Additions to Birkas Hamazon - Part 3: Shalosh Regalim
On each of the Shalosh Regalim, Ya’aleh Veyavo is added to Birkas Hamazon, mentioning the particular Yom Tov. One is obligated to eat a bread meal both during the night and day of Yom Tov.201 Therefore, bentching must be repeated if Ya’aleh Veyavo is omitted at one of those meals. However, if Ya’aleh Veyavo is omitted at the additional meals, bentching is not repeated.202
There is a discussion among the Poskim about whether women are obligated to have a bread meal on Yom Tov and, consequently, whether they are required to repeat bentching if they omit Ya’aleh Veyavo.
Some are of the opinion that the mitzvah of having a seudah on Yom Tov is a time-bound mitzvah from which women are exempt. Therefore, even if they eat bread, they do not repeat bentching if they omit Ya’aleh Veyavo.203 However, on the Seder night,204 they would need to repeat bentching, even according to this opinion, since they are obligated to eat matzah that night.
Other Acharonim rule that since a woman is obligated in the mitzvah of simchah on Yom Tov,205 she is also obligated to have a bread meal.206 According to this opinion, if a woman omits Ya’aleh Veyavo, she would have to repeat bentching.
Practically speaking, contemporary Poskim rule that a woman should not repeat bentching if she omits Ya’aleh Veyavo on Yom Tov (except on the Seder night).207 However, it is preferable for her to eat another kezayis of bread in order to be able to bentch again, according to all opinions.208
If one realizes his omission before starting Hatov Vehameitiv, the compensatory berachah should be recited instead of Ya’aleh Veyavo. The text of the berachah is: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר נָתַן יָמִים טוֹבִים לְעַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְשָׂשׂוֹן וּלְשִׂמְחָה אֶת־יוֹם חַג (פלוני) הַזֶּה בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' מְקַדֵּשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַזְּמַנִּים.209 However, the chasimah of בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' מְקַדֵּשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהַזְּמַנִּים should only be said after the first two meals on Yom Tov, but not at subsequent meals.210
When Yom Tov falls on Shabbos, if one omits both Retzeih and Ya’aleh Veyavo and realizes before starting Hatov Vehameitiv, he should recite a berachah that combines both the texts of Shabbos and Yom Tov.211 If he remembered to say one addition and forgot the other one, he should only recite the berachah appropriate for that omission.212 If he has already started Hatov Vehameitiv and is obligated to bentch again, he must recite both Retzeih and Ya’aleh Veyavo in the second bentching, even though he already said one of them the first time.213
201 If one did not eat a meal at night, then the first two meals eaten during the day are obligatory, and Ya’aleh Veyavo would be a critical addition (Mishnah Berurah 188:26).
202 Mishnah Berurah 188:26.
203 Shailos uTeshuvos R’ Akiva Eiger 1; Hagahos R’ Akiva Eiger 188:6.
204 In the words of R’ Akiva Eiger, “the first night of Pesach.” Presumably, the same applies on the second night, for those living in Chutz Laaretz.
205 Sha’agas Aryeh 65 cited in Mishnah Berurah 529:15.
206 Based on Rosh, Berachos 7:23; Pri Megadim, Eishel Avraham 325:11.
207 Ashrei Ha’ish, Orach Chaim 3:2:13; Shevet Halevi 4:18; Emes LeYa’akov 188, footnote 205.
208 Ashrei Ha’ish ibid.
209 Shulchan Aruch 188:6
210 Mishnah Berurah 188:26 and 31, with Sha’ar Hatziyun 25. It is unclear whether a woman should recite the chasimah, even at the first two meals.
211 Shulchan Aruch 188:6
212 Mishnah Berurah 188:20.
213 Based on Mishnah Berurah 188:29.