CLD #782

Rav Moshe Feinstein ZT’L explains in his Halacha book, Igrot Moshe, the fundamental halachot (Jewlish laws) in regards to many different categories and events that occur in our lives. One of the sections in Halacha in regards to Berachot (blessings) is viewed in Shulhan Aruch (The Jewish Code of Law) Orah Haim Section Siman 188. This chapter discusses the laws when an individual is eating and then they get up and uproot themselves from one location and go to another location. In this situation does the individual have to return to say a Beracha?

There are many conditions and halachot that we learn from this question, because many questions come up from this such as: what if the person was in the middle of a meal consisting of bread, what if the person was in the middle of drinking water, what if the person had in mind that he/she was going to another location in a few minutes while holding a bowl of pasta and on and on. Rav Moshe ZT’L speaks about the case where a person is eating candy and his in mind to go from one place to another.

The question is: does this individual have to return to say a beracha again after leaving the place where he/she said the original beracha or are they set for their entire journey and can rely on the original beracha for this candy? The answer is complicated and basically one can rely on their original beracha for most foods when they have the intention of eating in another location at the time of saying the beracha for the food. However, in the middle of his answer, Rav Moshe explains a fundamental lesson of Teshuva and being mehazek (inspiring) oneself.

Rav Moshe says that if an individual has the intention of going to another location and begins to prepare for the journey to the other location, it is as if the individual is already at the second location even though he is at the first! This means if an individual is saying a beracha on chocolate in his/her kitchen and has the intention to go to their garden and continue eating, then while saying the beracha it is as if they are in their garden! The chizuk we get from this is essential because we can conlude to say if a Jew stands up and declares within their heart the change they want to make, which is to get closer to Hashem and start following the ways of Torah, it is as if they are already in the way of the Torah!

Be’ezrat Hashem may we be strong and clear minded to instruct for ourselves a plan to change and progress in our spirituality, because if we do it is as if we are already on that path to spiritual success!

Judaism=Think.

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