Q&A from the Bais HaVaad Halacha Hotline

Finishing in Second Place

November 13, 2025

Q I started eating an apple in my office, but now I need to retrieve something from my car. Should I make a Borei Nefashos before leaving, or is that considered a bracha she’einah tzricha because I’ll be making another bracha achronah when I finish eating?

A The Rama (178:2) writes that someone who moves to a new location in the middle of a meal should first say Birkas Hamazon, because he may forget to return to his original location, where he must bentch (as explained by the Mishnah Brurah ibid. 33).

Arguably, this reason only applies to food that requires a bracha achronah where it was eaten. For foods that require a Borei Nefashos, which can be made anywhere, one may leave and make the bracha in his new location. But the Mishnah Brurah (ibid. 36) cites several Acharonim that extend the Rama’s ruling to all foods, because moving may cause him to forget to make a bracha achronah.

The Mishnah Brurah (in Sha’ar Hatziyun, ibid. 26) cites two views:
According to the Bais Meir, one should make a bracha achronah before relocating even if he’s not finished eating. But the Chayei Adam says to make it only if he’s finished, because if he plans to continue eating, he’s much less likely to forget the bracha.

The Mishnah Brurah concludes (ibid. 35) that it depends on the situation: If you suspect that you might get distracted before returning to eat, make a bracha achronah before leaving. If your absence will be very brief, don’t make one. (If you left your phone at your desk, you’ll certainly come back quickly.)

In certain cases, when eating bread or a Mezonos food—which require a bracha achronah where you ate—you can have in mind during the bracha rishonah that you might relocate and then do so lechat’chilah (see Mishnah Brurah ibid. 33 and Piskei Teshuvos). But this only works for foods that require a bracha achronah in the place of eating, which doesn’t apply to your apple (R’ Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg, cited in Dirshu Mishnah Brurah ibid.).

When you return to your desk—whether you made a bracha achronah or not—you will need to make a new bracha rishonah. The Ya’avetz (O.C. 178) holds that a very brief shinui makom doesn’t require a new bracha, but virtually all poskim disagree.

If you can see your car from your desk, whether that excursion is considered a shinui makom is beyond the scope of this article.