Chapter 56: 1-3
Laws Pertaining to Blessing Errors
1. If a person erroneously recited the blessing borey minei mezonos on
proper bread, or conversely, recited the blessing hamotzi on pastry, he has
fulfilled his obligation. However, if he recited the blessing hamotzi on
cooked food - even if it is of the five species of grain - he has not
fulfilled his obligation.
If a person erroneously recited the blessing borey pri hagofen on grapes,
he has fulfilled his obligation. Similarly, if he erred in the b'rochoh
achronoh and recited the blessing al hagefen, he as fulfilled his
obligation, for grapes are also "fruit of the vine."
2. If a person erroneously recited the blessing borey pri hodomoh on fruit
from a tree, he has fulfilled his obligation, since a tree also derives its
nurture from the earth. Similarly, if both fruit from a tree and fruit from
the ground are placed before a person and he erroneously recites the
blessing borey pri hadamah, with the intent to include the fruit from the
tree as well, he has fulfilled his obligation. In contrast, if one recites
the blessing borey pri ho'eitz on fruit that grows on the ground, one has
not fulfilled one's obligation.*
* {The Chayei Odom and Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi (Piskei Siddur) write
that if a person recites the blessing borey pri ho'eitz on fruit from a
tree whose stem and leaves wither during the winter and thus requires the
blessing borey pri hadomoh, he has, after the fact, fulfilled his
obligation. However, the Mishnoh B'rurah (206:2) does not accept this
decision.}
Accordingly, if a person is in doubt which blessing - borey pri hadomoh -
is appropriate for a specific fruit, and it is impossible for him to
clarify the matter, he should recite the blessing borey pri hadomoh.
3. The following rules apply when a person erroneously recites the blessing
borey pri ho'eitz for wine. If he remembers immediately and can recite
borey pri hagofen in the time it takes to say Sholom alecho, Rebbe, he
should. If not, he has fulfilled his obligation.
