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<font size=3>From today's Hakhel Bulletin:<br>
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</font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=3>Special Note Two:
Several readers inquired about the Bracha Achrona on the Nature Valley
granola bar discussed yesterday. Once again, the difficulty in the
proper Brocha Achrona to make on a granola bar revolves around what the
proper Bracha Achrona is on toasted whole grains, which is a relatively
unique consumable. Tosfos leaves the matter in doubt, and suggests
that perhaps even a new and previously unknown Bracha, Al Ha’adama Ve’al
Pri Ha’adama (similar to the after Brocha on certain fruits of Al Haeitz
Ve’al Pri Haeitz) should be recited. Because of this doubt, it is
most preferable that toasted whole grain products only be consumed in the
course of a bread meal, in which a HaMotzi has already been made.
The second best alternative is not to consume the Shiur of toasted whole
grains which would require a Brocha Achrona within the appropriate time
span of Kidei Achilas Pras. It is for this reason that the OU
suggested that one eat less than 1½ granola bars every five minutes--
i.e, so that the minimum Shiur is not consumed and no Brocha Achrona is
required. In the “worst case scenario”, where one has definitely
consumed a Shiur of toasted whole grains (two whole granola bars) within
two minutes (definitely within the time span of Kidei Achilas Pras), then
one has no choice but to not follow Tosfos’ opinion, and recite a Borei
Nefashos. With this explanation we will repeat the conclusion
presented by the OU with the hope that our readers now better understand
this conclusion and its rationale: If a person consumed 2 granola
bars in less than 2 minutes, he has no choice [i.e., he cannot comply
with Tosfos’ conclusion], and he must recite a Borei Nefashos.
Ideally, one should eat the granola bars after having washed on a meal
containing bread.<br>
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