Brachos 39-Brachos on Larger and whole pieces of bread, Beets, Lechem Mishna, Vegetables vs Chicken - a podcast by Eran Netkin

1. Precedence in Berachos
Regarding the precedence in berachos, one should first make a berachah on food with a more
specific berachah (e.g. ha’adamah) before making it on food with a less specific berachah (e.g.
shehakol).
If both foods require the same berachah, then one should choose the one that he prefers
.)חביב(
2. Whole loaf vs. large piece
There is a machlokes regarding which bread a person should say hamotzi on when faced with a
choice between a small whole loaf and a larger broken piece of the same grain:
Rav Huna holds that size takes precedence over wholeness, so one says hamotzi on the larger,
broken piece.
- R’ Yochanan holds that completeness takes precedence over size, so one says hamotzi on the
smaller, complete loaf.
- Rav Nachman bar Yitzchok holds that a שמים ירא should adopt the practice of placing the
broken piece under the whole loaf and then either break off a piece from the whole loaf or
from both of them.
3. Lechem Mishneh
On Shabbos, one makes hamotzi over two whole loaves of bread, commemorating the fact that
on Fridays in the desert a double portion )משנה לחם)of manna would fall.
- Rav Kahana would recite the berachah on two loaves but would only break one.
- R’ Zeira would break off a large piece for himself that would suffice for the whole meal.
Siman – Letter
The father was shocked when he discovered a letter under the two small whole loaves of lechem
mishna, reminding him to always make a berachah on a carrot before making one on gefilte fish.
Key Words – Precedence, whole vs. large, lechem mishneh

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