Questions About Additions to Birkas Hamazon
Question: If a person begins his meal on a day that has an additional supplication in Birkas Hamazon, should he include that addition, even if he recites Birkas Hamazon at night when that addition is no longer relevant?
Discussion: The rule is that the beginning of the meal sets the text for bentching. Therefore, for instance, if a person starts eating Seudah Shlishis on Shabbos afternoon, he recites Retzeih in bentching, even if he bentches well after nightfall. The same halachah applies to Rosh Chodesh, Chanukah, and Purim.232 Several guidelines on the proper application of this halachah are discussed in the Poskim.
In order to say the addition, one must eat a kezayis of bread while it is still daytime.233 The kezayis must be eaten within the timeframe of kedei achilas pras234 – approximately three to four minutes.235
If one davened Ma’ariv before bentching, the addition should not be recited.236
If one recites havdalah on motzei Shabbos before bentching, he can no longer recite Retzeih in bentching.237
If one merely says “hamavdil bein kodesh lechol” (to permit performing melachos), it is questionable whether he can still say Retzeih.238 Practically speaking, one should not say Retzeih,239 but it is preferable for one to try to listen to another person reciting Retzeih and fulfill his obligation by listening to that person’s recital.240 Lechatchilah, one should avoid this situation and bentch before saying “hamavdil bein kodesh lechol.”241
Question: If a person starts his meal while it is still daytime and continues into the night, which is a day that has an addition to Birkas Hamazon, will he include that addition in bentching?
Discussion: This question can be divided into two scenarios: a day with an addition preceded by a day without an addition, and a day with one addition that is preceded by a day with another addition.
A day with an addition preceded by a day without an addition: An example of such a situation would be if one began a meal on a weekday, which was erev Rosh Chodesh, and the meal continued into Rosh Chodesh.
In this case, the halachah is that if one eats a kezayis of bread after nightfall, he says the appropriate addition, even if he began the meal while it was still daytime.242 However, if the kezayis was eaten during bein hashemashos (i.e., after sunset but before nightfall), the addition is not recited due to halachic doubt. In such a case, it is best to eat another kezayis after nightfall to be able to say the addition.243
A day with one addition that is preceded by a day with another addition: An example of such a situation would be if Rosh Chodesh falls out on Sunday and a person continued Seudah Shlishis past nightfall.
There are three opinions among the Achronim on what to do in such a situation. It is important to note that the question only arises when a kezayis of bread was eaten after nightfall.244
One recites only Retzeih since the beginning of the meal was eaten on Shabbos, not Rosh Chodesh.245
One should recite both Retzeih and Ya’aleh Veyavo, as both the beginning and the end of the meal are taken into consideration.246 Similarly, if Chanukah or Purim falls on Sunday, both Retzeih and Al Hanissim should be added to bentching.247
Only Ya’aleh Veyavo should be recited. Saying both Retzeih and Ya’aleh Veyavo would appear contradictory since Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh are on different days. Instead, only the addition for the present day is said, as mentioning the previous day’s addition is subject to a dispute among the Rishonim. However, if Chanukah or Purim falls on Sunday, only Retzeih should be said.248
Mishnah Berurah249 cites the latter two opinions and does not give a decisive ruling. Indeed, there are various customs regarding which opinion to follow.250
Some Poskim state that lechatchilah, one should avoid eating a kezayis of bread (within the timeframe of kedei achilas pras) after nightfall. This way, there is no obligation to recite Ya’aleh Veyavo, and one can say Retzeih according to all opinions.251
232 Shulchan Aruch 188:10. See Ba’eir Heitev 188:8 who rules that if one continued his meal into the night but has already digested the bread he ate on Shabbos, he can no longer say Retzeih. However, Mishnah Berurah 32 implies otherwise, as he writes that Retzeih is added even if his meal extended a long time into the night. See Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasah 57, footnote 37.
233 Ketzos Hashulchan 92, Baddei Hashulchan 8.
234 R’ S. Z. Auerbach cited in Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasah 57, footnote 35.
235 See Vezos Haberachah 15, p. 140, for an overview of the various opinions on the timeframe of kedei achilas pras.
236 Mishnah Berurah 188:32 (regarding Shabbos) and Mishnah Berurah 188:34 (regarding Rosh Chodesh, Chanukah, and Purim). It should be noted that Mishnah Berurah 695:16 cites an opinion stating that on Purim, one can say Al Hanissim even if he davened Ma’ariv before bentching. Da’as Torah 695:3 explains that since the following night is Shushan Purim, Al Hanissim is still appropriate. Mishnah Berurah ibid. asserts that it is best to bentch before Ma’ariv and avoid this controversy.
237 Shulchan Aruch Harav 188:17.
239 Shulchan Aruch Harav 188:17.
240 R’ Y. S. Elyashiv cited in Vezos Haberachah 15, p. 145.
241 Vezos Haberachah ibid.
242 Shulchan Aruch Harav 188:17. This is also apparent in Mishnah Berurah 188:33 and 271:30.
243 Vezos Haberachah 15, p. 145.
244 Mishnah Berurah 188:33. If the kezayis was only eaten during bein hashemashos, one only recites Retzeih (R’ T. Weber cited in Vezos Haberachah ibid.).
245 Bach 188:12, s.v. Kasav.
246 Taz 188:7.
247 See Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 44:17.
248 Magen Avraham 188:18.
249 188:33.
250 See Vezos Haberachah ibid., who records that among Sephardim, the minhag is to follow the first opinion, many Chassidic communities adhere to the second view, while those from Lithuanian communities follow the third.
251 Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 44:17; R’ S.Z Auerbach cited in Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasah 57, footnote 46. See Vezos Haberachah ibid., citing R’ Y. S. Elyashiv, who writes that it is proper to refrain from eating bread already from the time of bein hashemashos.