Mealtime Mix-Up

I was at a shevah brachot and ate a meal and then said Hazon afterward I realised that I didn’t wash for bread, so is Hazon good enough even if I didn’t eat bread or do I have to say Borey Nefashot ?

Thank you for your question.

This is unfortunately quite common: people who attend an event and don’t wash to eat bread tend to forget this and say Birkat Hamazon with everyone else. So, what do you do in such a circumstance, and if Birkat Hamazon is good enough for bread, why should it not include all other foods?

The halacha is brought in the Shulchan Aruch Siman 208 seif 17

שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות ברכת הפירות סימן רח סעיף יז

ברכת שלש אינה פוטרת מעין שלש, שאם אכל דייסא אין ברכת המזון פוטרתו; אבל ביין ברכת ג' פוטרתו, שאם בירך על היין ברכת המזון במקום על הגפן, יצא; וה"ה אם בירך על התמרים ברכת המזון במקום על העץ, יצא;

The Shulcha Aruch writes that Hazon only exempts food like figs and wine which generally one would have to say or Al Ha’ets or Al’ Hagefen but if one ate a type of porridge and said Hazon instead of al hamichya he is not exempted.

So we see that the blessing of Hazon only exempts certain foods even though ‘Hazon es Ha’olam’ speaks about feeding food to humanity nevertheless the intent of the Bracha is said for foods that are satisfying like wine and figs.

The Mishnah Berurah writes (and this is Le’halcha for Ashkenazim and Sefardim), that since the porridge is filling and satisfying therefore one is exempted by reciting Hazon since that includes praise that Hashem gave us food that satisfies us.

The same is true with all the types of Mezonot made of the 5 grains. Since there are opinions that extend this Halacha even to rice since rice is also a satisfying food, therefore, we say Safek Brachot Lekulah (when in doubt about Hilchot Brachot one should be lenient), and one should not say Borey Nefashot.

So in your case, you would have to see what you ate, if you only ate mezonot and wine then you are exempt, however if you also ate salad and potatoes then one is not exempt with Hazon, and you would have to recite Borey Nefasht Rabot, first you should say “Baruch shem kevod Malchuto Le’olam vaed” and then say Borey Nefashot.

It is important to note that this halacha is when you remember after you finished Hazon, if however you remembered before you finished the first Bracha then before you say ‘Baruch Ata’ you should say על שהנחלת לאבותינו ארץ חמדה ורחבה - and then continue רחם נא ה' אלוקינו על ישראל עמך ועל ירושלים עירך from the Al’hamichya, and continue as normal the ‘Al Hamichaya’.

If you remember after you recited the first blessing (Hazon Es Hakol) then you should stop there and not continue since you exempted yourself with this Bracha from continuing either with ‘Nodeh Lecha’ or with ‘Al Hamoichyah.

The same would be if one said Al Hamichyah for foods that are supposed to be Borey Nefashot for example when eating meat or fish, one is not exempt from Al Hamichya one would have to say Baruch shem…. And then ‘Borey Nefashot Rabot. (this is brought is Siman 208 Seif 13 Mishnah Berurah seif katan 62)

However, if one ate bread and instead of reciting Hazon one said Al Hamichyah then this is very interesting halacha brought in the Sha’ar Ha’tsiyun (siman 168 seif katan 71) that we say that min-Hatorah one is exempt with reciting Al Hamichyah however Mi’deraban one is not, therefore, one would need to say also Ha’zon in order to discharge the De’rabbannan.

The same would be the other way around that Borey Nefashot does not exempt Al Hamichyah.

Wishing you all the best.

Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Hilchot Berachot, Siman 208, Seif 17

Mishnah Berurah ibid