What Blessing is Said on Grapes

Greetings and blessings.

Grapes grow on a vine that lives for many years, and their blessing is 'Borei Peri Ha'etz' (Who creates the fruit of the tree). If the grapes are not yet ripe, the blessing is 'Borei Peri Ha'adamah' (Who creates the fruit of the ground).

The last blessing on ripe grapes is 'Berkat Me'en Shalosh' (a shortened version of Grace after meals), and if they are not ripe, we bless 'Borei Nefashot' (Who creates myriad living beings).

The poskim (halachic authorities) disagree on whether one should say the last blessing only after consuming a k'zait (approximately the size of an olive) or if even eating one grape permits the last blessing, since it is a complete fruit. According to halacha, one should not say the last blessing until a k'zait has been eaten, and therefore, it is preferable to avoid eating just one grape unless one consumes a k'zait of grapes or half grapes totaling less than a k'zait.

With blessings,

Benjamin Shmueli