HOW TO MAKE A
BRACHA
(Blessing)
YOUR INTENTION
- You plan what bracha you'll say before saying the bracha.
- If you know in advance you will be eating other foods of the same bracha, then when.
you say the bracha have in mind to include those foods.
YOUR POSITION
- The food should be in front of you & in your right hand unless you’re a lefty.
- You shouldn’t be doing anything else while saying the bracha besides walking to where
you’re going to sit down & eat. - If you can’t sit then stand still while you say the bracha.
HOW YOU SAY A BRACHA
- The bracha should be said loud enough to hear but if you say it quietly you must
pronounce the words.
- The bracha should be said in Hebrew & you should understand the words but it counts
even if you don’t understand Hebrew.
- If you can’t say the bracha in Hebrew you can say it in English as long as you understand
what you’re saying. - If you just ‘think’ the words in your mind it doesn’t count & a new bracha would be needed.
- If you say G-d’s name (Hashem) & stop in the middle of the bracha because you realize
you’re saying the wrong bracha, say the following in Hebrew, Transliteration or English
& then start the bracha all over again.
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HEBREW
וָעֶד לְעוֹלָם מַלְכוּתוֹ כָּבוֹד שֵׁם בָּרוּך
TRANSLITERATION
Baruch sheim ki'vode malchuso l'olam vaw'ed.
ENGLISH
Blessed is the name
of his glorious kingdom for all eternity.
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WHAT TO DO IF YOU BEGIN EATING
BEFORE YOU MAKE A BRACHA
- If it is solid food that won't become inedible if you take it out of your mouth,
then remove the food & make the bracha. - If it is solid food that will become inedible if you take it out of your mouth,
then you can move it to the side of your mouth & make the bracha.
- If it is liquid, then you should spit it out & make a bracha.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU'VE SWALLOWED
THE FOOD OR LIQUID
- You can & should find a different food with the same bracha & make the
bracha on that food.
- If you can't find a different food with the same bracha than any sheh’ha'kole
food will be acceptable. - Even if you forget the bracha required before you eat, you should still say
the bracha that is appropriate for after you eat.
WHEN CAN YOU TALK?
- Your bracha is not considered complete until you swallow the food
- So you can't talk until you've swallowed at least a K'zayis (size of an olive).
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