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 halakhah (הלכה) + טעמי המצוות + the inner dimension in a single work, and it decides with a unique talmudic rigour.
For Habad, the Alter Rebbe is הפוסק האחרון — his psak is the deciding authority. This page gathers the Rav’s way on siman ר״ג — דִּין בִּרְכַּת פֵּרוֹת הָאָרֶץ (the law of the blessing over the fruits of the ground), which unfolds in the Rav over ז׳ סְעִיפִים (seven seifim): from the sign that parts a fruit of the tree from a fruit of the ground — the branch that survives into the coming year against stems that die in winter and regrow from the roots — to those growths that do not even bear the name of fruit, those of barren trees and myrtle berries, set against the small nuts of the forest, which are considerable fruits; from berries holding nothing but sap gathered in their pips, sucked and thrown away, to ginger, which, being a root beneath the ground, does not take the blessing of the tree; from ikkar and tafel — the honey and the sugar that prepare a spice without taking its blessing from it — to the limit of that rule for spices that serve only to season the dish; and up to radish, which the hardening that awaits it does not remove from the fruits of the ground.
שולחן ערוך הרב — סימן ר״ג — דִּין בִּרְכַּת פֵּרוֹת הָאָרֶץ
The full text of the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch
שולחן ערוך הרב, סימן ר״ג — דִּין בִּרְכַּת פֵּרוֹת הָאָרֶץ — וּבוֹ ז׳ סְעִיפִים
The Alter Rebbe’s own text (Sefaria source Shulchan_Arukh_HaRav,_Orach_Chayim.203), followed by our English translation. The siman comprises seven seifim (ז׳ סְעִיפִים ; seif k → .203.k).
סעיף א עַל פֵּרוֹת הָאָרֶץ "בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה" — וְסִימָן לֵידַע פְּרִי הָעֵץ.
דִּין בִּרְכַּת פֵּרוֹת הָאָרֶץ, וּבוֹ ז׳ סְעִיפִים:
עַל פֵּרוֹת הָאָרֶץ מְבָרְכִין "בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה". וְסִימָן לֵידַע אֵיזֶה פְּרִי הָעֵץ וְאֵיזֶה פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה: כָּל שֶׁאִלּוּ יִנָּטֵל הַפְּרִי וְנִשְׁאַר הֶעָנָף קַיָּם לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה וּמוֹצִיא הַפְּרִי — הֲרֵי זֶה פְּרִי הָעֵץ. אֲבָל כָּל שֶׁכָּלוּ עֵצָיו לְגַמְרֵי בַּחֹרֶף וְחוֹזְרִים וְצוֹמְחִים מִשָּׁרָשָׁיו — אֵין פֵּרוֹתָיו חֲשׁוּבִים פְּרִי הָעֵץ, וּמְבָרְכִין עֲלֵיהֶם "בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה". לְפִיכָךְ, מְבָרְכִין עַל תּוּתִים הַגְּדֵלִים בִּסְנֶה "בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה":
The law of the blessing over the fruits of the ground, and it comprises seven seifim. Over the fruits of the ground one blesses “borei pri ha’adamah.” And this is the sign by which to know which is a fruit of the tree and which a fruit of the ground: whatever is such that, were the fruit to be taken, the branch would remain standing for the coming year and would bring forth the fruit again — that is a fruit of the tree. But whatever whose stems perish entirely in the winter and then grow back from its roots — its fruits are not reckoned a fruit of the tree, and one blesses over them “borei pri ha’adamah.” Therefore one blesses over the tutim that grow on the bramble “borei pri ha’adamah.”
סעיף ב פֵּרוֹת אִילָנֵי סְרָק "שֶׁהַכֹּל" — וֶאֱגוֹזֵי הַיַּעַר "בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ".
בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בְּתוּתִים, שֶׁהֵם טוֹבִים לַאֲכִילָה וּפְרִי גָּמוּר הֵן, אֶלָּא שֶׁאֵין הֶעָנָף מִתְקַיֵּם מִשָּׁנָה לַחֲבֶרְתָּהּ, אֲבָל מִינֵי פֵּרוֹת גְּרוּעִים הַגְּדֵלִים בְּאִילָנֵי סְרָק, כְּגוֹן תַּפּוּחִים קְטַנִּים וְאַגָּסִים קְטַנִּים הַגְּדֵלִים בַּיַּעַר, וְכֵן עִנְּבֵי הַהֲדַס, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵם רְאוּיִים לַאֲכִילָה — אֵינָם חֲשׁוּבִים פְּרִי, וְאֵין מְבָרְכִין עֲלֵיהֶם אֶלָּא "שֶׁהַכֹּל נִהְיָה בִּדְבָרוֹ", בֵּין חַיִּים בֵּין מְבֻשָּׁלִים.
אֲבָל אֱגוֹזִים קְטַנִּים הַגְּדֵלִים בַּיַּעַר — פֵּרוֹת חֲשׁוּבִים הֵם, וּמְבָרְכִין עֲלֵיהֶם "בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ". וְכֵן פְּרִי שֶׁקּוֹרִין ברומבערי״ן, וּפְרִי אָדֹם שֶׁקּוֹרִין ערפור״ט. וְכֵן אוֹתָם שֶׁקּוֹרִין יאגידע״ס הַשְּׁחוֹרִים. אֲבָל הָאֲדֻמִּים גְּדֵלִים בָּעֵשֶׂב, וּבִרְכָתָם "בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה":
In what case is this said? Of tutim, which are good to eat and are a complete fruit, save that the branch does not survive from one year to the next. But the inferior kinds of fruit that grow on barren trees (ilanei srak), such as the small apples and small pears that grow in the forest, and likewise myrtle berries: although they are fit to be eaten — they are not reckoned a fruit, and one blesses over them only “shehakol nihyeh bidvaro,” whether raw or cooked.
But the small nuts that grow in the forest — these are considerable fruits, and one blesses over them “borei pri ha’etz.” And likewise the fruit called brombeeren, and the red fruit called erdbeert. And likewise those called yagodes, the black ones. But the red ones grow on the grass, and their blessing is “borei pri ha’adamah.”
סעיף ג תּוּתִים שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם אֶלָּא שָׂרָף — "שֶׁהַכֹּל" כְּעַל מֵי פֵּרוֹת.
אוֹתָן תּוּתִים אֲדֻמִּים הַנִּמְצָאִים בְּתַמּוּז, (וְגַם) יֵשׁ (מִין) הַנִּמְצָאִים בַּחֹרֶף, וְאֵין בָּהֶם אֶלָּא שָׂרָף לְבַד כָּנוּס בְּתוֹךְ הַחַרְצַנִּים, וּמוֹצְצִים אוֹתָן וְזוֹרְקִין אוֹתָן — מְבָרְכִין עֲלֵיהֶם "שֶׁהַכֹּל" כְּעַל שְׁאָר מֵי פֵּרוֹת. וְאַף אִם בּוֹלְעָן עִם הַקְּלִפָּה וְהַגַּרְעִין, מִכָּל מָקוֹם, עֵינֵינוּ רוֹאוֹת שֶׁהַקְּלִפָּה וְהַגַּרְעִין אֵין רְאוּיִים לַאֲכִילָה, אִם כֵּן אֵין לְבָרֵךְ אֶלָּא עַל הַמַּשְׁקֶה שֶׁבְּתוֹכָהּ:
Those red tutim found in Tammuz — (and there is also a kind) found in the winter — which contain nothing but sap alone, gathered within the pips, which one sucks and then throws away: one blesses over them “shehakol,” as over other fruit juices. And even if he swallows them together with the skin and the pip, in any case our own eyes see that the skin and the pip are not fit to be eaten; if so, there is nothing to bless upon save the liquid within it.
סעיף ד זַנְגְּבִיל רָטֹב — "בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה", שֶׁהוּא שֹׁרֶשׁ תַּחַת הַקַּרְקַע.
זַנְגְּבִיל בְּעוֹדוֹ רָטֹב שֶׁהוּא רָאוּי לַאֲכִילָה — מְבָרְכִים עָלָיו "בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה" וְלֹא "בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָעֵץ", לְפִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עִקַּר הַפְּרִי, כִּי הוּא שֹׁרֶשׁ תַּחַת הַקַּרְקַע. וְכֵן עַל שֹׁרֶשׁ שֶׁקּוֹרִין לאקרי״ץ אִם בּוֹלְעוֹ:
Ginger while it is still moist and fit to be eaten — one blesses over it “borei pri ha’adamah” and not “borei pri ha’etz,” because it is not the essential fruit, for it is a root beneath the ground. And likewise over the root called lakritz (licorice), if he swallows it.
סעיף ה זַנְגְּבִיל יָבֵשׁ בְּמִרְקַחַת — הַדְּבַשׁ וְהַצּוּקֶ״ר טָפֵל וְלֹא עִקָּר.
וְכֵן זַנְגְּבִיל יָבֵשׁ שֶׁעָשָׂה מִמֶּנּוּ מִרְקַחַת — מְבָרְכִים עָלָיו "בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה". וְכֵן פִּלְפְּלִים יְבֵשִׁים, שֶׁאַף שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ רְאוּיִים לַאֲכִילָה עַל יְדֵי הַדְּבַשׁ — אֵין הַדְּבַשׁ חָשׁוּב עִקָּר אֶלָּא טָפֵל, שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּא בָּא לְהַכְשִׁירָם וּלְתַקְּנָם. וְכֵן בְּשָׂמִים שְׁחוּקִים וּמְעֹרָבִים עִם צוּקֶ״ר, כְּמוֹ שֶׁרְגִילִים לִכְתֹּשׁ זַנְגְּבִיל יָבֵשׁ וּלְעָרְבוֹ עִם צוּקֶ״ר (שֶׁקּוֹרִין מאגי״ן פולווע״ר), אַף שֶׁאֵינָן רְאוּיִם לַאֲכִילָה כְּלָל בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָן — אֵין הַצּוּקֶ״ר חָשׁוּב עִקָּר אֶלָּא טָפֵל, שֶׁהוּא בָּא לְהַכְשִׁירָם וּלְתַקְּנָם:
And likewise dry ginger of which a preserve has been made — one blesses over it “borei pri ha’adamah.” And likewise dry peppercorns: although they became fit to be eaten only by means of the honey — the honey is not reckoned the ikkar but the tafel, since it comes to render them fit and to prepare them. And likewise pounded spices mixed with sugar, as they are wont to pound dry ginger and mix it with sugar (what is called magin pulver): although these are not fit to be eaten at all by themselves — the sugar is not reckoned the ikkar but the tafel, since it comes to render them fit and to prepare them.
סעיף ו תַּבְלִין שֶׁאֵין דַּרְכָּן לְהֵאָכֵל — "שֶׁהַכֹּל", וְזַנְגְּבִיל צָלוּי — "הָאֲדָמָה".
בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? בְּמִינֵי בְּשָׂמִים וְתַבְלִין, שֶׁדַּרְכָּן לְהֵאָכֵל עַל יְדֵי טִגּוּן בִּדְבַשׁ, אוֹ עַל יְדֵי תַּעֲרֹבֶת צוּקֶ״ר אוֹ דָּבָר אַחֵר, בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁהֵם חֲשׁוּבִים עִקָּר, כְּגוֹן זַנְגְּבִיל וּפִלְפְּלִין וְצִפֹּרֶן וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶם. אֲבָל מִינֵי בְּשָׂמִים וְתַבְלִין שֶׁאֵין דַּרְכָּן לְהֵאָכֵל אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁמְּתַבְּלִין בָּהֶם הַתַּבְשִׁיל, וְאָז הַתַּבְשִׁיל הוּא עִקָּר, וְאֵין הָאֲכִילָה נִקְרֵאת עַל שֵׁם הַתַּבְלִין כְּלָל, וּכְאִלּוּ אֵינָן עוֹמְדִין לַאֲכִילָה כְּלָל, כְּגוֹן ציטווא״ר וְכַיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ — אֵין שֵׁם פְּרִי עָלָיו כְּלָל. וְאַף אִם תִּקְּנוֹ וְהִכְשִׁירוֹ לַאֲכִילָה כְּמוֹת שֶׁהוּא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁרְגִילִין שֶׁצּוֹלִין ציטווא״ר וְאוֹכְלִין לִרְפוּאָה — אֵין מְבָרְכִין עָלָיו אֶלָּא "שֶׁהַכֹּל", כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵין נוֹטְעִין אוֹתוֹ עַל דַּעַת לְאָכְלוֹ כְּלָל, אֶלָּא עַל דַּעַת לִתֵּן בַּתַּבְשִׁיל. וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר אִם טִגְּנוֹ בִּדְבַשׁ אוֹ שֶׁעֵרְבוֹ עִם צוּקֶ״ר. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁצּוֹלִין זַנְגְּבִי״ל לִרְפוּאָה — מְבָרְכִין עָלָיו "בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה", כֵּיוָן שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה רָאוּי לַאֲכִילָה עַל יְדֵי זֶה:
In what case is this said? Of those kinds of spices and seasonings whose way it is to be eaten by being fried in honey, or by being mixed with sugar or with something else, in such manner that they themselves are the ikkar — such as ginger, peppercorns, clove and the like. But kinds of spices and seasonings whose way it is to be eaten only when one seasons the dish with them — and then the dish is the ikkar, and the eating is not called by the name of the seasoning at all, and it is as though they did not stand to be eaten at all — such as tsitwar and the like: the name “fruit” does not rest upon it at all. And even if he prepared it and rendered it fit to be eaten as it is, as they are wont to roast tsitwar and eat it as a remedy — one blesses over it only “shehakol,” since it is not planted with any intent to eat it, but with intent to put it into the dish. And needless to say if he fried it in honey or mixed it with sugar. But when they roast ginger as a remedy — one blesses over it “borei pri ha’adamah,” since it thereby becomes fit to be eaten.
סעיף ז צְנוֹן — "בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה", אַף שֶׁסּוֹפוֹ לְהַקְשׁוֹת.
צְנוֹן מְבָרְכִין עָלָיו "בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה", אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָיָה סוֹפוֹ לְהַקְשׁוֹת:
Over radish one blesses “borei pri ha’adamah,” even though its end was to harden.
הלכה למעשה — מנהג חב״ד
The practical Habad conduct
Points of conduct that follow directly from siman ר״ג in the sensibility of the Alter Rebbe and Habad — presented at the level of principle, referring to the Rav for the detail of cases.
For the Habad Hassid — Siman ר״ג (דִּין בִּרְכַּת פֵּרוֹת הָאָרֶץ)
- ① Seif א. The criterion is neither the size of the plant nor its height, but the permanence of its wood: if, once the fruit is picked, the branch remains and bears again the following year, it is a fruit of the tree; if the stems die off entirely in winter and the plant regrows from its roots, its fruits are fruits of the ground. Hence the tutim of the bramble: “borei pri ha’adamah.”
- ② Seif ב. Two distinct questions intersect here: is it a fruit of a tree, and is it a fruit at all? The inferior fruits of barren trees — small forest apples and pears, myrtle berries — do not even bear the name of fruit: “shehakol,” raw or cooked. The small nuts of the forest, by contrast, are considerable fruits: “borei pri ha’etz.” And among the berries the Rav distinguishes down to their colour: the black ones are of the tree, the red ones that grow on the grass are of the ground.
- ③ Seif ג. What one sucks and throws away has not been eaten: where the berry holds nothing but sap gathered within the pips, the blessing is that of fruit juices, “shehakol.” And even swallowing the whole changes nothing: our eyes see that skin and pip are not edible, so that the blessing falls upon the liquid alone.
- ④ Seif ד. The root is not the fruit of the tree: fresh ginger, fit to be eaten, is blessed “borei pri ha’adamah” and not “ha’etz,” for it grows beneath the ground. So too licorice root — provided he swallows it, and does not merely chew it and spit it out.
- ⑤ Seif ה. Ikkar and tafel: the honey or the sugar that render a spice edible do not take the blessing for themselves — they come only to prepare it. Preserved dry ginger, dry peppercorns, a spice pounded and mixed with sugar therefore keep the blessing of the spice itself, “borei pri ha’adamah,” even though they would be inedible on their own.
- ⑥ Seif ו. But this rule has its limit: it holds only for spices whose way it truly is to be eaten thus — ginger, peppercorns, clove. A spice that serves only to season the dish no longer bears the name of fruit at all, since it is not planted to be eaten: even roasted and taken as a remedy it remains “shehakol.” Ginger roasted as a remedy, however, returns to “borei pri ha’adamah,” because it is thereby rendered fit to be eaten.
- ⑦ Seif ז. Radish is blessed “borei pri ha’adamah” although its end is to harden: the fact that it is destined to grow woody does not remove it from the blessing of the fruits of the ground.
⚠ This section sets out the Habad conduct grounded in the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch, siman ר״ג (the real text is reproduced in §1). It does not replace a rabbinic ruling in a particular case. For any concrete question — which blessing over this berry, over preserved ginger, over a spice mixed with sugar — ask your Rav, and for Habad, a Habad Rav.