Why a Level 4 devoted to the Alter Rebbe ? The Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch is not a commentary on the Mehaber (מחבר) — it is a complete, self-standing Shulchan Aruch, written by the Alter Rebbe (Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of Habad, disciple of the Maggid (מגיד) of Mezeritch). Its singularity : it combines halakha (הלכה) + טעמי המצוות + inner dimension in one work, and rules with a unique Talmudic rigor.
For Habad, the Alter Rebbe is הפוסק האחרון — his psak is the deciding authority. This page gathers the Rav’s way on siman קע״ט — אֵיזֶה דְּבָרִים קְרוּיִין הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת בַּסְּעוּדָה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ, which unfolds in the Rav over ח׳ סְעִיפִים (eight seifim) : from the diversion (hessekh hadaat) during the meal and the return to the table, to the difference between eating and drinking, to “let us bless the birkat hamazon,” to the taking of the cup and mayim aharonim, to the master of the meal and the diners, up to salt and water after the meal.
שולחן ערוך הרב — סימן קע״ט — אֵיזֶה דְּבָרִים קְרוּיִין הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת בַּסְּעוּדָה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ
The full text of the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch
שולחן ערוך הרב, סימן קע״ט — אֵיזֶה דְּבָרִים קְרוּיִין הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת בַּסְּעוּדָה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ — וּבוֹ ח׳ סְעִיפִים
The Alter Rebbe’s own text (Sefaria source Shulchan_Arukh_HaRav,_Orach_Chayim.179), followed by our English translation. The siman comprises eight seifim (ח׳ סְעִיפִים ; seif k → .179.k).
סעיף א גָּמַר סְעוּדָתוֹ וְנִמְלַךְ — אֵין צָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ.
אֵיזֶה דְּבָרִים קְרוּיִין הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת בַּסְּעוּדָה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ, וּבוֹ ח׳ סְעִיפִים:גָּמַר סְעוּדָתוֹ וְהֵסִירוּ הַלֶּחֶם וְכָל הַמַּאֲכָל מֵעַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן, אוֹ גַּם הַשֻּׁלְחָן עַצְמוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ נוֹהֲגִין בִּימֵיהֶם, וְרָצָה לַחֲזֹר לַאֲכִילָתוֹ — אֵין צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ בִּתְחִלָּה "הַמּוֹצִיא" וְלֹא בְּרָכָה אַחֶרֶת עַל דְּבָרִים הַבָּאִים מֵחֲמַת הַסְּעוּדָה, וַאֲפִלּוּ גָּמַר בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא לֶאֱכֹל עוֹד וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִמְלַךְ. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבְּכָל מָקוֹם נִמְלָךְ זָקוּק לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ — בַּסְּעוּדָה אֵינוֹ כֵּן, לְפִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ קֶבַע לַסְּעוּדָה, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁאָדָם קוֹבֵעַ עַצְמוֹ עָלֶיהָ וְדַרְכּוֹ לְהִמָּשֵׁךְ בָּהּ וּלְהִגָּרֵר מֵאֲכִילָה לַאֲכִילָה, וּפְעָמִים שֶׁאָדָם יוֹשֵׁב בִּסְעוּדָה קְטַנָּה וּמַמְשִׁיךְ לִסְעוּדָה גְּדוֹלָה, לְפִיכָךְ אַף שֶׁגָּמַר בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא לֶאֱכֹל עוֹד — אֵין זֶה סִלּוּק וְהֶסַּח הַדַּעַת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁדַּרְכּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם לִהְיוֹת נִמְלָךְ לִפְעָמִים בִּסְעוּדָתוֹ.
וְאֵין נִמְלָךְ זָקוּק בְּרָכָה בַּסְּעוּדָה, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבֵּרַךְ "הַמּוֹצִיא" לֹא הָיָה לוֹ אֶלָּא מְעַט לֶחֶם וְלֹא הָיָה יוֹדֵעַ כְּלָל בִּשְׁעַת הַבְּרָכָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ יוֹתֵר אַחַר כָּךְ וְעַל דַּעַת כֵּן בֵּרַךְ "הַמּוֹצִיא" וְאַחַר כָּךְ נָתְנוּ לוֹ יוֹתֵר, אוֹ שֶׁאַחַר כָּךְ נִמְלַךְ לִקַּח, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן קס״ט וקע״ד.
וְכֵן שְׁאָר מַאֲכָלִים שֶׁיָּדוּעַ שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת בִּרְכַּת "הַמּוֹצִיא" לֹא הָיָה דַּעְתּוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם כְּלָל, כְּעִנְיָן שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן קע״ז.
וַאֲפִלּוּ לֶחֶם וּשְׁאָר דְּבָרִים שֶׁהָיְתָה דַּעְתּוֹ עֲלֵיהֶם, אֶלָּא שֶׁגָּמַר לֶאֱכֹל וְעָקַר מִמְּקוֹמוֹ וְהִסִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ מִלֶּאֱכֹל עוֹד, כְּשֶׁחוֹזֵר לִסְעוּדָתוֹ — צָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם לְהִגָּרֵר מֵאֲכִילָה לַאֲכִילָה, אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁיּוֹשֵׁב בִּמְקוֹם קְבִיעוּת סְעוּדָתוֹ וְלֹא כְּשֶׁיּוֹצֵא לְמָקוֹם אַחֵר:
הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת בַּסְּעוּדָה. He finished his meal and they removed the bread and all the food from upon the table, or even the table itself as they used to do in their day, and he wished to return to his eating — he need not bless “hamotzi” at the outset, nor any other blessing over the things that come by reason of the meal; and even if he decided in his heart not to eat more and then reconsidered. And although everywhere the one who reconsiders (nimlakh) is bound to re-bless — at the meal it is not so, because the meal has a fixity (kevi’ut), that is, a person fixes himself upon it and it is his way to prolong it and to be drawn from eating to eating; and at times a person sits at a small meal and prolongs it into a large one; therefore, even if he decided in his heart not to eat more — this is no removal (silluk) or diversion (hessekh hadaat), since a person’s way is to reconsider at times during his meal.
And the one who reconsiders is not bound to bless at the meal, unless at the time he blessed “hamotzi” he had only a little bread and did not know at all, at the time of the blessing, that he would have more afterward, and on that basis he blessed “hamotzi,” and afterward they gave him more, or afterward he reconsidered to take, as explained in simanim קס״ט and קע״ד.
And likewise the other foods of which it is known that at the time of the “hamotzi” blessing he had no intention upon them at all, as explained in siman קע״ז.
And even bread and other things that he did have in mind, but that he finished eating, and he left his place and diverted his mind from eating more, when he returns to his meal — he must re-bless, because a person’s mind is to be drawn from eating to eating only when he sits at the place of the fixity of his meal, and not when he goes out to another place.
סעיף ב וְכָל זֶה בַּאֲכִילָה, אֲבָל בִּשְׁתִיָּה — נִמְלָךְ צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ.
וְכָל זֶה בַּאֲכִילָה, אֲבָל בִּשְׁתִיָּה אִם גָּמַר בְּלִבּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁתּוֹת עוֹד וְאַחַר כָּךְ נִמְלַךְ — צָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ. וַאֲפִלּוּ לֹא גָּמַר בְּלִבּוֹ בְּפֵרוּשׁ, אֶלָּא אָמַר: תְּנוּ כּוֹס וּנְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן. וְהוּא הַדִּין אִם אָמַר: בּוֹאוּ וּנְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן בְּלֹא כּוֹס — הֲרֵי זֶה סִלּוּק וְהֶסַּח הַדַּעַת מִשְּׁתִיָּה, וְאִם אַחַר כָּךְ נִמְלַךְ לִשְׁתּוֹת — צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ בַּתְּחִלָּה, אֲבָל אִם נִמְלַךְ וְחוֹזֵר לַאֲכִילָתוֹ — אוֹכֵל בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה.
וְאִם מֵחֲמַת אֲכִילָה זוֹ נִגְרַר לִשְׁתּוֹת — שׁוֹתֶה גַּם כֵּן בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה. אֲבָל אִם צָמֵא לִשְׁתּוֹת מֵחֲמַת אֲכִילָתוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹנָה — צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ, שֶׁאַף שֶׁהַשְּׁתִיָּה טְפֵלָה אֵלֶיהָ — אֵין זֶה מוֹעִיל לְעִנְיַן הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת וְנִמְלָךְ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן [רי״ב], אֲבָל אֵין צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ בְּרָכָה אַחֲרוֹנָה:
הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת בִּשְׁתִיָּה. And all this is with eating; but with drinking, if he decided in his heart not to drink more and then reconsidered — he must re-bless. And even if he did not decide explicitly, but said: “Give a cup and let us bless the birkat hamazon.” And the same law applies if he said: “Come, let us bless the birkat hamazon” without a cup — this is a removal and a diversion from drinking, and if afterward he reconsidered to drink — he must bless at the outset; but if he reconsidered and returns to his eating — he eats without a blessing.
And if, by reason of this eating, he is drawn to drink — he too drinks without a blessing. But if he is thirsty to drink by reason of his first eating — he must bless, for although the drinking is subordinate to it — this does not help regarding hessekh hadaat and nimlakh, as will be explained in siman [רי״ב]; but he need not bless a last blessing.
סעיף ג דְּבָרִים הַבָּאִים מֵחֲמַת הַסְּעוּדָה — אֵין צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ.
וְכֵן אִם נִמְלַךְ לֶאֱכֹל שְׁאָר דְּבָרִים הַבָּאִים מֵחֲמַת הַסְּעוּדָה, אַף שֶׁאֵין בְּדַעְתּוֹ לֶאֱכֹל פַּת כְּלָל — אֵין צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶם, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁאִם רָצָה לֶאֱכֹל פַּת אֵין צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ "הַמּוֹצִיא" — אֵינָהּ כִּסְעוּדָה אַחֶרֶת בִּזְמַן הַזֶּה שֶׁאֵין נוֹהֲגִין לְהָסִיר הַשֻּׁלְחָן קֹדֶם בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן קע״ז:
דְּבָרִים הַבָּאִים מֵחֲמַת הַסְּעוּדָה. And likewise if he reconsidered to eat other things that come by reason of the meal, even though he has no intention to eat bread at all — he need not bless over them, for since, were he to wish to eat bread he would not need to bless “hamotzi” — it is not like another meal in this time when we do not have the custom to remove the table before the birkat hamazon, as explained in siman קע״ז.
סעיף ד וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים — אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה שָׁוִין ; סְפֵק בְּרָכוֹת לְהָקֵל.
וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁאֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה שָׁוִין, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר: "נְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן" — הֲרֵי זֶה סִלּוּק וְהֶסַּח הַדַּעַת מֵהַסְּעוּדָה, וְאִם נִמְלַךְ לֶאֱכֹל — צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ "הַמּוֹצִיא". וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר אִם הִסִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ בְּפֵרוּשׁ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר "נְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן". וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ עַל שְׁאָר דְּבָרִים הַבָּאִים מֵחֲמַת הַסְּעוּדָה לִפְנֵיהֶם וְגַם לְאַחֲרֵיהֶם כָּל שֶׁסִּלֵּק דַּעְתּוֹ מֵהַפַּת, אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר: "נְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן", שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁאִם רָצָה לַחֲזֹר וְלֶאֱכֹל צָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ "הַמּוֹצִיא" — כִּסְעוּדָה אַחֶרֶת הִיא אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא סִלְּקוּ הַשֻּׁלְחָן, וְלָכֵן אֵין בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן פּוֹטֶרֶת אוֹתָהּ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן קע״ז.
וּלְעִנְיַן הֲלָכָה, סְפֵק בְּרָכוֹת לְהָקֵל:
יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים — סְפֵק בְּרָכוֹת לְהָקֵל. And there are those who say (yesh omrim) that eating and drinking are equal: since he said “let us bless the birkat hamazon” — this is a removal and a diversion from the meal, and if he reconsidered to eat — he must bless “hamotzi.” And needless to say if he diverted his mind explicitly, even though he did not say “let us bless the birkat hamazon.” And all the more so must he bless over the other things that come by reason of the meal, before them and also after them, once he has removed his mind from the bread, or has said “let us bless the birkat hamazon,” for since, were he to wish to return and eat he would have to re-bless “hamotzi” — it is like another meal, even though they did not remove the table, and therefore the birkat hamazon does not discharge it, as explained in siman קע״ז.
And as to halakha, a doubt concerning blessings is treated leniently (sefek berakhot lehakel).
סעיף ה נָטַל הַכּוֹס אוֹ מַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים — הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת לְגַמְרֵי.
וּלְדִבְרֵי הַכֹּל, אִם נָטַל הַכּוֹס בְּיָדוֹ לְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נָטַל יָדָיו, וְגַם לֹא אָמַר מִתְּחִלָּה: "תְּנוּ כּוֹס וּנְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן" — הֲרֵי זֶה סִלּוּק וְהֶסַּח הַדַּעַת לְגַמְרֵי מֵאֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה, וְצָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶם, וְגַם בְּרָכָה אַחֲרוֹנָה צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ עַל שְׁאָר דְּבָרִים הַבָּאִים מֵחֲמַת הַסְּעוּדָה קֹדֶם בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן, וְאֵין בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן פּוֹטַרְתָּן, שֶׁכִּסְעוּדָה אַחֶרֶת הִיא, כֵּיוָן שֶׁסִּלֵּק דַּעְתּוֹ מֵהַפַּת.
וְאִם נָטַל יָדָיו מַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נָטַל הַכּוֹס — הֲרֵי זֶה סִלּוּק וְהֶסַּח הַדַּעַת לְגַמְרֵי, וְצָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ.
וַאֲפִלּוּ בִּבְרָכָה אֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי לֶאֱכֹל וְלֹא לִשְׁתּוֹת, מִשּׁוּם הֶפְסֵק בֵּין מַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים לְבִרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן רוֹצֶה לַחֲזֹר וְלִטֹּל מַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים אַחַר כָּךְ סָמוּךְ לְבִרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן, שֶׁמַּיִם הָרִאשׁוֹנִים נַעֲשׂוּ כְּמַיִם בְּעָלְמָא, וְאֵין לְחָשְׁבָם לִסְמֹךְ לָהֶם בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן אַף שֶׁנְּטָלָם בְּתוֹרַת אַחֲרוֹנִים.
וְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ "הַמּוֹצִיא" מִשּׁוּם הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת — צָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וְלִטֹּל יָדָיו כָּרָאוּי לַאֲכִילַת פַּת, שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁהִסִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ מֵאֲכִילַת פַּת — הִסִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ מִשְּׁמִירַת יָדָיו.
(וּמַיִם הָאַחֲרוֹנִים אֵינָם מוֹעִילִים לוֹ לַאֲכִילַת פַּת אַף אִם נְטָלָן כָּרָאוּי, הוֹאִיל וְלֹא נִתְכַּוֵּן בָּהֶם לַאֲכִילַת פַּת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן קנ״ח):
נְטִילַת הַכּוֹס וּמַיִם אַחֲרוֹנִים. And according to all, if he took the cup in his hand to bless the birkat hamazon, even though he did not wash his hands and also did not say at the outset “give a cup and let us bless the birkat hamazon” — this is a removal and a complete diversion from eating and drinking, and he must bless over them; and he must also bless a last blessing over the other things that come by reason of the meal before the birkat hamazon, and the birkat hamazon does not discharge them, for it is like another meal, since he removed his mind from the bread.
And if he washed his hands — the mayim aharonim — even though he did not take the cup, this is a removal and a complete diversion, and he must bless.
And even with a blessing he is not permitted to eat or to drink, because of the interruption between the mayim aharonim and the birkat hamazon, unless he wishes to return and wash the mayim aharonim again afterward, close to the birkat hamazon, for the first waters have become like ordinary water, and one should not count them so as to place the birkat hamazon adjacent to them, even though he took them by way of aharonim.
And every place where he must re-bless “hamotzi” because of hessekh hadaat — he must re-wash his hands properly for the eating of bread, for since he removed his mind from the eating of bread — he removed his mind from guarding his hands.
(And the mayim aharonim do not avail him for the eating of bread even if he took them properly, since he did not intend by them the eating of bread, as explained in siman קנ״ח.)
סעיף ו בַּעַל הַסְּעוּדָה שֶׁאָמַר "נְבָרֵךְ" — הַמְסֻבִּין אֲסוּרִים לִשְׁתּוֹת.
אִם בַּעַל הַסְּעוּדָה אָמַר: "נְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן" — כָּל הַמְסֻבִּין אֲסוּרִים לִשְׁתּוֹת בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה. וְהוּא שֶׁשָּׁתְקוּ וְהִסְכִּימוּ לִדְבָרָיו, אֲבָל אִם אֶחָד מֵהָאוֹרְחִים אוֹ מִבְּנֵי בֵּיתוֹ אָמַר כֵּן — אֲפִלּוּ הָאוֹמֵר עַצְמוֹ יָכוֹל לַחֲזֹר בּוֹ וְלִשְׁתּוֹת עִם בַּעַל הַבַּיִת, לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת בַּאֲמִירָתוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ שֶׁאֵין הַדָּבָר תָּלוּי בּוֹ אֶלָּא בְּבַעַל הַבַּיִת, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁבַּעַל הַבַּיִת לֹא עָשָׂה הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת — אַף הוּא דַּעְתּוֹ סוֹמֶכֶת עַל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת לִשְׁתּוֹת עִמּוֹ:
בַּעַל הַסְּעוּדָה שֶׁאָמַר "נְבָרֵךְ". If the master of the meal (baal haseudah) said: “let us bless the birkat hamazon” — all those seated are forbidden to drink without a blessing. And that is when they were silent and agreed to his words; but if one of the guests or of his household members said so — even the speaker himself may retract and drink with the master of the house, because he does not make a diversion by his saying, since he knows the matter does not depend on him but on the master of the house; and since the master of the house did not make a diversion — he too relies on the master of the house to drink with him.
סעיף ז הַקְּרוּאִים לֶאֱכֹל פֵּרוֹת — אֵין מְבָרְכִין אֶלָּא עַל הָרִאשׁוֹן.
וְכֵן הַקְּרוּאִים בְּבַיִת בַּעַל הַבַּיִת לֶאֱכֹל מִינֵי פֵּרוֹת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמְּבִיאִין לָהֶם בָּזֶה אַחַר זֶה — אֵין צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ אֶלָּא עַל הָרִאשׁוֹן. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁבִּשְׁעַת הַבְּרָכָה לֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִין כַּמָּה יָבִיאוּ לָהֶם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁדַּעְתָּם עַל בַּעַל הַסְּעוּדָה שֶׁזִּמְּנָן, אִם כֵּן כָּל מַה שֶּׁהוּא מֵבִיא לִפְנֵיהֶם הָיְתָה דַּעְתָּם עֲלֵיהֶם לְמַפְרֵעַ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיְתָה דַּעְתָּם עָלָיו.
אֲבָל אִם בָּא אֲלֵיהֶם אִישׁ אֶחָד שֶׁלֹּא זִמְּנוּהוּ וְאֵינוֹ קוֹבֵעַ עַצְמוֹ עִמָּהֶם אֶלָּא נִכְנַס אֶצְלָם לְפִי שָׁעָה וְכָל אֶחָד מֵהַמְסֻבִּים מוֹשִׁיט לוֹ כּוֹס אוֹ מִינֵי פֵּרוֹת — צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ עַל כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד אִם מוֹשִׁיטִים לוֹ אַחַר שֶׁכְּבָר בֵּרַךְ עַל כּוֹס שֶׁלְּפָנָיו, וַאֲפִלּוּ עֲדַיִן לֹא שְׁתָאוֹ כֻּלּוֹ.
וְעַכְשָׁו שֶׁהַמִּנְהָג הוּא שֶׁמּוֹשִׁיטִים כּוֹסוֹת הַרְבֵּה לְמִי שֶׁנִּכְנַס בִּמְסִבָּה הַקְּבוּעִים לִשְׁתִיָּה — אֵין צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ אֶלָּא עַל כּוֹס הָרִאשׁוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן קע״ד:
הַקְּרוּאִים בְּבֵית בַּעַל הַבַּיִת. And likewise those invited in the house of the master of the house to eat kinds of fruit, even though they bring them to them one after another — need bless only over the first. And even though at the time of the blessing they did not know how much would be brought to them, since their mind is upon the master of the meal who invited them — then whatever he brings before them, their mind was upon it retroactively, since their mind was upon him.
But if there came to them a man whom they did not invite, and who does not fix himself with them but entered among them for the moment, and each of those seated hands him a cup or kinds of fruit — he must bless over each and every one, if they hand them to him after he has already blessed over the cup that was before him, and even if he has not yet drunk it all.
And now that the custom is to hand many cups to one who enters an assembly fixed for drinking — he need bless only over the first cup, as explained in siman קע״ד.
סעיף ח אֱכֹל מֶלַח וּשְׁתֵה מַיִם אַחַר סְעוּדָה — וְאִי אַתָּה נִזּוֹק.
אַחַר כָּל אֲכִילָתְךָ — אֱכֹל מֶלַח, וְאַחַר כָּל שְׁתִיָּתְךָ — שְׁתֵה מַיִם, וְאִי אַתָּה נִזּוֹק. אָכַל כָּל מַאֲכָל וְלֹא אָכַל מֶלַח, שָׁתָה כָּל מַשְׁקֶה וְלֹא שָׁתָה מַיִם, בַּיּוֹם — יִדְאַג מִפְּנֵי רֵיחַ הַפֶּה, וּבַלַּיְלָה — מִפְּנֵי רֵיחַ הַפֶּה וּמִפְּנֵי אַסְכְּרָה. וְכָל הַמַּקְפֶּה אֲכִילָתוֹ בְּמַיִם — אֵינוֹ בָּא לִידֵי חֹלִי מֵעַיִם.
וְהָאוֹכֵל מֶלַח אַחַר אֲכִילָתוֹ — לֹא יֹאכַל בַּגּוּדָל, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁקָּשֶׁה לְקִבּוּר בָּנִים, וְלֹא בַּזֶּרֶת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁקָּשֶׁה לַעֲנִיּוּת, וְלֹא בָּאֶצְבַּע, שֶׁקָּשֶׁה לִשְׁחִין רַע, אֶלָּא בָּאַמָּה וּבַקְּמִיצָה.
וְעַכְשָׁו לֹא נָהֲגוּ כְּלָל בַּאֲכִילַת מֶלַח אַחַר סְעוּדָה, וְאֵין נִזּוֹקִין, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּנּוּ הַטְּבָעִים, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן קע״ג:
מֶלַח וּמַיִם אַחַר הַסְּעוּדָה. After all your eating — eat salt; and after all your drinking — drink water, and you will not be harmed. One who ate any food and did not eat salt, drank any drink and did not drink water — by day, let him worry because of bad breath, and by night, because of bad breath and because of askara (croup). And whoever moistens his eating with water — does not come to intestinal illness.
And one who eats salt after his eating — let him not eat it with the thumb, because it is baneful for the burial of children; nor with the little finger, because it is baneful for poverty; nor with the index finger, because it is baneful for a bad boil; but with the middle finger and the ring finger.
And now they have no custom at all of eating salt after the meal, and they are not harmed, because the natures have changed, as explained in siman קע״ג.
הלכה למעשה — מנהג חב״ד
The practical Habad conduct
Points of conduct flowing directly from siman קע״ט in the Alter Rebbe’s and Habad sensibility — presented at the level of the principle, referring to the Rav for the detail of the cases.
For the Habad Hassid — Siman קע״ט (אֵיזֶה דְּבָרִים קְרוּיִין הֶסַּח הַדַּעַת בַּסְּעוּדָה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ)
- Seif א. Meal over, bread (or the table) cleared, then one reconsiders: no new “hamotzi” nor blessing over the meal’s foods, for the meal has kevi’ut and reconsidering within it is common.
- Seif ב. Drinking, however, is different: one who reconsiders after deciding to stop, or says “give a cup and let us bless,” must re-bless before drinking again (but no last blessing here).
- Seif ג. Reconsidering over foods that come by reason of the meal requires no blessing, so long as one does not remove the table before the birkat hamazon.
- Seif ד. Yesh omrim: saying “let us bless the birkat hamazon” is hessekh hadaat for food too. In halakha: sefek berakhot lehakel.
- Seif ה. Taking the birkat-hamazon cup in hand, or washing mayim aharonim, is a total hessekh hadaat: re-bless, re-wash the hands; forbidden to eat/drink between mayim aharonim and birkat hamazon.
- Seif ו. If the master of the meal says “let us bless,” all the diners may no longer drink without a blessing; but if a guest said it, even he may reconsider and drink with the host.
- Seif ז. Guests served fruit brought in succession bless only over the first (relying on the host); an uninvited newcomer blesses over each one.
- Seif ח. Eat salt and drink water after the meal (against bad breath, askara, intestinal illness); nowadays the practice has lapsed, the natures having changed.
⚠ This section presents the Habad conduct based on the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, siman קע״ט (the real text is reproduced in §1). It does not replace a rabbinic decision for a particular case. For any concrete question — the diversion (hessekh hadaat) at the meal, the return to the table, the birkat-hamazon cup and mayim aharonim — consult your Rav, and for Habad, a Rav of Habad.