Answer: In the previous Halacha we have explained that one must first feed his animal before eating himself. One may not even taste food before feeding the animals in his care, whether the animals are domesticated or undomesticated. Let us now deal with our issue.
When one is ready to eat bread or any other food which is before him, one may not speak between reciting the blessing over the food and eating, for speech is considered an interruption between the blessing and eating and the blessing must be immediately followed by eating with no interruption in between them. If one mistakenly speaks in between them, one must repeat the blessing once again.
The Gemara in Masechet Berachot (40a) explains though that if one spoke words associated with the meal, for instance, if one recited a blessing over bread and then exclaimed, “Please pass the salt,” one need not repeat the blessing again, for speech related to the meal is not considered an interruption. Similarly, if after reciting the blessing before tasting the food one exclaims, “Please feed the animal,” for he may not begin eating until he has fed his animal, this is likewise not considered an interruption since the feeding of one’s animal is related to one’s own eating, for one may not eat until he has fed his animal. As long as the speech is related to the meal, it does not constitute an interruption between the blessing and the eating, for the speech is also associated with eating. Maran HaShulchan Aruch (Chapter 167) rules likewise.
Thus, halachically speaking, one may not interrupt between blessing and eating with any kind of speech. If one did mistakenly speak, one must recite the blessing over again. However, if the speech was related to the eating, for example, if one says, “Please bring salt,” “Please feed the animal,” or “Please give so-and-so to eat as well,” one need not repeat the blessing again, for the speech was related to the meal and this does not constitute an interruption.
