The Blessing on Bread
The blessing on bread is “Hamotzi Lechem Min Ha’aretz”. This includes bread made out of any one of the “five grains” which are: wheat, barley, oat, rye, and spelt. These grains are all considered to be in the category of wheat and barley for spelt and oat are just different species of wheat and rye is another kind of barley (based on Rashi on Berachot 44a). However, sometimes the blessing on bread changes to “Boreh Minei Mezonot” as is the case with cakes which require the “Boreh Minei Mezonot” blessing.
The Blessing on “Kisnin” Bread
The source for this Halacha is the Gemara in Berachot (42a) as well as Maran Ha’Shulchan Aruch (Chapter 168) which state that one must recite the “Boreh Minei Mezonot” blessing on “Kisnin” bread (which shall soon be defined). However, the great Rishonim disagree about what the “Kisnin” bread mentioned by the Sages of the Gemara actually is.
Bread Made As Filled Pockets
Some explain that this “Kisnin” bread is actually bread made as filled “pockets” (“Kisnin” being similar to the Hebrew word “Kissim” meaning pockets), such as dough filled with walnuts, almonds, and honey, on which one would recite “Boreh Minei Mezonot” and not “Hamotzi Lechem Min Ha’aretz”.
Bread Which Is Sweet or Oily
Some disagree and write that the above is not what is meant by “Kisnin” bread; rather, “Kisnin” bread that requires the “Boreh Minei Mezonot” blessing is actually bread made from dough that had honey or oil mixed into it, for the mixture in the dough removes it from the classification of “bread” and it will thus require the “Mezonot” blessing. (The “honey” mentioned above also includes sugar commonly used nowadays, for sugar also sweetens the bread. Sugar is also sometimes scripturally referred to as “honey” as Rashi explains the verse in Shir HaShirim, “I have eaten my cane with my honey” that there is a form of honey that grows in a cane. Similarly, Rashi explains the verse in Shmuel 1, “Ya’arat Ha’Devash” as “in the honey cane” which is called Sucra in Arabic).
Crunchy Bread
Some say that this “Kisnin” bread is actually bread that is made into dry crackers; since it is crunchy, it is no longer classified as “bread”, and requires the “Mezonot” blessing.
The Actual Halacha Regarding the “Mezonot” Blessing
Maran, in his Shulchan Aruch, rules as follows: “‘Regarding ‘Kisnin’ bread: Some explain that this is bread made as pockets filled with honey or sugar with walnuts, almonds, and spice while others say that this is bread made out of dough with honey, sugar, oil, or spices mixed into it and baked this way; this is provided that the taste of the fruit juice or other mixture is recognizable in the dough. Others say that this ‘Kisnin’ bread is bread baked as dry crackers, whether they are spiced or not, and are crunchy. The Halacha follows all of these opinions and all of the aforementioned items have the status of “Kisnin” bread and they each require the blessing of ‘Boreh Minei Mezonot’.”
We therefore rule that anything which is baked as a filled pocket, such as filled cookies, although the cookie dough has no innate sweetness in it, as long as the filling gives a sweet taste to the dough, it requires the “Mezonot” blessing. Similarly, any baked good that is made of dough kneaded with a copious amount of honey, sugar, fruit juice, or milk, its blessing is “Boreh Minei Mezonot” since the flavor of the item mixed in can be tasted in the dough. (If, however, the taste of the item is not recognizable in the dough, its blessing is “Hamotzi Lechem Min Ha’aretz”). Furthermore, any baked good which is crunchy, such as all different kinds of crackers and pretzels, requires the “Boreh Minei Mezonot” blessing even though they are not sweet at all and no oil or milk can be tasted in their dough.
The Reason Why We Rule Like All of the Opinions
The reason why one must recite a “Boreh Minei Mezonot” on all of the baked goods mentioned above (although it would seem that we are ruling like three different opinions that disagree with one another) is because it is a doubt regarding blessings (i.e. since there is at least one opinion that says that each one of the aforementioned items is actually the “Kisnin” bread and requires a “Mezonot”, how could one allow one’s self to recite Birkat Hamazon on any one of these things, for the rule is ‘When in doubt, do not bless’. Thus, these items require the “Mezonot” and “Me’en Shalosh” blessings). Indeed, some say that all three of these opinions are halachically correct and they are not in disagreement with one another, for as long as the bread has in it any one of the conditions mentioned above, it loses its title of “bread” and no longer retains its “Hamotzi Lechem Min Ha’aretz” blessing. Thus, we rule halachically like all three opinions. This is the opinion of the Ma’amar Mordechai regarding this issue. However, according to Maran zt”l, the main reason why we rule like all three opinions is because of a doubt regarding blessings, as was mentioned above.
Summary: Bread requires the blessing of “Hamotzi Lechem Min Ha’aretz”. Any baked good made out of dough sweetened by mixing honey, sugar, and the like into it, requires the blessing of “Boreh Minei Mezonot”. Similarly, any baked good made out of dough filled with walnuts, almonds, and the like requires a “Mezonot” blessing. In addition, an item made out of dough that is crunchy, such as crackers and the like, requires a “Mezonot” blessing.
