Last week we mentioned that the bracha of Hamotzi only exempts food that are for the sake of the meal (ie foods used to satiate), however, snack foods require their own bracha. Thus, it would seem that any mezonos dessert (assuming you are eating it not to fill you up) would require a beracha.
However,Rav Akiva Eiger says this really all depends. As we have mentioned previously there is a three way debate as to what exactly is Pas Haba B'kisnin. Not to get into the details but Pas Haba B'kisnin is considered a snack food and would require a Mezonos unless you are eating it for a meal, in which case you would wash make Hamotzi and Bench. The three opinions of what Pas Haba B'kisnin are:
1. Rashba- dough with a pocket filled with sweets (honey, jam, fruit)- like a Hamintoshin or fruit pie.
2. Rambam- dough enhanced with ingredients other than flour and water- like chocolate cake or zomick's challah.
3. Rav Hai Gaon- dough cooked to a point where it is dry, brittle and crunchy- like breadsticks or crackers.
While we normally assume that all three of these opinions are correct and we make a Mezonos on them, unless eating them as a meal, in the case of eating them for dessert we rule differently. Since, we have a concept of Safek Berachos L'hakel -- since berachos only d'rabanan when in doubt we don't say them-- unless we are sure this dessert item is a snack food we don't make a beracha on it.
Thus, while according to the Rambam cake is Pas Haba B'kisnin and considered a snack food, the Rashba himself would hold that cake is pure "bread" and thus would be exempt from a beracha due to the Hamotzi said earlier in the meal. So unless the dessert item fulfills all three criteria mentioned above, we err on the side of caution and don't make a beracha. Of course, there are many desserts that do contain all three criteria (chocolate wafers)
The Mishna Brurah argues and says that since we assume all three opinions are right, we are in fact assuming that any food covered in one of those opinions is for sure a Mezonos and would require a separate beracha.
However,Rav Akiva Eiger says this really all depends. As we have mentioned previously there is a three way debate as to what exactly is Pas Haba B'kisnin. Not to get into the details but Pas Haba B'kisnin is considered a snack food and would require a Mezonos unless you are eating it for a meal, in which case you would wash make Hamotzi and Bench. The three opinions of what Pas Haba B'kisnin are:
1. Rashba- dough with a pocket filled with sweets (honey, jam, fruit)- like a Hamintoshin or fruit pie.
2. Rambam- dough enhanced with ingredients other than flour and water- like chocolate cake or zomick's challah.
3. Rav Hai Gaon- dough cooked to a point where it is dry, brittle and crunchy- like breadsticks or crackers.
While we normally assume that all three of these opinions are correct and we make a Mezonos on them, unless eating them as a meal, in the case of eating them for dessert we rule differently. Since, we have a concept of Safek Berachos L'hakel -- since berachos only d'rabanan when in doubt we don't say them-- unless we are sure this dessert item is a snack food we don't make a beracha on it.
Thus, while according to the Rambam cake is Pas Haba B'kisnin and considered a snack food, the Rashba himself would hold that cake is pure "bread" and thus would be exempt from a beracha due to the Hamotzi said earlier in the meal. So unless the dessert item fulfills all three criteria mentioned above, we err on the side of caution and don't make a beracha. Of course, there are many desserts that do contain all three criteria (chocolate wafers)
The Mishna Brurah argues and says that since we assume all three opinions are right, we are in fact assuming that any food covered in one of those opinions is for sure a Mezonos and would require a separate beracha.
There are those as a way of avoiding this question who will bench prior to having dessert.
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