Halacha for Sunday 16 Av 5781 July 25 2021

Reciting Birkat Hamazon in the Place One Has Eaten

Question: Is one obligated to recite Birkat Hamazon specifically where one has eaten bread or may one recite this blessing elsewhere?

Answer: One who eats a bread meal must recite Birkat Hamazon in the place where one has eaten and one may not go to a different place and recite the blessing there. Only after one has recited Birkat Hamazon in the original place one has eaten may one continue on to another place.

If One Moves to Another Place
We must now discuss the law of an individual who leaves the original place where he has eaten and moves to another place: Will this individual be required to return to the original place where he has eaten or will he be permitted to recite Birkat Hamazon in the new place he has gone to?

This actually depends: If one intentionally left the original place one has eaten, one must return to that place in order to recite Birkat Hamazon and one may not recite it in the place one currently finds himself.

However, if this was done unintentionally, i.e. if one had forgotten to recite Birkat Hamazon, moves to another place, and only later remembers that one must recite Birkat Hamazon, the Rishonim disagree whether or not one must return to the original place where one has eaten in order to recite Birkat Hamazon. Maran Ha’Shulchan Aruch (beginning of Chapter 184) writes: “If one unintentionally leaves one’s original place, according to the Rambam, one may recite Birkat Hamazon in the place one remembers to do so; according to Rabbeinu Yonah and the Rosh, however, one must return to one’s original place in order to bless.”

The Poskim are unsure whether Maran intends to rule in accordance with the view of the Rambam and one who moves unintentionally need not return to one’s original location in order to recite Birkat Hamazon or if Maran indeed intents to rule in accordance with the opinion of Rabbeinu Yonah and the Rosh that even if this was unintentional, one must nevertheless return to his previous place.

Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l writes that Maran indeed intended to rule in accordance with the view of the Rambam as opposed to the opinion of Rabbeinu Yonah and the Rosh who are a lone opinion on this matter. Thus, halachically speaking, one need not return to one’s original place in order to recite Birkat Hamazon. Besides for the fact that the opinion of the Rambam is agreed upon by a majority of the Poskim, we must add the fact that Maran Ha’Shulchan Aruch based his halachic work for the most part on the rulings of the Rambam, as Maran himself states in his Responsa Avkat Rochel that the Rambam was the greatest of Poskim whom all communities in Israel, the Middle East, and North Africa accepted as their rabbi and followed his every word.

Thus, the letter of the law dictates that one who unintentionally leaves the place where one has eaten without reciting Birkat Hamazon and later remembers that one must recite Birkat Hamazon may recite Birkat Hamazon wherever one is when one remembers, in accordance with the ruling of the Rambam. However, if one acts stringently and returns to one’s original place in order to recite Birkat Hamazon in accordance with the opinion of the Rosh, this is certainly praiseworthy.

Summary: One must recite Birkat Hamazon in the place where one has eaten one’s meal. If one intentionally leaves the place where one has eaten without reciting Birkat Hamazon, one must return to one’s original place in order to bless. However, if one leaves one’s original place unintentionally, according to the letter of the law, one need not return to one’s original place in order to recite Birkat Hamazon; however, if one does so, one shall surely be blessed from Above.

8 Halachot Most Popular

Parashat Ki Tetze

Gathered from the teachings of Maran Rebbeinu Ovadia Yosef ztzvk”l (from the years 5744-5772) (written by his grandson HaRav Yaakov Sasson Shlit”a) (translated by our dear friend Rav Daniel Levy Shlit”a, Leeds UK) Ellul is the Time to Engage in Battle Against the Yetzer Hara, ......

Read Halacha

Eating and Washing Oneself on Yom Kippur

Regarding the custom of Kapparot, we have discussed in the past that this custom may be fulfilled through money. A bill is taken ($10, $20, etc.) and circled around the head of the atoned party three times, and the following text is recited: “This money is in your stead, your substitute, and y......

Read Halacha

Eating Cake on Shabbat Morning

Today's Halacha is dedicated for the merit and protection of All Our Dear Soldiers May Hashem give them strength and courage to vanquish our enemies and may they return home safe and sound amid health and joy. May Hashem protect all the captives and have mercy upon them so that no harm befalls......

Read Halacha

The Laws of Blood Found in Eggs

Blood in Eggs Blood found in eggs is forbidden for consumption, for this blood indicates the beginning of the embryotic development of the chick and this chick has the halachic status of “fowl” whose blood is forbidden for consumption by Torah law; thus, the opinion of the Rosh and Tosa......

Read Halacha


 The “Shehecheyanu” Blessing

Our Sages teach us (Eruvin 40b) that one should recite the “Shehecheyanu” blessing upon seeing a new fruit that renews once a year. Even if one sees this fruit in the hands of another person or on the tree, one should recite the “Shehecheyanu” blessing. Nevertheless, the P......

Read Halacha

Parashat Terumah

From HaGaon Rav Zevadia HaCohen Shlit”a, The Head of the Batei Din in Tel Aviv (translated by our dear friend Rav Daniel Levy Shlit”a, Leeds UK) The Difference Between Moshe and Betzalel [Understanding Why Betzalel Was Able to Make the Menorah, Whilst Moshe Couldn’t] This Sh......

Read Halacha

The Holiday of Sukkot

The Gemara (Sukkah 11b) explains that the Mitzvah of Sukkah is in commemoration of the clouds of glory that surrounded our ancestors when they left Egypt. The Gemara (Ta’anit 9a) states: “Three great leaders arose for the Jewish nation: Moshe, Aharon, and Miriam. Hashem gave the Jewis......

Read Halacha

So that We May Refrain from the Injustice of Our Hands

During the Ne’ilah prayer, the prayer that culminates all the Days of Awe recited towards the conclusion of Yom Kippur, we state: “And You, Hashem our G-d, have given us this Yom Kippur etc. for pardon, forgiveness, and atonement so that we may refrain from the injustice of our hands and......

Read Halacha