13. The Shiur Kezayis by Mezonos and Hamotzi products – How much of a Mezonos or Hamotzi product must one eat in order to recite Al Hamichyah, or Birchas Hamazon?

See in length in chapter 8 Halacha 6 regarding Hamotzi, and Chapter 10 Halacha 6 and 13 regarding Mezonos for the full details of this subject!

Introduction: Mezonos and Hamotzi products made with one of the flours of the five grains, typically contain other ingredients in them, such as oil, eggs, spices, sugar, cocoa, and at times even other flours that are not of the five grains but legume sourced. Thus, the question is raised as to how much of this product must be eaten in order to recite Al Hamichyah, or Birchas Hamazon, does it suffice to simply eat a Kezayis in total of the food within four minutes being that the entire food has the status of Mezonos and Hamotzi, or, must one eat an actual Kezayis of the five grain flour ingredient within four minutes in order to recite the after blessing of Al Hamichyah, or Birchas Hamazon.

• Example: Suppose you eat a slice of cake made with wheat flour (one of the five grains), sugar, cocoa, and also a significant amount of potato flour. If, within four minutes, you consume a piece that contains a Kezayis in total, but the wheat flour represents only part of the overall ingredients, do you recite Al Hamichyah based on the total volume eaten, or must the Kezayis specifically be from the wheat flour? How does the ratio of five grain flour to other flours (such as potato flour or legume-based flour) affect your obligation to say the after blessing?

Products made of multi grain flours [i.e. wheat and buckwheat flour]: First and foremost this depends on the ratio of the flour within the food, as explained in length in chapter 8 Halacha 6 regarding Hamotzi, and Chapter 10 Halacha 6 and 13 regarding Mezonos. Practically, as explained there, if it contains 16.7 % of five grain flour then Al Hamichyah is to be recited after eating a Kezayis of the food within Achilas Peras [4 minutes], although Birchas Hamazon is only to be recited if he ate an actual Kezayis of the five grain flour. If however it does not contain 16.7 % of five grain flour within Achilas Peras [i.e. 174 grams], then one is to eat a Kezayis each of two other foods of which one is Mezonos and the second receives a Borei Nefashos, and then recite an Al Hamichyah and Borei Nefashos on both foods. Now, this ruling mainly is relevant to products that contain other flour ingredients, however, products of which the only flour ingredient is five grain flour and simply have other ingredients to enhance it, the following is the law:

Products made of only five grain flour – Typical bread, crackers, cake:[1] When eating a slice of cake and other baked product which is mainly flour but includes also eggs, oil, sugar and spices, it suffices to eat a Kezayis of the product in total within four minutes and so is the widespread custom. This applies even according to those opinions[2] who rule that in general one must eat an actual Kezayis of five grain flour in order to recite Al Hamichya as this only applies when there are other non-Mezonos flours in the mixture. However, when the mixture simply contains regular flour plus sugar and spices to enhance the flour, then the custom is to require only a Kezayis of the food to be eaten. Certainly, this applies according to those Poskim[3] who rule that we always require only a Kezayis of the food to be eaten even when mixed with other flours, which is the implied ruling of Admur. Nonetheless, there are some Poskim[4] who are stringent even in the above case to only recite an after blessing of Al Hamichya if one has for certain eaten a Kezayis of actual Mezonos flour, which often is in excess of 70 to 80 g within four minutes. Nevertheless, even they agree that by bread it suffices to eat a regular Kezayis of bread without taking the water into account.[5]

Products made of non-flour ingredients with flour added – [Meat loaf with flour added for taste etc]:[6]  This follows the same law applicable to multi grain products brought above and hence if it contains 16.7 % of five grain flour then Al Hamichyah is to be recited after eating a Kezayis of the food within Achilas Peras [4 minutes]. If however it does not contain 16.7 % of five grain flour within Achilas Peras [i.e. 174 grams], then one is to eat a Kezayis each of two other foods of which one is Mezonos and the second receives a Borei Nefashos, and then recite an Al Hamichyah and Borei Nefashos on both foods.

Foods that contain individually recognizable Mezonos – Matzah balls in a soup, wheat in Chulent, meat in pastry:[7] By products that contain individual Mezonos foods such as above, one must eat a Kezayis of the actual Mezonos within four minutes to recite Al Hamichya, unless the entire food has been blended or disintegrated into one product.

• Example 1 – Matzah Balls in Soup: If you have a bowl of chicken soup with several matzah balls floating inside, you must actually eat a Kezayis of the matzah balls themselves within four minutes to be eligible to recite Al Hamichya. Eating just the broth or a small piece of matzah ball does not suffice.
• Example 2 – Wheat Kernels in Chulent: In a pot of chulent that contains whole wheat kernels, potatoes, and meat, only direct consumption of a Kezayis of the wheat kernels within four minutes allows you to say Al Hamichya. Eating only the potatoes and meat, with minimal wheat, would not meet the requirement.
• Example 3 – Meat-Filled Pastry: Consider a pastry shell made of dough (Mezonos) filled with minced meat. If you eat enough of the dough component to equal a Kezayis within four minutes, you may recite Al Hamichya. However, if you mostly eat the meat filling and only a small amount of the dough, you would not fulfill the criteria for the after blessing.
• Example 4 – Layered Casserole: Suppose you enjoy a layered casserole where Mezonos noodles and vegetables are easily distinguishable. You must eat a Kezayis of noodle within four minutes, rather than a combined amount of noodles and vegetables, to properly say Al Hamichya.

[1] M”B 208:48; Chayeh Adam 50:21 that so was the custom; Piskeiy Teshuvos 208:14

[2] M”B 208:48; Chayeh Adam 50:21; Chesed Lealafim 208:3; Agurah Beohalecha p. 4; Kaf Hachaim 168:122; 127; 208:9; 14; Igros Moshe 1:71; Minchas Yitzchak 9:15; See Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid footnote 99; So rule regarding bread that one does not recite Birchas Hamazon in such a case: 2nd opinion in Seder 8:3; See Kuntrus Achron 442 6-8; Raavad; Rashba Toras Habayis 4:1; Peri Chadash 442:1; P”M 208 A”A 15; Kaf Hachaim 208:53 in name of Perach Shushan 1:3; Erech Hashulchan 208:4; Beis Efraim 13; Shaareiy Teshuvah 208:12; Gr”a; Derech Hachaim

[3] Ruling of Admur in Seder 3:2 regarding Mezonos according to all; 1^st and Stam opinion in Admur Seder 8:3; Ruling of Admur in Shulchan Aruch 168:11 in parentheses; See Admur 442:9 and Kuntrus Achron 442 6-8; Tosafus Chulin 98b; Rabbeinu Chaim brought in Rosh 7:31; Kaf Hachaim 208:53 in name of Mateh Yehuda 208:4; Mamar Mordechai 208:15

[4] M”B ibid concludes Lechatchila to be stringent; Divrei Yoel 1:13; Igros Moshe 1:71; Minchas Yitzchak 9:15; Teshuvos Vehanhagos 2:132; Shevet Hakehasi 2:93; Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid footnotes 99-101

[5] Vezos Habracha Beirurim 14 in name of Rav Elyashiv; Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid footnote 100

[6] Setimas Admur in Seder 3:2 who does not differentiate at all, and writes his ruling regarding any food that contains flour that makes the food Mezonos; M”A 208:15 regarding that if mixed with other foods is even more lenient! So rule [Lechumra] that all foods with flour have the same law as Pas Haba Bekisnin with legume flour, although negate the M”A ibid distinction Lekula: Lechem Chamudos 19; Olas Tamid 208:7, Mamar Mordechai 208:17; M”B 208:48; Biur Halacha 208 “Bekedeira”; Kaf Hachaim 208:56 that there is no difference in this law regarding whether the Mezonos flour is mixed with other legume flour, or other foods, and so is proven from Admur in Seder 3:2 who is not discussing specifically if it was mixed with flour, and so rules Piskeiy Teshuvos 208:14 footnote 102

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule one must eat a Kezayis of the actual flour to say an Al Hamichyah, otherwise, one is to recite Borei Nefashos. [M”B 208:48; Chayeh Adam 50:21; Chesed Lealafim 208:3; Agurah Beohalecha p. 4; Kaf Hachaim 168:122; 127; 208:9; 14; Igros Moshe 1:71; Minchas Yitzchak 9:15; See Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid footnote 99; See also Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid footnote 103 that according to all one must eat a Kezayis of the actual flour to say an Al Hamichyah, Vetzaruch Iyun that he made no mention of Seder 3:2 nor of any of the above Poskim!; So rule regarding bread that one does not recite Birchas Hamazon in such a case: 2nd opinion in Admur Seder 8:3; See Kuntrus Achron 442 6-8; Raavad; Rashba Toras Habayis 4:1; Peri Chadash 442:1; P”M 208 A”A 15; Kaf Hachaim 208:53 in name of Perach Shushan 1:3; Erech Hashulchan 208:4; Beis Efraim 13; Shaareiy Teshuvah 208:12; Gr”a; Derech Hachaim]

[7] Piskeiy Teshuvos 208:14 footnote 105-106