Non-Pas Yisroel Bread Brought by a Guest

I eat only Pas Yisroel on Shabbos. A guest came for Shabbos and brought us a bread that is not Pas Yisroel. If I do not serve the bread I am afraid I will insult the guest. What should I do?

Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De’ah 112:13) writes that if a guest brought non-Pas Yisroel to the table, and the non-Pas Yisroel is a superior bread, then the host should specifically say the hamotzi blessing on the superior bread even though ordinarily he is stringent to eat only Pas Yisroel. Furthermore, the host is permitted to partake from this bread for the duration of the meal. Shach (112:21) explains that the host is permitted to eat the bread, out of consideration that this might otherwise cause enmity. Likewise, Rama (112:15) writes that if one is eating with a group and pas palter is served, he may partake, so as not to insult the others.

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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.