Why is It Called "Bitziyas Hapas?"

Q. Why is reciting Hamotzi on bread referred to as Bitziyas Hapas (cutting bread)?

A. Rabbi Genack (Gan Shoshanim 1:8) shows that the beracha of Hamotzi that we recite at the beginning of a meal is fundamentally different than the berachos that we recite on other foods. We know that one may not eat any food without first reciting a beracha. A beracha serves as a request to Hashem to eat from His food, and one who does not do so is considered to have stolen. Yet, when it comes to the beracha on bread, we find even more. The Gemara Berachos (48b) offers three different verses as the source that one must recite a beracha before eating bread. The Shita Mikubetzes explains that although the Tanaim cite verses from the Torah, this is still not a Torah obligation, but rather an asmachta (a Rabbinic obligation that is hinted to by the Torah). The Rashba writes that these Tanaim do in fact rule that birchas Hamotzi is a Torah obligation. However, we do not follow this ruling. Instead, we follow the ruling that birchas Hamotzi is Rabbinic. Still, it is clear that Hamotzi is singled out as having additional significance, more than a regular beracha. Rav Soloveitchik, zt”l explained that the birchas Hamotzi is not just a request for permission, but it is a beracha on the cutting of the bread and the beginning of the meal. The Beracha of Hamotzi also has the status of a Birchas hamitzvah, because it initiates the meal and ultimately leads us to the mitzvah of Birchas Hamazon. Rabbi Genack explained that for this reason when we recite Hamotzi, it is proper to eat a kezayis of bread right away. Although for all other foods it is enough to eat a small bite, regarding hamotzi which also has this element of bitziyas ha’pas, one should eat a kezayis. This is because the beracha of Hamotzi also relates to Birchas Hamazon, and a kezayis is the minimum amount of bread that is required for Birchas Hamazon.

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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.