After eating a meal with bread, Birkat Hamazon/Bentching/Grace After Meals is recited as a way to thank and acknowledge God’s gift of sustenance. But what does one recite after eating a meal or a snack that does not include bread?
There are two alternate after-blessings, depending on what one has just eaten. Following any “grainy” food (made with any of the 5 species of Israel: wheat, barley, rye, spelt and oats), wine/grape juice or one of the 5 fruits for which God praises the Land of Israel (grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates), one is required to recite the bracha may’ayin shalosh (three-faceted blessing). The opening of the blessing and the concluding blessing are slightly altered to correspond to the type of food one has eaten.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, for
(choose appropriate:)
—grain product) the nourishment and the sustenance
—wine) the vine and the fruit of the vine
—fruits) the tree and the fruit of the tree
and for the produce of the field; for the desirable, good and spacious land that You were pleased to give our ancestors as a heritage, to eat of its fruit and to be satisfied with its goodness. Have mercy, Lord our God, on Israel, Your people; on Jerusalem, Your city; and on Zion, the resting place of Your glory; upon Your altar, and upon Your Temple. Rebuild Jerusalem, the city of holiness, speedily in our days. Bring us up into it and gladden us in its rebuilding and let us eat from its fruit and be satisfied with its goodness and bless You upon it in holiness and purity.
For You, God, are good and do good to all and we thank You for the land and for the
choose appropriate: grain/fruit of the vine/fruit
Blessed are You, God, for the land and for the
choose appropriate: grain/fruit of the vine/fruit.
Following all other foods such as vegetables, other fruit (not included in the above list), meat, dairy, fish, drinks or foods made by man (i.e. candy), the Boray Nefashoat is recited.
Translation from The Complete Artscroll Siddur, Mesorah Publications
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