All Brochos begin with “Boruch Ato Adoi’noi Elohainu Melech Ha’o’olom…”
— “Blessed are You Hashem, our G‑d, King of the universe…”
- Wine / Grape Juice — “Bo’rai Pi’ree Ha’go’fen” (Who creates the fruit of the vine)
- Bread — “Ha’mo’tzee Lechem Min Ho’o’retz” (Who brings forth bread from the earth)
- Grains — “Bo’rai Mee’nai Mi’zo’nos” (Who creates species of nourishment)
- Fruits — “Bo’rai Pi’ree Ho’eitz” (Who creates the fruit of the tree)
- Vegetables — “Bo’rai Pi’ree Ho’a’do’mo” (Who creates the fruit of the ground)
- All else — “She’ha’kol Nee’hee’ye Bid’vo’roi” (that everything happens through His word)
The Torah’s order: wheat, barley / grapes / figs, pomegranate, olives, dates.
(Deuteronomy 8:8)
Prepare for your Brocho
- Have your food in your right hand.
- Know which Brocho you will be making.
- Eat it immediately after finishing your Brocho.
Wine / Grape Juice
Before: “Bo’rai Pi’ree Ha’go’fen”
After: “Al Ha’ge’fen”
This brocho is specifically for either wine or grape juice.
Bread
Requires washing of the hands.
Before: “Ha’mo’tzee Lechem Min Ho’o’retz”
After: Bentching
Grains
Before: “Bo’rai Mee’nai Mi’zo’nos”
After: “Al Ha’mich’yo”
This brocho is said when eating foods whose main ingredient is from the five grains — wheat, barley, rye, oats or spelt.
Examples include cakes, blintzes, cookies, doughnuts, some cereals, farfel, farina, ginger bread, kasha, muffins, oatmeal, pancakes, pretzels, rice, waffles, noodles, pasta and sushi.
Exception: Rice is the only exception to the above, with the after‑brocho of Bo’rai Ni’fo’shois.
Pizza
It is questionable if one has to wash for pizza. There are some pizzas where the dough is made from juice instead of water, thereby making it Mizonos.
Even so, if one is having more than one slice, one should wash for Hamotzee.
Wraps
Similar to pizza, there are wraps that are made with juice, thereby making it Mizonos. This is fine if it is only a snack. However, if the wrap will constitute a full meal — for example, if it represents your entire lunch or dinner — then one should wash for Hamotzee.
Fruits
Before: “Bo’rai Pi’ree Ho’eitz”
After: “Bo’rai Ni’fo’shois” — except for the fruits marked below with an asterisk, whose after‑brocho is May’ain Sha’losh (Al Ho’eitz)
Most foods that grow yearly on trees.
Examples include almonds, apples, avocado, berries (except strawberries), cashews, cherries, coconut, dates*, figs*, grapes*, grapefruit, guava, mango, nectarine, nuts (except peanuts), olives*, oranges, papaya, peaches, pears, pomegranate*, prunes, raisins*, tangerines.
Vegetables
Before: “Bo’rai Pi’ree Ho’a’do’mo”
After: “Bo’rai Ni’fo’shois”
Most vegetables.
Examples include bananas, beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, cantaloupe, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chick peas, corn, cucumber, eggplant, honeydew, lettuce, melons, peanuts, peppers, pineapples, popcorn, potatoes, radish, seeds (fennel, pumpkin, sesame and sunflower), spinach, squash, strawberries, string beans, tomatoes, turnips, watermelons.
All Else
Before: “She’ha’kol Nee’hee’ye Bid’vo’roi”
After: “Bo’rai Ni’fo’shois”
Typically items not grown from the earth.
Examples include animals (beef, chicken and so on), cheese, chocolate, drinks (except wine), eggs, fish, ice cream, juice (except grape juice), lox, marshmallows, milk, meat, mushrooms, soup, water, yogurt.
After blessings
Bo’rai Ni’fo’shois
Boruch Ato Adoi’noi Elohainu Melech Ha’o’olom…
May’ain Sha’losh (of three)
- Al Ha’mich’yo — the five grains
- Al Ha’gefen — wine or grape juice
- Al Ho’eitz — grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, dates
Bentching / Bir’cas Ha’mo’zoi (Grace After Meals)
After washing for a meal — Hamotzee.