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 קפ״ד — לִקְבֹּעַ בְּרָכָה בִּמְקוֹם סְעוּדָה, which unfolds in the Rav over ג׳ סְעִיפִים (three seifim) : from the obligation to fix the birkat hamazon at the very place of the meal and the case of one who forgot and left his place, to the measure of the obligation (satiety by Torah law, a kezayit by rabbinic law) and the doubt whether he blessed, up to the question of until when one may still bless — as long as the food is not digested in the innards.
שולחן ערוך הרב — סימן קפ״ד — לִקְבֹּעַ בְּרָכָה בִּמְקוֹם סְעוּדָה
The full text of the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch
שולחן ערוך הרב, סימן קפ״ד — לִקְבֹּעַ בְּרָכָה בִּמְקוֹם סְעוּדָה — וּבוֹ ג׳ סְעִיפִים
The Alter Rebbe’s own text (Sefaria source Shulchan_Arukh_HaRav,_Orach_Chayim.184), followed by our English translation. The siman comprises three seifim (ג׳ סְעִיפִים ; seif k → .184.k).
סעיף א בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן בִּמְקוֹם סְעוּדָה, וּמִי שֶׁשָּׁכַח וְעָקַר מִמְּקוֹמוֹ.
לִקְבֹּעַ בְּרָכָה בִּמְקוֹם סְעוּדָה, וְעַד כַּמָּה יָכוֹל לְבָרֵךְ, וּמִי שֶׁשָּׁכַח וְלֹא בֵּרַךְ, וּבוֹ ג׳ סְעִיפִים:
כְּבָר נִתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן קע״ח שֶׁכָּל דָּבָר הַטָּעוּן בְּרָכָה לְאַחֲרָיו בִּמְקוֹמוֹ — טָעוּן לְבָרֵךְ אַחֲרָיו קֹדֶם שֶׁיַּעֲקֹר מִמְּקוֹמוֹ לְכַתְּחִלָּה.
וְאִם שָׁכַח וְעָקַר מִמְּקוֹמוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁיְּבָרֵךְ — לֹא הִטְרִיחוּהוּ חֲכָמִים לַחֲזֹר לִמְקוֹמוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ, אֶלָּא מְבָרֵךְ בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁנִּזְכַּר. וְאִם חָזַר — הֲרֵי זֶה מְשֻׁבָּח. אֲבָל אִם עָקַר מִמְּקוֹמוֹ בְּמֵזִיד — צָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר לִמְקוֹמוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ. וְאִם בֵּרַךְ בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁנִּזְכַּר — יָצָא.
וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ בְּשׁוֹכֵחַ צָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר לִמְקוֹמוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ, וְאִם בֵּרַךְ בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁנִּזְכַּר — יָצָא. וּבְמֵזִיד — אֲפִלּוּ בְּדִיעֲבַד לֹא יָצָא, וְצָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ בִּמְקוֹמוֹ.
וּלְעִנְיַן הֲלָכָה, סְפֵק בְּרָכוֹת לְהָקֵל. וּבְדִיעֲבַד שֶׁכְּבָר בֵּרַךְ בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁנִּזְכַּר — אֵין צָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ בִּמְקוֹמוֹ, אֲפִלּוּ עָקַר מִמְּקוֹמוֹ בְּמֵזִיד. אֲבָל לְכַתְּחִלָּה יַחֲזֹר לִמְקוֹמוֹ וִיבָרֵךְ, אֲפִלּוּ הוּא שׁוֹגֵג, אִם אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ, שֶׁאֵין לוֹ עִכּוּב מֵחֲמַת הַחֲבוּרָה שֶׁנִּתְלַוּוּ עִמּוֹ בַּדֶּרֶךְ וְאֵינָן רוֹצִים לְהַמְתִּין עָלָיו, שֶׁאָז יֵשׁ לִסְמֹךְ עַל סְבָרָא הָרִאשׁוֹנָה לְהָקֵל בְּדִבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים אִם הָיָה שׁוֹגֵג. וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּמֵזִיד, אִם הוּא רָחוֹק שֶׁעַד שֶׁיַּחֲזֹר לִמְקוֹמוֹ יִתְעַכֵּל הַמָּזוֹן שֶׁבְּמֵעָיו וְלֹא יוּכַל לְבָרֵךְ כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסָמוּךְ — יְבָרֵךְ בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁנִּזְכַּר.
וְכָל זֶה כְּשֶׁאֵין לוֹ פַּת עוֹד, אֲבָל אִם יֵשׁ לוֹ פַּת עוֹד — אֵין צָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר לִמְקוֹמוֹ בְּכָל עִנְיָן, אֶלָּא יֹאכַל מְעַט פַּת בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁנִּזְכַּר וִיבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן לְאַחֲרָיו, שֶׁכָּל דָּבָר הַטָּעוּן בְּרָכָה לְאַחֲרָיו בִּמְקוֹמוֹ — טָעוּן בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁגָּמַר אֲכִילָתוֹ, וְלֹא בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁהִתְחִיל.
וַאֲפִלּוּ אִם בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁגָּמַר אֵינוֹ אוֹכֵל כַּשִּׁעוּר שֶׁחַיָּב לְבָרֵךְ אַחֲרָיו — יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁמְּבָרֵךְ בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁגָּמַר, לְפִי שֶׁמִּכָּל מָקוֹם עִקַּר חִיּוּב בְּרָכָה הָאַחֲרוֹנָה חָל עָלָיו בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁגּוֹמֵר, שֶׁהֲרֵי קֹדֶם שֶׁגּוֹמֵר אֵין עָלָיו חִיּוּב לְבָרֵךְ, אֶלָּא יָכוֹל לֶאֱכֹל עוֹד כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים וְלִפְטֹר כֻּלָּן בִּבְרָכָה שֶׁיְּבָרֵךְ לִבְסוֹף כֻּלָּן, כָּל שֶׁלֹּא יִתְעַכֵּל הַמָּזוֹן בֵּין אֲכִילָה לַאֲכִילָה, וּבְאוֹתָהּ בְּרָכָה יִתְחַיֵּב אַף בְּלֹא אֲכִילָה זוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹנָה, נִמְצָא שֶׁחִיּוּב הַבְּרָכָה אַחַר אֲכִילָה זוֹ לֹא חָל עָלָיו אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁגּוֹמְרָהּ עַל דַּעַת שֶׁלֹּא לֶאֱכֹל עוֹד עַד לְאַחַר שֶׁיִּתְעַכֵּל הַמָּזוֹן בְּמֵעָיו. וְאַף גַּם זֹאת, אִם אַחַר כָּךְ נִמְלַךְ לַחֲזֹר וְלֶאֱכֹל — חוֹזֵר, וְנִפְקַע מִמֶּנּוּ הַחִיּוּב לְבָרֵךְ עַד שֶׁיִּגְמֹר. לְפִיכָךְ, כְּשֶׁיֹּאכַל בְּב׳ מְקוֹמוֹת — מְבָרֵךְ בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁגָּמַר, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכְּשֶׁגָּמַר בַּמָּקוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן לֹא הָיָה בְּדַעְתּוֹ לֶאֱכֹל עוֹד בַּמָּקוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי.
וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם, לְכַתְּחִלָּה אֵינוֹ רַשַּׁאי לַעֲקֹר מִמְּקוֹמוֹ בְּלֹא בְּרָכָה אֲפִלּוּ עַל דַּעַת לַחֲזֹר וְלֶאֱכֹל בַּמָּקוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי וְלִגְמֹר סְעוּדָתוֹ שָׁם וּלְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן הָיְתָה דַּעְתּוֹ מִתְּחִלָּה לְכָךְ כְּשֶׁבֵּרַךְ "הַמּוֹצִיא", כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן קע״ח.
וְכָל זֶה מִמָּקוֹם לְמָקוֹם, אֲבָל מִזָּוִית לְזָוִית בְּחֶדֶר אֶחָד, אֲפִלּוּ הוּא טְרַקְלִין גָּדוֹל — הַכֹּל מָקוֹם אֶחָד הוּא, וַאֲפִלּוּ לְכַתְּחִלָּה רַשַּׁאי לְבָרֵךְ בְּזָוִית אַחֶרֶת.
וַאֲפִלּוּ מִבַּיִת לְחָצֵר, אִם רוֹאֶה אֶת מְקוֹמוֹ — נֶחְשָׁב כְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר שָׁם. וְאִם אָכַל בְּחֶדֶר אֶחָד [בְּבַיִת] זֶה עַל דַּעַת לְבָרֵךְ בְּחֶדֶר אַחֵר בְּבַיִת זֶה — אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁמּוֹעִיל מַה שֶּׁדַּעְתּוֹ לְבָרֵךְ שָׁם כְּמוֹ שֶׁמּוֹעִיל אִם דַּעְתּוֹ לִגְמֹר סְעוּדָתוֹ שָׁם, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר שָׁם. וְיֵשׁ לִסְמֹךְ עַל זֶה כְּשֶׁהַמָּקוֹם שֶׁאוֹכֵל בּוֹ אֵינוֹ נָקִי:
Fixing the blessing at the place of the meal, until when one may bless, and one who forgot and did not bless; in three seifim: It has already been explained in siman קע״ח that anything requiring a final blessing at its place — requires that one bless after it before leaving its place, lechatchila. And if he forgot and left his place before blessing — the Sages did not trouble him to return to his place and bless, but he blesses at the place where he remembered; and if he returns — that is praiseworthy. But if he left his place bemezid (deliberately) — he must return to his place and bless; and if he blessed at the place where he remembered — he has fulfilled his duty. And there is a view (yesh omrim) that even one who forgot must return to his place and bless — and if he blessed where he remembered, he has fulfilled his duty; but bemezid, even bediavad he has not fulfilled his duty, and he must return to bless at his place. As for the halakha: safek berachot lehakel. Bediavad, once he has already blessed where he remembered — he need not return to bless at his place, even if he left bemezid. But lechatchila he shall return to his place and bless, even if he is shogeg, if he is able — that is, if he is not held back by the company traveling with him on the road who will not wait for him, for then there is ground to rely on the first opinion to be lenient in a rabbinic matter if he was shogeg; and even bemezid, if he is so far that by the time he returns the food would digest in his innards and he could no longer bless (as will be explained shortly) — he blesses where he remembered. And all this is when he has no more bread; but if he still has bread — he need not return to his place at all: he eats a little bread where he remembered and blesses the birkat hamazon after it, for anything requiring a final blessing at its place requires it at the place where he finished eating, not where he began. And even if, at the place where he finished, he does not eat the measure that obligates a final blessing — there is a view that he blesses where he finished, for in any case the essence of the final-blessing obligation falls upon him at the place where he finishes: before finishing he has no obligation to bless, but he may still eat several more times and discharge them all by the blessing he says at the very end, as long as the food is not digested between one eating and the next; it thus emerges that the obligation only applies when he finishes with the intent to eat no more until digestion — and if he then changes his mind, the obligation lapses until he finishes. Therefore, when he eats in two places, he blesses where he finished, even though when finishing at the first place he did not intend to eat at the second. Nevertheless, lechatchila he may not leave his place without blessing, even intending to return to eat at the second place, finish his meal there and bless — unless he intended so from the outset when he blessed “HaMotzi,” as explained in siman קע״ח. And all this is from one place to another; but from one corner to another in a single room, even a large hall — it is all one place, and even lechatchila he may bless in another corner. And even from the house to the courtyard, if he can see his place — it is deemed one place, as explained there. And if he ate in one room of this house intending to bless in another room of this same house — it is possible that this intention helps, just as intending to finish his meal there helps; and there is ground to rely on this when the place where he eats is not clean.
סעיף ב מִן הַתּוֹרָה עַל הַשְּׂבִיעָה, מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים עַל כְּזַיִת, וְסָפֵק אִם בֵּרַךְ.
מִן הַתּוֹרָה אֵינוֹ חַיָּב לְבָרֵךְ אַחַר הַמָּזוֹן אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן שָׂבַע מִמֶּנּוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ וְגוֹ׳". וּמִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים לְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן עַל כְּזַיִת, שֶׁהוּא שִׁעוּר אֲכִילָה, אֲבָל פָּחוֹת מִכְּזַיִת אֵינָהּ נִקְרֵא[ת] אֲכִילָה כְּלָל.
וְדִין צֵרוּף לִכְזַיִת — יִתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן ר״י.
וְאִם נֶעֱלַם מִמֶּנּוּ וְלֹא יָדַע אִם בֵּרַךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן אִם לָאו, אִם אָכַל עַד שֶׁשָּׂבַע — חוֹזֵר וּמְבָרֵךְ מִסָּפֵק, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא סָפֵק שֶׁל תּוֹרָה. וְאִם לָאו — אֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר וּמְבָרֵךְ.
וְכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁחוֹזֵר וּמְבָרֵךְ — צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר גַּם כֵּן בְּרָכָה רְבִיעִית שֶׁהִיא מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָבוֹאוּ לְזַלְזֵל בָּהּ. וְעוֹד, שֶׁכָּךְ הָיְתָה הַתַּקָּנָה, שֶׁבְּכָל פַּעַם שֶׁמְּבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן יְבָרֵךְ ד׳ בְּרָכוֹת:
By Torah law one is only obligated to bless after the meal if he was satisfied by it, as it is said: “And you shall eat and be satisfied and bless…”; and by rabbinic law one blesses the birkat hamazon over a kezayit, which is the measure of “eating” — but less than a kezayit is not called eating at all. The law of combining up to a kezayit will be explained in siman ר״י. And if it escaped him and he does not know whether he blessed the birkat hamazon or not: if he ate until satisfied — he blesses again out of doubt, since it is a doubt of Torah law; if not — he does not bless again. And wherever he blesses again — he must also say the fourth blessing, which is of rabbinic origin, so that people not come to belittle it; and moreover, such was the institution: each time one blesses the birkat hamazon he says four blessings.
סעיף ג עַד אֵימָתַי יָכוֹל לְבָרֵךְ — עַד שֶׁיִּתְעַכֵּל הַמָּזוֹן שֶׁבְּמֵעָיו.
עַד אֵימָתַי יָכוֹל לְבָרֵךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן? עַד שֶׁיִּתְעַכֵּל הַמָּזוֹן שֶׁבְּמֵעָיו. וְכַמָּה שִׁעוּרוֹ? כָּל שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָעֵב מֵאוֹתָהּ אֲכִילָה. וּמִשָּׁעָה שֶׁהִתְחִיל לִהְיוֹת רָעֵב, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְעַכֵּל עֲדַיִן לְגַמְרֵי, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִתְחִיל לְהִתְעַכֵּל — שׁוּב אֵינוֹ מְבָרֵךְ. וְכֵן לְעִנְיַן שְׁתִיָּה וַאֲכִילַת פֵּרוֹת, אִם אֵינוֹ צָמֵא אוֹ רָעֵב וְתָאֵב לְאוֹתָם פֵּרוֹת — יְבָרֵךְ, אִם אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ לְשַׁעֵר אִם נִתְעַכְּלוּ.
וְכָל זֶה כְּשֶׁאָכַל כָּל צָרְכּוֹ מֵהַלֶּחֶם אוֹ מֵהַפֵּרוֹת, אֲבָל אִם אָכַל מְעַט וְחָפֵץ לֶאֱכֹל עוֹד, אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה לוֹ יוֹתֵר — בָּזֶה אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְשַׁעֵר כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָעֵב וְתָאֵב, כֵּיוָן שֶׁתֵּכֶף הָיְתָה לוֹ גַּם כֵּן תַּאֲוָה, וְאַדְּרַבָּה, בַּאֲכִילָה מַמְשֶׁכֶת לוֹ תַּאֲוָה יוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁהָיְתָה לוֹ קֹדֶם לָכֵן, וְהוּא הַדִּין מִמַּה שֶּׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ אַחַר כָּךְ כְּשֶׁיִּתְעַכֵּל זֶה הַמְעַט, וְאִם כֵּן אֵין רְאָיָה כְּלָל מִתַּאֲוָתוֹ שֶׁכְּבָר נִתְעַכֵּל, אֶלָּא שִׁעוּרוֹ עַד כְּדֵי הִלּוּךְ ד׳ מִילִין, שֶׁהוּא שִׁעוּר שָׁעָה וְחֹמֶשׁ, לְפִי מַה שֶּׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן תנ״ט.
וְיֵשׁ חוֹלְקִים עַל שִׁעוּר זֶה וּמַצְרִיכִים לְבָרֵךְ מִיָּד בַּאֲכִילָה מוּעֶטֶת, שֶׁגַּם אַחַר הָאֲכִילָה הוּא רָעֵב.
וְאִם אֵרַע שֶׁשָּׁהָה אַחַר אֲכִילָתוֹ — יֹאכַל מְעַט קֹדֶם בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן לְהוֹצִיא עַצְמוֹ מִידֵי סָפֵק, שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ בְּקִיאִים בָּזֶה לְשַׁעֵר בְּעַצְמוֹ אִם אֵינוֹ רָעֵב כָּל כָּךְ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה בִּתְחִלָּה קֹדֶם שֶׁאָכַל, שֶׁאִם הוּא רָעֵב כְּבַתְּחִלָּה — וַדַּאי כְּבָר נִתְעַכֵּל הַמָּזוֹן בְּמֵעָיו, שֶׁמִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָעֵב וְאוֹכֵל פֵּרוֹת אוֹ מִינֵי מְתִיקָה לְתַעֲנוּג — הוּא שֶׁיָּכוֹל לִהְיוֹת תָּאֵב לָהֶם יוֹתֵר אַחַר הָאֲכִילָה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא נִתְעַכְּלָה מִמַּה שֶּׁהָיָה תָּאֵב קֹדֶם לָכֵן, לְפִי שֶׁכֵּיוָן שֶׁטָּעַם טַעֲמָם — נִתְעוֹרֵר לוֹ תַּאֲוָה לָהֶם.
וְכֵן אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁאוֹכֵל לֶחֶם וְאֵינוֹ רָעֵב כְּשֶׁאוֹכֵל מְעַט — מְעוֹרֶרֶת לוֹ אֲכִילָה זוֹ תַּאֲוַת הַמַּאֲכָל, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁפּוֹתַחַת בְּנֵי מֵעָיו וּמַרְחֶבֶת אוֹתָם וִיקַבֵּל הַמַּאֲכָל אַחַר כָּךְ לְתֵאָבוֹן.
אֲבָל מִי שֶׁאָכַל לֶחֶם לְרַעֲבוֹנוֹ — אֲפִלּוּ בַּאֲכִילָה מוּעֶטֶת מִתְיַשֶּׁבֶת דַּעְתּוֹ מְעַט וְאֵינוֹ רָעֵב כָּל כָּךְ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה. וַאֲפִלּוּ בִּכְזַיִת שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ כְּדֵי לְהָשִׁיב דַּעְתּוֹ, מִכָּל מָקוֹם, אֵינוֹ רָעֵב כָּל כָּךְ מַמָּשׁ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה. וְכֵן הָאוֹכֵל שְׁאָר מַאֲכָלִים לִרְעָבוֹן.
וְגַם מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָעֵב — אֵין הָאֲכִילָה מְעוֹרֶרֶת לוֹ תַּאֲוַת הַמַּאֲכָל אֶלָּא תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד אַחַר שֶׁפָּתְחוּ בְּנֵי מֵעָיו, אֲבָל אִם שָׁהָה אַחַר אֲכִילָתוֹ — נִסְתְּמָה אִצְטוֹמְכָא, וְשׁוּב אֵינוֹ חָפֵץ לֶאֱכֹל כָּל כָּךְ, אֲפִלּוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה חָפֵץ קֹדֶם שֶׁאָכַל. וְאִם אַחַר כָּךְ חוֹזֵר וְתָאֵב מְעַט כְּמוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁאָכַל — וַדַּאי בְּכָךְ נִתְעַכְּלָה אֲכִילָה זוֹ, וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְבָרֵךְ.
וְאֵין אָנוּ בְּקִיאִים בָּזֶה, לָכֵן לֹא יִשְׁהֶה כְּלָל אַחַר אֲכִילָה מוּעֶטֶת קֹדֶם בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן.
וְיֵשׁ לָחֹש לְדִבְרֵיהֶם לְהָקֵל בִּסְפֵק בְּרָכוֹת, שֶׁלֹּא יוּכַל לְבָרֵךְ עַד כְּדֵי הִלּוּךְ ד׳ מִילִין כַּסְּבָרָא הָרִאשׁוֹנָה.
וְאִם אֵרַע שֶׁשָּׁהָה אַחַר אֲכִילָתוֹ וְחוֹזֵר וְאוֹכֵל לְהוֹצִיא עַצְמוֹ מִידֵי סָפֵק — אֵין צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵךְ "הַמּוֹצִיא" כָּל שֶׁלֹּא הִסִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ, וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אֲפִלּוּ הִסִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן קע״ט.
אֲבָל כָּל שֶׁוַּדַּאי נִתְעַכֵּל הַמָּזוֹן שֶׁבֵּרַךְ עָלָיו — נִסְתַּלְּקָה בְּרָכָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה. וְכֵן הָרוֹצֶה לִפְטֹר שְׁתֵּי אֲכִילוֹת בִּבְרָכָה אַחַת וְשָׁהָה בֵּינְתַיִם כְּשִׁעוּר עִכּוּל — צָרִיךְ לַחֲזֹר וּלְבָרֵךְ:
Until when may one bless the birkat hamazon? Until the food in his innards is digested. And what is its measure? As long as he is not hungry from that meal; and from the moment he begins to be hungry — even if the food is not yet fully digested, since digestion has begun — he no longer blesses. So too for drinking and eating fruit: as long as he is not thirsty or hungry or craving those fruits, he may bless, if he cannot gauge whether they are digested. And all this is when he ate his fill of the bread or the fruit; but if he ate little and wished to eat more, only that he had no more — here one cannot gauge by “as long as he is not hungry and craving,” since he immediately also had an appetite; on the contrary, by eating his appetite grows more than before, and likewise the appetite he will have afterward when this little is digested; there is thus no proof from his appetite that it is already digested. Rather its measure is: the time to walk four mil, which is an hour and a fifth, per what will be explained in siman תנ״ט. And some dispute this measure and require blessing immediately upon a small eating, since even after it he is hungry. And if it happened that he tarried after eating — he shall eat a little before the birkat hamazon to remove himself from doubt, for we are not expert in gauging by ourselves whether he is not as hungry as he was at first before eating: for if he is as hungry as at first — surely the food is already digested in his innards. One who is not hungry and eats fruit or sweets for pleasure is the one who can crave them more after eating, even without what he craved before being digested, because having tasted their flavor, a craving for them was aroused. Likewise even one who eats bread and is not hungry: when he eats a little, this eating arouses in him the appetite for food, because it opens his innards and widens them, so that he then receives the food with appetite. But one who ate bread for his hunger — even by a small eating his mind settles a little and he is not quite as hungry; and even by a kezayit that does not suffice to settle his mind, in any case he is not truly as hungry as he was. And likewise one who eats other foods for his hunger. And moreover, even one who is not hungry — the eating arouses in him the appetite for food only immediately, right after his innards have opened; but if he tarried after eating, the stomach has closed, and he no longer desires to eat as much, even as much as he desired before eating. And if afterward he again craves a little as before eating — surely this eating has thereby digested, and he can no longer bless. And we are not expert in this; therefore he shall not tarry at all, after a small eating, before the birkat hamazon. And there is ground to heed their words to be lenient in the doubt of blessings: that he may not bless beyond the time to walk four mil, per the first opinion. And if it happened that he tarried after eating and returns to eat to remove himself from doubt — he need not bless “HaMotzi” as long as he did not divert his attention; and some say even if he diverted his attention, as explained in siman קע״ט. But once the food over which he blessed is surely digested — the first blessing has lapsed; and likewise, one who wishes to discharge two eatings with one blessing and tarried between them the measure of a digestion — must return and bless.
הלכה למעשה — מנהג חב״ד
The Habad practical conduct
Points of conduct flowing directly from siman קפ״ד 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 קפ״ד (לִקְבֹּעַ בְּרָכָה בִּמְקוֹם סְעוּדָה)
- ① Seif א. One blesses the birkat hamazon at the very place of the meal. One who forgot and left his place inadvertently blesses where he remembered (and if he returns, it is praiseworthy); if he left deliberately he returns to bless. In practice: safek berachot lehakel — bediavad he does not return; lechatchila he returns if able, or, if he still has bread, eats a little and blesses there. From corner to corner of one room, or house-to-courtyard if he sees his place, it is one place.
- ② Seif ב. By Torah law the obligation arises only with satiety (“You shall eat and be satisfied and bless”); by rabbinic law, over a kezayit. In doubt whether he blessed: if satisfied, he blesses again out of doubt (a Torah doubt); if not, he does not. Whenever he blesses again, he also says the 4th blessing.
- ③ Seif ג. One may bless as long as the food is not digested, i.e. as long as one is not again hungry from that meal; its measure is the time to walk four mil (an hour and a fifth). One who tarried should eat a little before the birkat hamazon to remove doubt, without re-saying “HaMotzi” as long as he did not divert his attention.
⚠ This section presents the Habad conduct based on the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, siman קפ״ד (the real text is reproduced in §1). It does not replace a rabbinic decision for a particular case. For any concrete question — the place of the birkat hamazon, one who forgot and left his place, the measure of the obligation, the doubt whether he blessed, and the time-limit to bless — consult your Rav, and for Habad, a Rav of Habad.