Q&A from the Bais HaVaad Halacha Hotline

Into the Mix

January 11, 2024

Q What bracha is made on cholent?

A In general, when determining the bracha of a dish that has multiple components, if one is the ikar (main component) and others tafeil (secondary), making a bracha on the ikar exempts the tafeil (O.C. 204:12). Min dagan (a grain product), if present, is considered the ikar even if it is the minority, and only mezonos is recited (O.C. 208:2). Accordingly, many poskim say to make only mezonos on cholent on account of the barley. (Make sure there is some barley in the spoonful upon which the bracha is recited.)

Other poskim are hesitant about this for two reasons:

• The Chayei Adam (51:13) says that min dagan is only primary if the other ingredients aren’t recognizable. In cholent, because the potatoes and meat are visible, they aren’t tafeil to the barley. (Biur Halacha 112:1 cites this opinion but ultimately disagrees.)
• In cholent, the barley is intended as filler, not to flavor the other components. In such cases, min dagan isn’t considered the ikar (Teshuvos Vehanhagos 2:146).

According to these views, mezonos is made on barley and then ha’adamah on a potato. This is so even if the barley is the minority, because min dagan is never tafeil. The ha’damah should not be made on the beans, because they may be considered tafeil to the barley. Shehakol is made on the meat, because the pieces are easily discernible. If the meat has fallen apart, it is tafeil (ibid.).

One should only recite the bracha acharonah of al hamichya on cholent if a kezayis of barley was eaten toch kedei achilas pras (within 3-9 minutes); otherwise, only borei nefashos is recited. If al hamichyah will be made, it is uncertain whether borei nefashos is required, because according to the first view, the other ingredients are tafeil to the barley and are covered by the al hamichyah. A good practice is to eat or drink something else to incur a definite obligation and avoid the safeik.