עברית
Halachot and Customs
When Should One Recite Borei Nefashot Before Birkat Me'en Shalosh?
Question
In the merit of this action, greetings Rabbi, I read that if one eats a meal containing mezonot and vegetables, they should recite a final blessing before Borei Nefashot and then Me'en Shalosh, because Me'en Shalosh exempts the produce of the field: vegetables. It was also mentioned that if one eats mezonot with eggs or meat, one should first bless Me'en Shalosh and then Borei Nefashot. My question is, is this correct? Additionally, what happens if I am eating meat (nefashot), a vegetable salad, and some mezonot, such as spaghetti? What should I bless first in this case? Thank you very much.
Answer
Greetings,
1. It is true that according to the opinion of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, of blessed memory, one who has eaten mezonot or fruits from the Seven Species (the Biblical plants of the Land of Israel) or drank wine and has also eaten vegetables should first recite Borei Nefashot, and afterwards recite Me'en Shalosh (Al HaMichya, Al HaEtz, Al HaGefen). This is because if one first recites Me'en Shalosh, there is concern that since it states 'Al Tnuvat HaSadeh' (on the produce of the field), they may have exempted the vegetables with that blessing (see Responsa Yabia Omer, part 5, part Orach Chaim, section 17, and Hilchot Olam, part 2, page 378).
However, there are poskim who disagree and hold that there is no concern that Me'en Shalosh exempts the vegetables, and that rather one should precede the blessing of Me'en Shalosh before Borei Nefashot, since it is a more significant blessing (see Shaar Hatziyon, section 206, subsection 64, and Biur Halacha, section 197, paragraph 11, d'h Beracha, and Or LeTzion, part 2, chapter 14, section 24, and chapter 46, section 49).
2. Indeed, if one is eating mezonot, meat, and eggs, all opinions agree that one should first bless Al HaMichya. This is because meat and eggs are not included in 'Tnuvat HaSadeh'.
3. If you are eating mezonot, meat, and a vegetable salad, all agree that one should first bless Al HaMichya and afterwards Borei Nefashot.
Blessings,
Hillel Meirs
