Borei Pri Ha'Eitz and Borei Pri HaAdama
Borei Pri Ha’Eitz: All Fruits
Say borei pri ha’eitz on fruits and nuts from perennial trees or bushes.
Note: A perennial tree or bush is a plant whose trunks or stalks survive from year to year; often with bark on the trunk or stalk.
Borei Pri Ha’Eitz: Five Special Fruits
Say borei pri ha’eitz on the Five Special Fruits for which the Land of Israel is praised.
To eat more than one type of the Five Special Fruits:
If you have a particular preference, you may eat the fruits in whichever order you prefer.
If you have no particular preference, eat them in this order:
1. Olive 2. Date 3. Grape 4. Fig 5. Pomegranate.
Note: Order of Five Special Fruits
The order for eating the Five Special Fruits comes from Deuteronomy/Devarim 8:8 and follows the fruit’s proximity to the two times the word “eretz” is used: “Eretz chita u’s’ora v’gefen u’t’eina v’rimon, eretz zayit shemen u’dvash.” A land of wheat and barley and grapevine and fig and pomegranate, a land of olive oil and honey.
Borei Pri HaAdama: Which Foods: General Rules
Say borei pri ha'adama on:
Common vegetables, Fruits and nuts that grow on annual plants (such as pineapple, bananas, strawberries, peanuts), and Uncooked or unbaked grains, including those not of the Five Special Grains.
Note: For when to say she’hakol, see Borei Pri HaAdama: Sprouts.
Borei Pri HaAdama: Which Foods: Specialty Foods
Say borei pri ha’adama if the tree from which the food grew can only be used once, such as banana trees or palm trees that get cut down after giving their produce.
For fore-blessing of bread croutons in salad, see Borei Pri HaAdama: Salads.
Say borei pri ha’adama on vegetable salad.
Note: The fore-blessing of borei pri ha’adama also covers salad toppings and additions that by themselves require a different blessing, such as:
Borei pri ha’eitz for a sprinkling of pine nuts, cashews, apple slices, or raisins, or Borei minei mezonot or ha’motzi for bread croutons.
Reason: Since these toppings and additions are subordinate to the main salad, you do not say the individual blessings; you only say borei pri ha’adama.
Say the fore-blessing of she’hakol if the sprouts were grown only in water.
Say borei pri ha’adama if the grains were sprouted in the ground (such as sunflower sprouts or wheat grass).
Copyright 2015 Richard B. Aiken. Halacha L’Maaseh appears courtesy of www.practicalhalacha.com Visit their web site for more information.
This material is provided for informational purposes only – not a substitute for the consultation of a competent rabbi.