Drinking from the cup at a bris

Hi,

After a brit milah (circumcision), a berachah is recited upon a cup of wine, followed by a second berachah, and then a prayer is recited on behalf of the baby, including the naming. Some are careful to drink from the cup before the additional prayer, but this is not necessary; that prayer is not an interruption in the eyes of Jewish law.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:150:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Speaking before hamotzi

Hi,

One should not speak at all after washing one's hands with the ritual netilat yadayim until after reciting the hamotzi blessing on the bread, and chewing and swallowing.

However: One who speaks briefly between netilat yadayim and hamotzi, such as by telling someone the time, need not wash again and recite a new blessing.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:132)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

Talking after netilat yadayim

Hi,

One should not speak after the ritual netilat yadayim hand-washing, before reciting the berachah and beginning to dry his hands. However, one who does speak at that point need not wash again, so long as he was careful not to touch anything that would trigger a new obligation to wash.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:128)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

An interruption during an aliyah

Hi,

If the oleh (person who ascends to the Torah for an aliyah) recites the opening berachah, and then speaks before the reading begins, then he must recite a new opening berachah.

If the baal keriah (person reading the aliyah aloud) speaks after the opening berachah and before beginning the reading, there is no need for a new opening berachah.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:102)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Amen after Shehechiyanu recited at Kiddush

Hi,

One who recited Shehechiyanu when lighting Yom Tov candles still responds Amen after the Shehechiyanu of the person who recites kiddush. Saying 'Amen' is not considered an inappropriate interruption between kiddush and drinking, because the berachah of Shehechiyanu is necessary for the person reciting kiddush.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:101:1)

Gmar tov,
Mordechai

Berachah on candy while travelling, Part II

Hi,

One who is eating candy inside a building, and who then decides to leave the room while continuing to eat, should first stop eating for several minutes, then re-start with a new berachah while travelling. The berachah he recited in the building, without intent to travel, does not cover his eating in other locations.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 2:57)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Berachah on candy while travelling, Part I

Hi,

One who begins eating candy just before travelling recites a berachah before the first candy, and that includes all of the candy he will add while travelling so long as he does not pause for several minutes. This assumes that the availability of the additional candy was anticipated from the start, and did not need acquisition.

New candy purchased en route would require a new berachah, even if he had anticipated the purchase from the start.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 2:57)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Translating a berachah

Hi,

One may not recite a berachah's translation in between the berachah and the moment one begins eating; the translation would constitute an unacceptable interruption.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 2:49)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A prayer before eating bread

Hi,

One may not add prayers after washing for bread and before the "HaMotzi", even if those prayers relate to the meal itself. At best this is an interruption between washing and HaMotzi, and at worst, if the prayer is intended to be a regular service, it is also a violation of "Bal Tosif", the prohibition against adding regular prayer.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 2:48)

Have a great day,
Mordechai