2022/5782

Many snacks and cereals are made with what are known in Halachah as the “five species of grain”: wheat, spelt, barely, oats, and rye. When any of these grains are thoroughly cooked in a liquid medium, one recites Borei Minei Mezonot. In this article we will delve into various foods made of non-fully cooked grains and their Berachah. 

Background

Preface: When referencing “peeling” it is referring to removing bran from the grain. 

In this article we will assume the oat flakes in granola bars are considered whole grains.

Gemara Berachot

One of the earliest sources that addresses this question is the Gemara Berachot. The Gemara states that HaKoseis Et HaChitah, one who chews raw wheat, makes a Ha’Adamah, but if he ground, baked, and then boiled the grain (and the slices are not intact) then he recites Mezonot. The Rosh (Berachot 6:8) explains that the word Mezonot means something that satiates. The level of nourishment required to transform the food into something that satiates is not based on the subjective nutritional values for each food. What is the transforming factor that makes grain sufficiently satiable to warrant a Mezonot? 

Tosafot

Tosafot explain that grains become Mezonot only if they are thoroughly cooked. Rav Moshe Feinstein explains that for Tosafot the “transforming factor” is the degree to which the grain is cooked and made fit for a proper meal. Contrarily, VeZot HaBerachah, based on the Mishnah Berurah (208:3), writes that once the grains are broken up and rendered edible, even for Tosafot,  we do not require for the grains to be cooked well. However, regarding whole grains both Rav Moshe Feinstein and VeZot HaBerachah agree that the grain needs to be thoroughly cooked.

Rambam

The Rambam writes that if the grain is whole, even if boiled, one makes a Ha'Adamah. If the grain was crushed and broken up, one says Mezonot. Unlike Tosafot, the Rambam never mentions the superiority of thoroughly cooking and softening the grain. Furthermore, the Rambam (at the end of Halachah Daled) adds the extra phrase “all this is called Ma’aseh Kedeirah” (a dish that has gone through sufficient processing to warrant a Mezonot). Rav Moshe Feinstein explains that the Rambam heeds to what is considered Ma’aseh Kedeirah; for the Rambam anything that is cooked in a usual way is considered Ma’aseh Kedeirah. The Kesef Mishnah adds that despite the Gemara Berachot mentioning only raw grain, the Rambam holds that as long as the grain is whole and the bran is not removed (i.e unmilled), one makes a Ha'Adamah since that is not the common method of cooking the grains. However, the Gemara Berachot mentions chewing raw rice, because rice is commonly eaten whole and only eating it raw will make the dish insignificant enough to warrant a Ha'Adamah. In summation, the transforming factor for the Rambam (according to Rav Moshe Feinstein) is how the grains are normally cooked and eaten. Rashi and the Rav Akiva Eiger both align with this approach. 

Rabbeinu Yonah

The Rabbeinu Yonah writes that one makes a Mezonot on grains when they are divided and stick together. Conversely, the Rabbeinu Yonah concludes that if one cooks the grains whole and they remain whole, one makes a Ha'Adamah. This implies that had the grains been crushed or divided at one point then one would make a Mezonot, despite the grains not sticking together. The Magen Avraham reconciles the contradiction by explaining that the grains have to have the ability to stick together i.e their peel is removed. 

Tur/Beit Yosef

The Tur writes that whether raw or cooked one makes a Ha'Adamah on whole grains. Seemingly, the Tur is following the opinion of the Rambam that whenever the grain is whole, one makes a Ha'Adamah. The Beit Yosef quotes all three opinions as the source for the Tur. He explains that the transforming factor is how well cooked the grains are and fits this approach into the words of the Tur.

Shulchan Aruch

The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 208:2) states that one who boils or crushes and cooks grain makes a Mezonot. Seemingly, even if the grain is whole, if it is boiled one recites a Mezonot. However, in  208:4 the Shulchan Aruch writes that if the grain remains whole, even if boiled, one makes a Ha'Adamah!

The Aruch HaShulchan explains that the Shulchan Aruch meant to say that if the grain was divided or crushed one makes a Mezonot. Therefore, if the bran and some of the endosperm is removed one makes a Mezonot. However, if just the bran was removed but it was cooked, there is a Safeik (doubt as to the proper Berachah to recite). 

The Magen Avraham suggests that in 208:2 the Shulchan Aruch addresses whole grain that was boiled until softened and the grains stick together. Since it was cooked until the grains stick together, it becomes a significant dish that requires a Mezonot. 

The Shulchan Aruch adds that if one eats raw or toasted grain, even if broken up, one makes Ha'Adamah. Rav Moshe Feinstein cites this as the normative Halachah.

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