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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION

Siman ק״פ · The laws of bread crumbs

דיני פרורי הפת — the honor due to the bread and to the table of the meal: one does not remove the tablecloth or the bread before the Birkat haMazon, one leaves bread on the table (a sign of blessing), one sweeps the crumbs before the mayim acharonim, wasting the crumbs causes poverty, and one covers the knife during the Birkat haMazon
סימן ק״פ · ה סעיפים
דיני פרורי הפת
🌱 Introductory level · מתחילים
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This siman teaches the honor due to the bread and to the table of the meal: one does not remove the tablecloth or the bread (המפה והלחם) before the Birkat haMazon ; one who does not leave bread on his table (שיור פת) never sees a sign of blessing — but not a whole loaf placed there (מחזי כע״א) ; one sweeps the crumbs (פירורין) before the mayim acharonim, and one may destroy those of less than a kezayit, not those of a kezayit ; wasting the crumbs causes poverty (קשה לעניות) ; and one covers the knife (כיסוי הסכין) during the Birkat haMazon. Hebrew text, fluent English translation and explanation of the ה seifim, with a section of practical cases.

Topic: The laws of bread crumbs and the honor of the table — המפה והלחם, שיור פת, פירורין, כיסוי הסכין
Source: שולחן ערוך אורח חיים סימן ק״פ · ה סעיפים

Compiled by: רב יוסף חיים סממה
DAAT · daattorah.com

After dealing with interruptions during the meal (the previous siman), the Choulhan Aroukh here teaches the honor due to the bread and to the table until the Birkat haMazon. The guiding thread is that the table of the meal is compared to the altar: one does not remove from it the tablecloth or the bread before blessing, and one leaves bread upon it, for it is upon what remains that the blessing has a place to rest. Around this core, the siman settles how to treat the crumbs — sweeping them before the mayim acharonim, the distinction of the kezayit, the harm of wasting them (קשה לעניות) — and the custom of covering the knife during the Birkat haMazon. We study here at the level of principle ; for personal conduct, one refers to the ruling of the Rav.

📑 Study outline

A. אין להסיר המפה והלחם (seif 1) — tablecloth and bread until the Birkat haMazon
B. שיור פת על השלחן (seif 2) — a sign of blessing ; but not a whole loaf
C. כיבוד הבית מן הפירורין (seif 3) — sweeping before the mayim acharonim ; כזית
D. קשה לעניות (seif 4) — wasting the crumbs causes poverty
E. כיסוי הסכין (seif 5) — covering the knife, except Shabbat and Yom Tov
1-3. Practical cases and comprehension questions

A. אין להסיר המפה והלחם — the tablecloth and bread until the Birkat haMazon

הַשֻּׁלְחָן דּוֹמֶה לַמִּזְבֵּחַ — the table of the meal is compared to the altar: just as one did not strip the altar, one does not remove the tablecloth (מפה) or the bread (לחם) before saying the Birkat haMazon, for it is upon the bread, which remains, that one gives thanks.

Seif 1 — one does not remove the tablecloth and bread

אין להסיר המפה והלחם עד אחר ברכת המזון:
Seif 1: one does not remove the tablecloth or the bread until after the Birkat haMazon.
The bread remains until the blessing. The rule is clear: אין להסיר המפה והלחם עד אחר ברכת המזון — one does not remove the tablecloth or the bread before saying the Birkat haMazon. summary: the table of the meal is compared to the altar, and one gives thanks over the bread that remains before him ; removing it before the blessing would be to strip the table of that over which one gives thanks.

B. שיור פת על השלחן — leaving bread on the table

Seif 2 — a sign of blessing, but not a whole loaf

כל מי שאינו משייר פת על שלחנו אינו רואה סימן ברכה לעולם אבל לא יביא פת שלימה ויתננה על השלחן ואם עשה כן מחזי דלשם ע״א עביד שנאמר העורכים לגד שלחן:
Seif 2: whoever does not leave bread on his table never sees a sign of blessing ; but one should not bring a whole loaf and place it on the table, and if one did so it looks as if one acted for idolatry, as it is said "those who set a table for Gad."
Leaving bread, but not a whole loaf. Two sides. On one hand, כל מי שאינו משייר פת על שלחנו אינו רואה סימן ברכה לעולם — leaving bread on the table is a sign of blessing, for the blessing needs something upon which to rest. On the other hand, אבל לא יביא פת שלימה ויתננה על השלחן — one should not deliberately bring a whole loaf to place it, for מחזי דלשם ע״א עביד שנאמר העורכים לגד שלחן: it would resemble the idolatrous practice of setting a table for "fortune." One therefore leaves a piece already started, not a fresh whole loaf.

C. כיבוד הבית מן הפירורין — sweeping the crumbs

Seif 3 — the kezayit and today's practice

קודם שיטול ידיו יכבד הבית שלא ישארו שם פירורין וימאסו במים של נטילה אף על פי שמותר לאבד פרורין שאין בהם כזית שמא יהא השמש עם הארץ שמותר להשתמש בשמש עם הארץ ויניח גם פרורים שיש בהם כזית שאסור לאבדן ביד לכך יכבד תחלה ועכשיו אין אנו נוהגים כך מפני שאין אנו מסלקין השלחן ואנו נוטלים הידים חוץ לשלחן במקום שאין שם פירורים וליכא למיחש למידי:
Seif 3: before washing his hands [for the mayim acharonim] one should sweep the house, so that no crumbs remain there and become disgusting in the water of the washing. Although it is permitted to destroy crumbs of less than a kezayit — [one sweeps nonetheless] lest the servant be an am ha'aretz, whom one is permitted to use, and who would also leave crumbs of a kezayit, which are forbidden to destroy by hand ; therefore he sweeps first. And nowadays we no longer keep this practice, since we do not remove the table and we wash our hands away from the table, in a place where there are no crumbs, and there is nothing to be concerned about.
Sweep first, because of the kezayit. The Mehaber asks that, קודם שיטול ידיו יכבד הבית שלא ישארו שם פירורין וימאסו במים של נטילה — before the mayim acharonim one sweeps the house so the crumbs are not soiled by the water. One might say: it is permitted to destroy crumbs of less than a kezayit — אף על פי שמותר לאבד פרורין שאין בהם כזית ; but one sweeps nonetheless, lest an unlearned servant also leave crumbs of a kezayit, which are forbidden to destroy by hand (ויניח גם פרורים שיש בהם כזית שאסור לאבדן ביד). summary: today, no longer removing the table and washing away from it, ועכשיו אין אנו נוהגים כך — this practice is no longer kept.

D. קשה לעניות — wasting the crumbs causes poverty

Seif 4 — even when permitted, it harms

אע״פ שמותר לאבד פירורין שאין בהם כזית מכל מקום קשה לעניות:
Seif 4: although it is permitted to destroy crumbs of less than a kezayit, it nonetheless causes poverty.
Permitted is not advisable. The Mehaber said it is permitted to destroy crumbs of less than a kezayit ; here he adds a caution: אע״פ שמותר לאבד פירורין שאין בהם כזית מכל מקום קשה לעניות — even when permitted, wasting the crumbs causes poverty. summary: the honor of bread, a gift of G-d, is shown even in its smallest crumbs ; to despise them draws hardship. One is therefore careful not to waste them needlessly.

E. כיסוי הסכין — covering the knife during the Birkat haMazon

Seif 5 — the custom, and its exception on Shabbat

נוהגים לכסות הסכין בשעת ברכת המזון ונהגו שלא לכסותו בשבת ויום טוב:
Seif 5: it is customary to cover the knife during the Birkat haMazon ; and the custom has been taken not to cover it on Shabbat and the festivals.
One covers the knife, except on festive days. The custom is נוהגים לכסות הסכין בשעת ברכת המזון — to cover the knife during the Birkat haMazon. summary: the table is compared to the altar, and iron, which shortens life, has no place uncovered before the "altar" while one gives thanks and asks for length of days. But ונהגו שלא לכסותו בשבת ויום טוב — the custom is not to cover it on Shabbat and Yom Tov, days that do not call for this precaution.
The siman in one sentence: everything rests on the honor of the bread and the table — one does not remove the tablecloth or the bread before the Birkat haMazon ; one leaves bread (a sign of blessing) but not a whole loaf (מחזי כע״א) ; one sweeps the crumbs before the mayim acharonim (כזית / less than a kezayit) ; wasting the crumbs causes poverty ; and one covers the knife during the Birkat haMazon, שלא לכסותו בשבת ויום טוב.

Practical cases

Case 1 — Clearing the table before the Birkat haMazon

Situation: the meal is over and one wants to clear the whole table before saying the Birkat haMazon. Is that correct?
Conduct: by the letter of the Mehaber, אין להסיר המפה והלחם עד אחר ברכת המזון (seif 1): one leaves the tablecloth and a piece of bread until after the blessing, the table being compared to the altar. Leaving bread is even a sign of blessing (seif 2). For the practical details, one follows one's Rav.

Case 2 — Crumbs fallen on the table

Situation: bread crumbs have fallen ; may I sweep them away and throw them out without a second thought?
Conduct: crumbs of less than a kezayit may be destroyed, but those of a kezayit may not — and in any case, קשה לעניות (seif 3-4): wasting them causes poverty. One treats them with care, gathering them rather than casting them out lightly. For the exact practice, one refers to one's Rav.

Case 3 — Covering the knife on Shabbat

Situation: should one cover the knife before the Birkat haMazon on Friday night?
Conduct: on weekdays the custom is לכסות הסכין בשעת ברכת המזון ; but ונהגו שלא לכסותו בשבת ויום טוב (seif 5) — on Shabbat and Yom Tov the custom is not to cover it. One follows the custom of one's community and the ruling of one's Rav.

Comprehension questions

Check your understanding:
  1. Why does one not remove the tablecloth or the bread before the Birkat haMazon (seif 1)?
  2. Why does one leave bread on the table, and why not a whole loaf (seif 2)?
  3. What are crumbs of a kezayit and of less than a kezayit, and why does one sweep before the mayim acharonim (seif 3)?
  4. Why, even when permitted, is wasting the crumbs discouraged (seif 4)?
  5. Why does one cover the knife during the Birkat haMazon, and why not on Shabbat (seif 5)?

To go further

If you wish to deepen this siman:
Continue to the next simanSiman 181 →
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DAAT · רב יוסף חיים סממה

סימן ק״פ · ה סעיפים · Level 1 — Introduction
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