Eating a very small amount of bread by a meal-The status of blessing of the other foods eaten:[1]

Background:

The law states that whenever one eats a meal of bread with the blessing of Hamotzi, then all the other meal foods eaten during the meal are exempt from needing a before blessing said prior to eating them, being that they are secondary to the bread and exempt with the blessing of Hamotzi that was already recited.[2] These types of meal foods are known as “Devarim Habaim Machmas Haseuda.” Now, the question is raised as to how much bread one must eat in order to justify all the other meal foods to be considered secondary to it, and included within its blessing of Hamotzi. Does the eating of any amount of bread suffice, or must one eat specifically a Kezayis or Kebeitza of bread? Must one eat enough bread to be obligated in the recital of Birchas Hamazon [i.e. Kezayis within Kdei Achilas Peras]? This question is especially relevant to those people who are on a low carb diet and desire to eat only a small amount of bread. Likewise, it is also raised regarding those who are God-fearing and desire to only eat rice within a meal, and hence desire to say Hamotzi over bread prior to eating rice; must they eat a Kezayis of bread for this purpose?

The law:

Minei Liftan-foods that are eaten together with bread:[3] Those foods which are not considered foods of satiation but are rather foods that are usually eaten together with bread, are questionable whether they are exempt the blessing of Hamotzi, if one is not truly interested in eating the bread and only eats a small amount of bread for the purpose of exempting meal foods from a blessing.[4] [This applies even if one eats a Kezayis or more of bread, and certainly applies if one eats less than a Kezayis of bread.[5]] Included in these foods are: meat, fish, vegetables, cheese, eggs, and pickled foods.[6] Accordingly, one should not eat a small amount of bread for the sake of exempting the blessing of these type of foods, and is rather to say a separate blessing on these foods [without eating bread at all[7]]. This is with exception, however, to Shabbos and Yom Tov [when there is an obligation to eat bread, in which case one may eat even a small amount of bread and exempt the other foods from a blessing[8]].[9] [This, however, only applies to one who is not interested in eating bread at all and simply eats it for the sake of exempting the before blessings of the other meal foods.  If, however, one is intrinsically interested in eating bread and it is just that he does not feel like eating a Kezayis, such as due to reasons of health, then seemingly it does exempt the other foods.[10] However, there are Poskim[11] who are stringent and rule that whenever one eats less than a Kezayis of bread, it never exempts any of the meal foods from a blessing.]

Minei Mazon-foods that are eaten for satiation:[12] Those foods which are eaten for satiation purposes during a meal are exempt the blessing of Hamotzi said on bread, even if one eats only a small amount of bread [i.e. even less than a Kezayis[13]] for the sake of exempting these foods.[14] Included in these foods are: cabbage, beets, porridge, legumes and grains that are not eaten together with bread but are rather eaten as a dish for satiating purposes.[15] [Thus, one who is God-fearing and wishes to only eat rice within a meal, may recite the blessing of Hamotzi on a small amount of bread for the sake of exempting the rice, and he is not required to eat a full Kezayis of bread.]

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[1] See Admur 177:1; Kuntrus Achron 177:2; Piskeiy Teshuvos 177:1

[2] See Admur 177:1; Seder Birchas Hanehnin 4:1; Luach Birchas Hanehnin 5:1; Michaber 177:1; Rosh Brachos 6:26; Rav Papa in Brachos 41b

[3] Admur 177:1 “(Meal foods are only exempt from a before blessing during a meal of bread if one establishes his meal over bread, in which case all of the foods that are normally eaten with bread, in contrast to foods of satiation), are exempt from a blessing being that they are eaten due to the bread and are therefore secondary to it. If, however, he does not desire to eat bread and only eats a little bit of bread and says a blessing of Hamotzi over it in order to exempt the other foods, then it is questionable if those foods are exempt with its blessing being that they are not being eaten due to the bread. On the other hand, perhaps one can argue that since it is common to set a meal over such foods, therefore the blessing over the bread exempts them. Practically, [due to this doubt], one should say a separate blessing over the meal foods [prior to eating the bread] and not on the bread itself, with exception to Shabbos and Yom Tov [when there is an obligation to eat bread for the meal].”; M”A 177:1 regarding all meal foods; Beir Heiytiv 177:2; Chayeh Adam 43:12; Magen Giborim 177:1; M”B 177:3; Kaf Hachaim 177:4; Implication of Ritva Brachos 41b

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule that meal foods are always exempt with the blessing of Hamotzi over bread even if one only eats a small amount. [Even Haozer 174, brought and negated in Admur Kuntrus Achron 177:2; Aruch Hashulchan 177:2 regarding if ate a Kezayis] Other Poskim rule that if one eats less than a Kezayis of bread, then according to all the blessing of Hamotzi does not exempt the other foods. [Degul Merivava on M”A 167:7; Aruch Hashulchan ibid; Shulchan Hatahor 167:4; 177:1; Igros Moshe 4:41] Admur and the M”A ibid negate these opinions

^[4] The reason: As meal foods are exempt from a blessing being that they are eaten due to the bread and are therefore secondary to it. If, however, he does not desire to eat bread and only eats a little bit of bread and says a blessing of Hamotzi over it in order to exempt the other foods, then it is questionable if those foods are exempt with its blessing being that they are not being eaten due to the bread. On the other hand, perhaps one can argue that since it is common to set a meal over such foods, therefore the blessing over the bread exempts them. [Admur ibid; M”A ibid; M”B ibid]

[5] M”A ibid

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule that whenever one eats a Kezayis of bread he exempts the meal foods. [Aruch Hashulchan ibid; Igros Moshe 4:41; Chelkas Yaakov 1:49; Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid] Other Poskim require a Kebeitza of bread. [Shulchan Hatahor 177:1] See Chayeh Halevi 1:19

[6] Admur ibid; Michaber ibid; Bahag Brachos 6:7; Rashi Brachos ibid

[7] Machatzis Hashekel ibid

[8] Machatzis Hashekel ibid; Levushei Serud ibid

[9] Admur ibid; M”A ibid; M”B ibid

The reason: As on Shabbos and Yom Tov the bread is always the Ikkur due to the obligation to eat bread, even if one’s main intent is on the other foods and he does not plan to eat a lot of bread. [Machatzis Hashekel ibid; Levushei Serud ibid; M”B ibid]

[10] Implication of Admur and Poskim ibid who explicitly write that the question is in a case that one is not interested in eating bread and simply does so for the sake of exempting of the food

[11] Aruch Hashulchan 177:2; Shulchan Hatahor 177:1; Igros Moshe O.C. 4:41; Piskeiy Teshuvos 177:1 footnote 3

[12] Admur ibid in parentheses “(Meal foods are only exempt from a before blessing during a meal of bread if one establishes his meal over bread, in which case all of the foods that are normally eaten with bread, in contrast to foods of satiation)”; Kuntrus Achron 177:2; Ketzos Hashulchan 40 footnote 2; Piskeiy Teshuvos 177:1; Tosafus Brachos 38a regarding Mezonos foods; Even Haozer 174 regarding all meal foods; Aruch Hashulchan 177:2 regarding all meal foods if eat a Kezayis of bread

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule that there is no difference between Liftan foods and Mazon foods regarding the above doubt and question, and that therefore one should never eat a small amount of bread for the sake of exempting any meal food. [Setimas Haposkim, including M”A, M”B, Kaf Hachaim ibid who make no mention of this differentiation in the ruling]

[13] Setimas Admur ibid, and so is implied from the reasoning of Admur regarding wine, in which case the concept of a Kezayis/revius and obligation in an after blessing is irrelevant to the original law of it exempting a Bracha Rishona; M”A ibid explicitly includes the Safek even when eating less than a Kezayis; Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule that if one eats less than a Kezayis of bread, then it never exempts the meal foods. [Aruch Hashulchan 177:2; Shulchan Hatahor 177:1; Igros Moshe O.C. 4:41; Piskeiy Teshuvos 177:1 footnote 3]

[14] The reason: As all foods which are foods of satiation and are not defined as a Liftan to the bread are themselves considered like a meal, similar to the bread, being that they are eaten for satiating purposes. Therefore, they are always exempt with the blessing of Hamotzi said over the bread, even if only eats a small amount of bread for this purpose, as bread is considered the head of all meal foods, just like wine is considered the head of all drinks. [Admur Kuntrus Achron ibid]

[15] Admur ibid; Rabbeinu Yona Brachos ibid