shabbos meals. If someone eats a fourth meal and forgets Retzeih, he should recite this berachah without the chasimah (i.e., without the concluding words בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' מְקַדֵּשׁ הַשַּׁבָּת).191
If someone started his meal before Shabbos was over but is bentching after nightfall and forgets Retzeih, he should not recite the special berachah even if he remembers before starting Hatov Vehameitiv. However, he may say it without mentioning Hashem’s name.192
Rosh Chodesh
Ya’aleh Veyavo is added to Birkas Hamazon following any meal eaten on either the night or day of Rosh Chodesh. If Ya’aleh Veyavo is omitted, bentching does not have to be repeated since there is no obligation to have a bread meal on Rosh Chodesh.193
If one realizes his omission before starting Hatov V’hameitiv, he should recite the following compensatory berachah:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם194 שֶׁנָּתַן רָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְזִכָּרוֹן. There is no chasimah for this berachah.195
Rosh Chodesh that falls on Shabbos
When Rosh Chodesh falls on Shabbos, Retzeih and Ya’aleh Veyavoh are added to bentching. Retzeih is said before Ya’aleh Veyavo.196 However, if one reverses the order, he still fulfills his obligation.197 If Retzeih was omitted, one must bentch again and recite both Retzeih and Ya’aleh Veyavo in the second bentching, even if Ya’aleh Veyavo was already recited in the initial one.198
If one realizes his omission before starting Hatov Vehameitiv, the compensatory berachah should be recited.199 The text of the berachah depends on which supplication was omitted: If only Retzeih was omitted, the berachah is as a prescribed above for Shabbos. If only Ya’aleh Veyavo was omitted, the berachah is as prescribed above for Rosh Chodesh. If both Retzeih and Ya’aleh Veyavo were omitted, the berachah should include the text for Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh in the beginning and end, as follows: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁנָּתַן שַׁבָּתוֹת לִמְנוּחָה לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאַהֲבָה לְאוֹת וְלִבְרִית וְרָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְזִכָּרוֹן בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' מְקַדֵּשׁ הַשַּׁבָּת וְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְרָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים.200
182 Shulchan Aruch 188:5, 8 with Mishnah Berurah, note 31.
183 This halachah applies to both men and women (Teshuvos R’ Akiva Eiger 1; c.f. Kaf Hachaim 188:24).
184 Shulchan Aruch 291:5. All opinions agree that it is best to eat bread; the question is whether it is obligatory (Mishnah Berurah 291, note 23).
185 Shulchan Aruch 188:8 with Mishnah Berurah 31. Some say that if one realizes before completing bentching that he omitted Retzeih, he should say Retzeih as part of the Harachaman supplications (see Pri Megadim, Mishbetzos Zahav 188:6; Kaf Hachaim 188:39; Birur Halachah II, 188:8).
186 See Shulchan Aruch 168:7 for an explanation of this term; cakes, cookies, and crackers are generally included in this category.
187 Shulchan Aruch Harav, comment on 188:10 (see Teshuvos Vehanhagos 5:79 that this could apply even without the intention of fulfilling the obligation of eating a Shabbos seudah.)
188 Kehilos Ya’akov, Berachos 25; Teshuvos Vehanhagos 5:79.
189 R’ S. Z. Auerbach cited in Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasah 57, footnote 32.
190 Shulchan Aruch 188:6.
191 Based on Mishnah Berurah 188:31, Sha’ar Hatziyun 25, and Beiur Halachah, ד"ה בשבת. See, however, Shoneh Halochos 188:9 who understands that Mishnah Berurah’s final ruling is that one should say the chasimah even after the fourth meal.
192 Beiur Halachah 188:10, ד"ה מזכיר
193 Shulchan Aruch 188:7 with Mishnah Berurah 26.
195 Shulchan Aruch 188:7.
196 Shulchan Aruch 188:5.
198 Shulchan Aruch 188:7 with Mishnah Berurah 29.
199 Shulchan Aruch 188:7.