6 Brachos Rulings from Maran HaRav Chaim zt”l

Brachos Psakim from Maran HaRav Chaim Kanievsky zatzal

1. Generally speaking the ruling of the Mishna Brurah is that if one is not drinking water for pleasure or thirst then one does not recite a bracha.  What if one is drinking cold water on a hot day or hot water on a cold day?
   1. The custom is to recite a bracha.
2. The Mishna Brurah in 206:18 writes that one should not stab an item with a knife and then recite a bracha on the food.  Does the same hold true with a fork, as is indicative in the Kaf HaChaim?
   1. No. It was only said in regard to a knife.
3. It is said in the name of the Chazon Ish that one who drinks water should only recite a bracha acharona if he drank a revi’is within the time period that one normally drinks a revi’is, but regarding other liquids, a bracha acharona is recited when one has consumed it in the time of of achilas pras and recite the bracha in accordance with the view of the Vilna Gaon.  Why the distinction?
   1. Water is more lenient regarding borei nefashos (it is a reshus) as indicated in the Gemorah.
4. According to this aforementioned Chazon Ish, what is the halacha with coffee, tea or some other concentrate added to water? Are they considered like water or like other drinks?
   1. I also have the same question.
5. Is it permitted to teach a two or three year old child to make a bracha – word by word along with him, or is there a concern for bracha levatala since, technically, he is below the age of instruction which is about six according to the Mishna Brurah 70:6?
   1. It is permitted.
6. May one answer Amain to the bracha of a child below the age of instruction?  The Mishna Brurah 215 cites the Pri Magadim not to do recite such an Amain.
   1. You can do so in order to train him to answer Amain. [This author understands Rav Chaim zt”l as not actually arguing with the Mishna Brurah, but rather as distinguishing between the Chofetz Chaim’s times and modern times in that back then it was not the norm to train children who were younger to “know to whom one davens to.”  Now that they do attempt such instruction, it is clear that there would be a chinuch in answering Amain as well which very likely could be at an earlier age than for actually reciting brachos.]
7. See Bracha Brurah p. 643