9. The five possible after blessings:

The sages established three general after blessings, with one containing three different Nusschaos  for five different groups of foods.

1. The after blessing of Birchas Hamazon.
2. The after blessing of Meiyn Gimel, which contains three different Nusschaos, depending on food:
   1. The after blessing of Al Hamichya.
   2. The after blessing of Al Hagafen.
   3. The after blessing of Al Heitz and Hapeiros.
3. The after blessing of Borei Nefashos.

The details of each after blessing will be explained throughout the coming Halachas.

1. Identifying the after blessing – Which Bracha Achrona should one recite on which food?[1]

The after blessing of Borei Nefashos Rabos is recited on all food and beverages[2] with exception to bread over which one recites Birchas Hamazon, and with exception to the Shivas Haminim of which the land of Israel was praised[3], which is wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates[4] over which one recites a single blessing which is similar to the three blessings of Birchas Hamazon [i.e. Meiyn Gimel].[5] The same applies for wine which derives from the grape.[6] The same also applies for spelt which is a type of wheat, and for oats and rye which is a type of barley [which receive the after blessing of Birchas Hamazon or Al Hamichya].[7] These [five grains] are referred to as grain in all areas of discussion.

Thus, in summary the sages established five different after blessings for five different groups of foods.

1. The after blessing of Birchas Hamazon is recited over Hamotzi bread. See chapters 8-9 with regards to what breads receive the blessing of Hamotzi and Birchas Hamazon.
2. The after blessing of Al Hamichya is to be recited over non-Hamotzi bread five grain products. See chapters 8-10 with regards to what five grain products receive the blessing of Mezonos and Al Hamichya.
3. The after blessing of Al Hagafen is to be recited over beverages that derive from grapes [i.e. wine and grape juice]. See chapter 15.
4. The after blessing of Al Heitz and Hapeiros is to be recited over fruits of the Zayin Minim, as will be explained in Halacha 13.
5. The after blessing of Borei Nefashos is to be recited over all other foods that are not of the seven Minim, including vegetables, fruits, legumes, and all Shehakol products as will be explained in Halacha 12.

The details of this matter will be explained throughout the coming Halachas.

1. The correct after blessing for various foods:

It is beyond the scope of this Halacha or chapter to delve into after blessing identification laws for particular foods being that in the most part it depends on the identification of the before blessing which was already discussed in great detail in chapters 8-17. Accordingly, once the before blessing over the food has been determined, then its corresponding after blessing has likewise been clarified as explained in A [i.e. Mezonos foods receive Al Hamichyah, Haeitz of Shivas Haminim receive Al Hapeiros, Hagafen wine receives Al Hagafen and Hamotzi bread receives Birchas Hamazon. All others foods, whether Shehakol, Ha’adama or Haeitz, receive Borei Nefashos]. There does exist however a few exceptions to this rule in which the before blessing and after blessing may differ, which will be briefly discussed here.

Legume bread:[8] Bread that is made of only legume flour, without a mix of five grain flour, is Shehakol and requires and after blessing of Borei Nefashos. See Chapter 8 Halacha 5 for the full details of this subject.

Mixed Legume flour with five grain flour bread: If five-grain flour is a minor ingredient, the initial blessing is Hamotzi, unless it was added only for texture, in which case the blessing is Shehakol while the after-blessing varies: if one consumes a Kezayis of five-grain flour within four minutes, Birchas Hamazon is recited; otherwise, if the bread contains 16.7% of five grain flour then if he ate a Kezayis of the bread [but not a Kezayis of the five grain flour] he is to recite Al Hamichyah. If the bread does not contain 16.7 % of 5 grain flour then if one plans to eat a Kezayis of this bread he is to only eat it within a meal. Alternatively, [in the latter case] 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. See Chapter 8 Halacha 6 for the full details of this subject.

Mixed Legume flour with five grain flour crackers: Its before blessing is Mezonos. 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. See Chapter 10 Halacha 6 for the full details of this subject.

Bread made of rice and wheat flour: Bread that is made of rice and wheat flour receives a Hamotzi and Birchas Hamazon if the entire bread has the taste of wheat. If the entire bread does not have the taste of wheat, then it follows the same laws as any bread that is made of legume and five grain flour, explained above. See Chapter 8 Halacha 7 for the full details of this subject

Rice bread that contains spelt/rye/oat/barley flour: It follows the same laws as any bread that is made of legume and five grain flour, explained above. See Chapter 8 Halacha 7 for the full details of this subject!

Crackers made of rice and 5 grain flour: Any non-bread product that is made of rice and wheat flour receives a Mezonos and Al Hamichya if the entire food has the taste of wheat. One says Mezonos on any amount of the food that one will be eating and says Al Hamichyah on a Kezayis of the food. If the entire food does not have the taste of wheat, or if it is made with spelt/rye/oat/barley flour then it follows the same laws as any food that is made of legume and five grain flour, explained above. See Chapter 10 Halacha 7 for the full details of this subject!

Ikar Vitafel foods: All foods that contain ingredients of two separate blessings and the blessing  over the main ingredient exempts the blessing over the secondary ingredient, then in general the determination of the after blessing of the food is dependent on the determination of the before blessing of the food and corresponds to it. Thus, if the main ingredient is determined to be a food which receives the after blessing of Borei Nefashos, then only this after blessing is recited on behalf of all the other ingredients even if they have a different after blessing. If the main ingredient is determined to be a food which does not receive the after blessing of Borei Nefashos then one recites its after blessing on behalf of all the ingredients, including the Borei Nefashos ingredients. There are however a few exceptions to this rule, such as if one did not eat a Kezayis of the higher after blessing ingredient, in which case we recite the lower level blessing, whether it is the Ikar or the Tafel food [as explained in Halacha 8 above that this law of lower level Tziruf applies even by two foods that are Ikar Vitafel]. Furthermore, with regards to foods that contain five grain flour and are therefore Mezonos or Hamotzi, nonetheless, their after blessing is only Al Hamichya or Birchas Hamazon if they contained a certain amount of this flour in the ingredients as explained above regarding legume bread that contains five grain flour and the same would apply to any food that contains flour. See Chapter 17 for the full details of this subject

Rice:[9] Orez, which is questionably defined as rice as explained in chapter 11 Halacha 4, receives the before blessing of Mezonos. Nonetheless, according to all opinions its after blessing is Borei Nefashos being that it is not one of the seven species of the land of Israel. See Chapter 11 Halacha 4 for the full details of this subject!

Whole five grain kernels: Grains of the five grains which have been cooked or roasted in a way that they have remained completely whole [including their peel] and have not softened to the point that they stick to each other then although before blessing is Ha’adama, it is questionable whether their after blessing is Al Hamichya  or Borei Nefashos and they therefore should only be eaten within a meal. See Chapter 10 Halacha 9A and C for the full details of this subject

[1] Seder 1:7; Luach 1:6; Ketzos Hashulchan 60:1

[2] Seder 1:7; Luach 1:6; Admur 207:1; Michaber 207:1; Tur 207; Rav Papa Brachos 44b; Tosafus Brachos ibid

[3] Devarim 8:8

[4] This is referred to as honey in the verse, and refers to date honey. [Seder 10:9; See Rashi Sukkah 6a; Kaf Hachaim 208:2]

[5] Seder ibid; Luach ibid; Michaber 208:1-2; Tur 208; Chachamim in Mishneh Brachos 44a; Rebbe Yehoshua Ben Levi in Brachos 44a

The reason: The fruits of which the land of Israel was praised regarding was given a special after blessing due to their importance. [Taz 208:1; Tur 208; Rav Hamnuna on Brachos ibid]

Other opinions: There were Tanaim who ruled that all foods of the Shivas Haminim are to receive the after blessing of Birchas Hamazon, and hence the after blessing of Meiyn Gimel does not exist. [Raban Gamliel in Mishneh in Brachos ibid]

[6] Seder ibid; Luach ibid; Michaber 208:11; Tur 208; Rambam Brachos 8:2; Rif Brachos 32a; Mishneh Brachos 44a; Rebbe Yehoshua Ben Levi in Brachos 44a

The reason: The sages established a special wording for the after blessing after blessing of wine and did not which is Al Hagafen and did not want it to be included in the regular wording of Al Hapeiros which is said on fruits as just as wine and grape juice receive a special before blessing of Borei Peri Hagafen so too it deserves to receive a special after blessing. [Taz 208:14; Tur 208; Rav Hamnuna on Brachos ibid]

[7] Seder ibid; Luach ibid; Taz 208:2; M”A 208:1; Tur 208; Rambam Brachos 3:1; Pesachim 35a; Rashi Brachos 44a

[8] Seder 1:10; Admur 202:17; Michaber 208:8; Rif Brachos 26a; Rambam Brachos 3:10

[9] Seder 1:10-11; Rashi Brachos 37a; Rosh Brachos; Piskeiy Teshuvos 208:13