Next Sunday night will mark Tu Bishvat, a day we customarily recite several blessings on fruits, vegetables, and the like. It is therefore prudent to study the laws of blessings during this time of year. Maran would take the opportunity to teach these laws during this period as well.
On fruits of the tree, such as apples or pears, one recites the “Boreh Peri Ha’etz” blessing and on fruits of the ground (vegetables but not exclusively), such as cucumbers and tomatoes, one recites the “Boreh Peri Ha’adama” blessing. The Mishnah (Berachot 40a) states: “If one recites ‘Boreh Peri Ha’adama’ on the fruits of the tree, one has fulfilled his obligation. If one recites ‘Boreh Peri Ha’etz’ on the fruits of the ground, one has not fulfilled his obligation. If one recites the ‘Shehakol’ blessing on anything, one has fulfilled his obligation.”
This means that if one recites the “Boreh Peri Ha’adama” blessing on fruits of the tree, one has fulfilled one’s obligation of reciting a blessing, for all fruits emerge from the ground and for this reason, the “Boreh Peri Ha’adama” blessing is applicable to all fruits, even those which require the “Boreh Peri Ha’etz” blessing. Although preferably one may certainly not recite the “Boreh Peri Ha’adama” blessing on fruits of the tree, nevertheless, if one mistakenly recited the “Boreh Peri Ha’adama” blessing on fruits of the tree, one has fulfilled one’s obligation to recite a blessing and one need not recite the “Boreh Peri Ha’etz” blessing again. However, if one mistakenly recites the “Boreh Peri Ha’etz” blessing on a vegetable, one has not fulfilled one’s obligation, the blessing is considered a blessing in vain, and one must once again recite the “Boreh Peri Ha’adama” blessing, for the “Boreh Peri Ha’etz” blessing does not include fruits of the ground since they do not grow on trees.
On anything, i.e. on either fruits of the tree or fruits of the ground, if one mistakenly recites the “Shehakol Nihya Bidvaro” blessing, one has fulfilled one’s obligation to recite a blessing, for they were all created by the word of Hashem who spoke and created the world.
The Sages of the Gemara disagree whether or not one who recites the “Shehakol Nihya Bidvaro” blessing on bread or wine fulfills his obligation. Halachically speaking, the Poskim and Maran Ha’Shulchan Aruch rule that even if one recited the “Shehakol” blessing on bread, one has fulfilled one’s obligation and is not required to recite another blessing. (This is the basis for the idiom that “Shehakol exempts everything.”)
Since one fulfills one’s obligation by reciting the “Boreh Peri Ha’adama” blessing on a fruit whose blessing is actually “Boreh Peri Ha’etz”, the Poskim write that one should recite the “Boreh Peri Ha’adama” blessing on any fruit regarding which the Poskim disagree whether it requires the “Boreh Peri Ha’etz” or “Boreh Peri Ha’adama”. Based on this, Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l rules regarding the banana about which the Poskim disagree whether it requires the “Boreh Peri Ha’etz” or “Boreh Peri Ha’adama” blessing that it halachically requires the “Boreh Peri Ha’adama” blessing because of the doubt involved.
Likewise, any fruit which is subject to a disagreement or doubt regarding its blessing, such as the passion fruit, preferably requires the “Boreh Peri Ha’adama” blessing. This is especially the case since Maran zt”l rules that passion fruit is considered a vegetable regarding the laws of Orlah (and it will be permitted for consumption during its first three years of growth) and there is no question regarding its blessing status. Nevertheless, even according to the more stringent opinions, including that of Hagaon Harav Elyashiv zt”l and others, that passion fruit is considered a fruit regarding Orlah, one should still recite the Ha’adama blessing on this fruit.
