*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Donate- Meal bread versus Snack bread – On which types of bread does one say Hamotzi and on which types does one say Mezonos?[1]
The blessing of Hamotzi is to only be said over meal breads, which is defined as breads that one commonly establishes a meal over. Snack breads, which are defined as all types of breads or dough products that one does not typically establish a meal over, are Mezonos and not Hamotzi. In some cases of snack bread or other dough products, if one does decide to establish a meal over food, then one is required to then he is required to wash hands with a blessing[2] and recite the blessing of Hamotzi and Birchas Hamazon over the bread. In other cases, one is to recite Mezonos and Al Hamichya even in such a case that one establishes a meal over it. The previous chapter already discussed one type of such bread, such as bread that is made through boiling the dough in water or oil. This chapter will focus on which baked products are defined as meal bread versus snack bread, and in which cases a blessing of Hamotzi is to be recited upon setting a meal over such snack bread. It will also discuss the definition of setting a meal, in terms of how much bread one is to eat, and how satiated one must become.
The three types of snack breads:[3] There are three types of snack breads over which people are not accustomed to set a meal over and are therefore Mezonos and not Hamotzi:
- Lachmaniyos
- Truknin
- Pas Haba Bikisnin
After eating the above snack breads one recites an after blessing of Al Hamichyah.
What is the law if one established a meal over the above snack breads? In such a case the above breads become Hamotzi and one says Birchas Hamazon after eating them, as will be further explained in Halacha 9.
[1] See Seder 2:1; Luach Birchas Hanehnin 8; Admur 168:8; Ketzos Hashulchan 48:1
[2] Seder Netilas Yadayim Halacha 19; Seder Birchas Hanehnin 2:2; Admur 158:1
[3] Seder 2:5
