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 קצ״ד — שְׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁאָכְלוּ כְּאֶחָד וְנִפְרְדוּ לְעִנְיַן הַזִּמּוּן וּמַה דִּינָן (three who ate together then separated: their law regarding zimun), which unfolds in the Rav over ג׳ סְעִיפִים (three seifim) : from those who forgot and each blessed on his own — where the zimun is lost because there is no retroactive zimun, and where the single one who already blessed may nonetheless complete the other two — to the one who went out to the market, whom they call back and who fulfills his obligation while standing before the doorway, provided he hears until the end of the blessing “hazan,” with the difference between three and ten because the Name is mentioned there, up to the case of three who each know only one of the blessings of birkat hamazon: dividing the blessings, and what is indispensable and what is not.
שולחן ערוך הרב — סימן קצ״ד — שְׁתִיַּת הַיַּיִן אַחַר הַבְּרָכָה וְדִינָיו
The full text of the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch
שולחן ערוך הרב, סימן קצ״ד — שְׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁאָכְלוּ כְּאֶחָד וְנִפְרְדוּ לְעִנְיַן הַזִּמּוּן וּמַה דִּינָן — וּבוֹ ג׳ סְעִיפִים
The Alter Rebbe’s own text (Sefaria source Shulchan_Arukh_HaRav,_Orach_Chayim.194), followed by our English translation. The siman comprises three seifim (ג׳ סְעִיפִים ; seif k → .194.k).
סעיף א שְׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁאָכְלוּ וּבֵרַךְ כָּל אֶחָד לְעַצְמוֹ — בָּטֵל מֵהֶם הַזִּמּוּן.
שְׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁאָכְלוּ כְּאֶחָד וְנִפְרְדוּ לְעִנְיַן הַזִּמּוּן, וּמַה דִּינָן, וּבוֹ ג׳ סְעִיפִים:
שְׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁאָכְלוּ כְּאַחַת וְשָׁכְחוּ וּבֵרַךְ כָּל אֶחָד לְעַצְמוֹ — בָּטֵל מֵהֶם הַזִּמּוּן, וְאֵין יְכוֹלִים לַחֲזֹר וּלְזַמֵּן, שֶׁאֵין זִמּוּן לְמַפְרֵעַ. וְכֵן אִם בֵּרְכוּ שְׁנַיִם מֵהֶם — אֵין הַשְּׁלִישִׁי יָכוֹל לְזַמֵּן עִמָּהֶם. אֲבָל אִם אֶחָד מֵהֶם שָׁכַח וּבֵרַךְ לְעַצְמוֹ — יְכוֹלִים הַשְּׁנַיִם הָאֲחֵרִים לְזַמֵּן עִמּוֹ, וְיָכוֹל לַעֲנוֹת "בָּרוּךְ שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ" אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא אָכַל כְּלוּם אַחַר שֶׁבֵּרַךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכְּבָר נִצְטָרֵף עִמָּהֶם בַּאֲכִילָתוֹ קֹדֶם שֶׁבֵּרַךְ בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן. וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכְּבָר בֵּרַךְ אַחַר אֲכִילָתוֹ — אֵין בְּכָךְ כְּלוּם לְהָאוֹמְרִים שֶׁאִם שְׁנַיִם אָכְלוּ פַּת הַשְּׁלִישִׁי מִצְטָרֵף עִמָּהֶם לְזִמּוּן אֲפִלּוּ לֹא אָכַל עִמָּהֶם פַּת אֶלָּא יָרָק וְלֹא נִתְחַיֵּב בְּבִרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן כְּלָל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן קצ״ז.
וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָאוֹכֵל יָרָק וּמְבָרֵךְ אַחֲרָיו בְּרָכָה אַחֲרוֹנָה שׁוּב אֵינוֹ מִצְטָרֵף לְזִמּוּן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכְּבָר נִסְתַּלֵּק מֵהֶם, מִכָּל מָקוֹם, כָּאן שֶׁאָכַל פַּת וְנִקְבַּע עִמָּהֶם — לֹא נִסְתַּלֵּק מֵהֶם בְּבִרְכָתוֹ לְעַצְמוֹ לְעִנְיָן שֶׁלֹּא יוּכְלוּ הָאֲחֵרִים לְזַמֵּן עִמּוֹ.
וַאֲפִלּוּ לְהָאוֹמְרִים שֶׁאֵין מִצְטָרֵף לִשְׁלֹשָׁה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן אָכַל כְּזַיִת פַּת, וְיֵשׁ לָחֹש לְדִבְרֵיהֶם לְכַתְּחִלָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁיִּתְבָּאֵר שָׁם, מִכָּל מָקוֹם, כָּאן הֲרֵי כְּבָר אָכַל פַּת עִמָּהֶם וְנִצְטָרֵף עִמָּהֶם לְזִמּוּן, אֶלָּא שֶׁמִּפְּנֵי שֶׁכְּבָר בֵּרַךְ לְעַצְמוֹ בָּטֵל הַזִּמּוּן מִמֶּנּוּ מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין זִמּוּן לְמַפְרֵעַ, וְלָכֵן לֹא בָּטֵל אֶלָּא מִמֶּנּוּ, אֲבָל לֹא מֵהָאֲחֵרִים שֶׁלֹּא בֵּרְכוּ עֲדַיִן, לְפִיכָךְ, הֵם יוֹצְאִים יְדֵי זִמּוּן, אֲבָל הוּא אֵינוֹ יוֹצֵא.
וְאִם הָאֶחָד לֹא בֵּרַךְ לְעַצְמוֹ אֶלָּא זִמֵּן עִם שְׁנַיִם אֲחֵרִים — אֵינוֹ מִצְטָרֵף עִם הַשְּׁנַיִם שֶׁאָכְלוּ עִמּוֹ, וְאֵין יְכוֹלִים לְזַמֵּן עִמּוֹ:
Three who ate together and then separated, regarding zimun, and what their law is; and it contains three seifim. Three who ate together and, having forgotten, each recited birkat hamazon on his own — the zimun is lost to them, and they cannot go back and recite it, for there is no retroactive zimun. Likewise, if two of them blessed — the third can no longer make the zimun with them. But if only one of them forgot and blessed on his own — the other two may make the zimun with him, and he may answer “baruch she-achalnu” even though he ate nothing after reciting birkat hamazon, because he had already joined with them through his eating before he recited birkat hamazon. And even though he already blessed after his eating, that makes no difference according to those who say that if two ate bread, the third joins with them for zimun even if he did not eat bread with them but only a vegetable and is not obligated in birkat hamazon at all, as will be explained in siman קצ״ז.
And although one who eats a vegetable and recites the final blessing over it no longer joins for zimun, because he has already withdrawn from them — nevertheless here, where he ate bread and became fixed (keviut) with them, he did not withdraw from them by his blessing said on his own, to the point that the others could no longer make the zimun with him.
And even according to those who say that one joins the three only if he ate a kezayit of bread — and it is proper to take their words into account a priori, as will be explained there — nevertheless here he did already eat bread with them and joined with them for zimun; it is only that, since he already blessed on his own, the zimun is nullified with respect to him, because there is no retroactive zimun. Therefore it is nullified only with respect to him, but not with respect to the others who have not yet blessed; consequently, they fulfill the zimun, but he does not.
And if that one did not bless on his own but made the zimun with two others — he no longer joins with the two who ate with him, and they cannot make the zimun with him.
סעיף ב יָצָא אֶחָד מֵהֶם לַשּׁוּק — קוֹרְאִים אוֹתוֹ וּמוֹדִיעִים לוֹ שֶׁרוֹצִים לְזַמֵּן.
שְׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁאָכְלוּ וְיָצָא אֶחָד מֵהֶם לַשּׁוּק — קוֹרְאִים אוֹתוֹ וּמוֹדִיעִים לוֹ שֶׁרוֹצִים לְזַמֵּן, כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּכַוֵּן וְיִצְטָרֵף עִמָּהֶם וְיַעֲנֶה עִמָּהֶם בִּרְכַּת זִמּוּן, וְיוֹצְאִים יְדֵי חוֹבָתָם, וְגַם הוּא יוֹצֵא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ בָּא וְיוֹשֵׁב עִמָּהֶם, אֶלָּא שֶׁעוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי הַפֶּתַח, רַק שֶׁיִּשְׁמַע עַד סִיּוּם בִּרְכַּת "הַזָּן", כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן קצ״ג.
בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה, אֲבָל בַּעֲשָׂרָה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁצְּרִיכִים לְהַזְכִּיר אֶת הַשֵּׁם — אֵינָן מִצְטָרְפִין עַד שֶׁיָּבֹא וְיֵשֵׁב עִמָּהֶם, שֶׁבְּפָחוֹת מֵעֲשָׂרָה שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִים בְּיַחַד — אֵין דֶּרֶךְ אֶרֶץ לְהַזְכִּיר אֶת הַשֵּׁם:
Three who ate and one of them went out to the market: they call him and inform him that they wish to make the zimun, so that he will have intention, join with them and answer the zimun blessing along with them; they thereby fulfill their obligation, and he too fulfills his obligation, even though he does not come and sit with them but stands before the doorway — provided that he hears until the conclusion of the blessing “hazan,” as was explained in siman קצ״ג.
To what does this apply? To three. But with ten, since they must mention the Name, they do not join until he comes and sits with them, for with fewer than ten sitting together it is not derech eretz to mention the Name.
סעיף ג אֶחָד יוֹדֵעַ בְּרָכָה רִאשׁוֹנָה וְאֶחָד הַשְּׁנִיָּה וְאֶחָד הַשְּׁלִישִׁית.
שְׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁאָכְלוּ כְּאַחַת וְאֵין אֶחָד מֵהֶם יוֹדֵעַ כָּל בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן, אֶלָּא אֶחָד יוֹדֵעַ בְּרָכָה רִאשׁוֹנָה וְאֶחָד הַשְּׁנִיָּה וְאֶחָד הַשְּׁלִישִׁית — מְחֻיָּבִים בְּזִמּוּן, וְכָל אֶחָד יְבָרֵךְ הַבְּרָכָה שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ, וְהַשְּׁנַיִם שׁוֹמְעִים וְיוֹצְאִים יְדֵי חוֹבָתָם, וְהַיּוֹדֵעַ בְּרָכָה רִאשׁוֹנָה הוּא מְזַמֵּן וְאוֹמֵר: "נְבָרֵךְ שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, בָּרוּךְ שֶׁאָכַלְנוּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ וּבְטוּבוֹ חָיִינוּ", אִם הוּא יוֹדֵעַ וְהֵם אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים לַעֲנוֹת.
וְאִם הוּא אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֶחָד מֵהֶם יוֹדֵעַ — אֵין מְזַמְּנִים כְּלָל, שֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר לָהֶם לְחַלֵּק בִּרְכַּת הַזִּמּוּן וּבִרְכַּת "הַזָּן" לִשְׁנַיִם, לְפִי שֶׁהָעִקָּר כְּהָאוֹמְרִים שֶׁ"נְּבָרֵךְ" אֵינָהּ בְּרָכָה בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ כְּלָל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִימָן קצ״ג, אֶלָּא מְבָרְכִים בְּלֹא זִמּוּן. וְהוּא הַדִּין אִם הֵם שְׁנַיִם וְאֶחָד מֵהֶם יוֹדֵעַ שְׁתֵּי בְּרָכוֹת וְאֶחָד הַשְּׁלִישִׁית.
אֲבָל אִם כָּל הַמְסֻבִּים אֵינָם יוֹדְעִים אֵיזוֹ בְּרָכָה מִשָּׁלֹשׁ בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁל תּוֹרָה — לֹא יְבָרְכוּ כְּלָל מַה שֶּׁיּוֹדְעִים, כִּי שְׁלָשְׁתָּן מְעַכְּבוֹת זוֹ אֶת זוֹ. אֲבָל בְּרָכָה רְבִיעִית שֶׁהִיא מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכֻּלָּם אֵין יוֹדְעִים אוֹתָהּ — אֵינָהּ מְעַכֶּבֶת שָׁלֹשׁ בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁל תּוֹרָה.
וּבְשָׁלֹשׁ בְּרָכוֹת הַלָּלוּ, אִם אֶחָד יוֹדֵעַ חֲצִי הַבְּרָכָה וְאֶחָד חֲצִי הַשְּׁנִיָּה — אֵין בְּרָכָה אַחַת מִתְחַלֶּקֶת לִשְׁנַיִם, וְהִיא מְעַכֶּבֶת אֶת שְׁאָר הַבְּרָכוֹת.
וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים שֶׁשָּׁלֹשׁ בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁל בִּרְכַּת הַמָּזוֹן אֵין מְעַכְּבוֹת זוֹ אֶת זוֹ. וְיֵשׁ לָחֹש לְדִבְרֵיהֶם, לְהַחֲמִיר בְּשֶׁל תּוֹרָה:
Three who ate together and none of them knows all of birkat hamazon, but one knows the first blessing, one the second and one the third — they are obligated in zimun, and each one shall recite the blessing he knows, while the other two listen and thereby fulfill their obligation; and the one who knows the first blessing leads the zimun and says: “nevarech she-achalnu mishelo, baruch she-achalnu mishelo uvtuvo chayinu” — if he knows it and they do not know how to answer.
And if he does not know it, even though one of them does — they do not make the zimun at all, for it is impossible for them to divide the zimun blessing and the blessing “hazan” between two, since the essential ruling is like those who say that “nevarech” is not a blessing in its own right at all, as was explained in siman קצ״ג; rather they bless without zimun. And the same law applies if they are two, one of them knowing two blessings and the other the third.
But if none of those seated knows one of the three blessings that are from the Torah — they shall not recite at all the ones they do know, for the three are indispensable to one another. The fourth blessing, however, which is of rabbinic origin (mi-divrei sofrim), even though none of them knows it — it does not impede the three blessings that are from the Torah.
And within these three blessings: if one knows half the blessing and one half the second — a single blessing is not divided between two, and it impedes the remaining blessings.
And some say that the three blessings of birkat hamazon are not indispensable to one another. And it is proper to take their words into account, to be stringent in a matter of Torah law.
הלכה למעשה — מנהג חב״ד
The practical Habad conduct
Points of conduct that follow directly from siman קצ״ד in the sensibility of the Alter Rebbe and of Habad — presented at the level of principle, referring to the Rav for the details of each case.
For the Habad Hassid — Siman קצ״ד (שְׁלֹשָׁה שֶׁאָכְלוּ כְּאֶחָד וְנִפְרְדוּ לְעִנְיַן הַזִּמּוּן וּמַה דִּינָן)
- ① Seif א. Three who ate together and each of whom blessed on his own: the zimun is lost — there is no retroactive zimun. If two already blessed, the third can no longer join them for it. But if only one blessed on his own, the other two make the zimun with him and he answers “baruch she-achalnu,” since he had joined them through his bread before his blessing: they fulfill the zimun, he does not. And if he meanwhile made the zimun with two others, he no longer counts for those who ate with him.
- ② Seif ב. One went out to the market: they call him and inform him that they wish to make the zimun, so that he will have intention and answer; it is enough that he stand before the doorway and hear until the end of the blessing “hazan” (siman קצ״ג). With ten, however, because the Name is mentioned, he must come and sit with them — with fewer than ten sitting together it is not derech eretz.
- ③ Seif ג. None knows all of birkat hamazon, but each knows one blessing: they are obligated in zimun, each recites the one he knows and the others listen; the one who knows the first leads the zimun. If he does not know it, no zimun is made at all: the zimun and the blessing “hazan” are not divided between two. The three Torah blessings are indispensable to one another (the fourth, rabbinic one is not), and a single blessing is not divided between two; according to another view they are not indispensable to one another — and that view is taken into account, to be stringent in a matter of Torah law.
⚠ This section presents the Habad conduct based on the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, siman קצ״ד (the real text is reproduced in §1). It does not replace a rabbinic ruling for a particular case. For any practical question — a participant who has already blessed, the one who went out to the market, dividing the blessings — consult your Rav, and for Habad, a Habad Rav.