Mishnah Berakhot: Chapter 6

(4) If one has before him many different species, Rabbi Yehudah says: If there is among them one of the seven species, bless on that one. But the Sages say: Bless on whichever he desires.

(5) [If one] blessed on the wine before the meal – [he has] exempted the wine after the meal. [If one] blessed on the appetizer before the meal – [he has] exempted the dessert after the meal. [If one] blessed on the bread – [he has] exempted the appetizer; [but if one blessed] on the appetizer – [he has] not exempted the bread. The House of Shammai says: not even a cooked grain dish.

(6) [If people] sit to eat – each one blesses for himself. [But if they] recline – one blesses for all. [If] wine comes in during the meal – each one blesses for himself. After the meal – one blesses for all. And he says it on incense even though incense is not brought until after the meal.

(7) [If] they brought before him salty food first, and bread with it -- he blesses on the salty food and is exempt on the bread, because the bread is ancillary to it. This is the principle: Everything that is primary, and has something secondary with it, he blesses on the primary and [thereby] exempts the secondary.

(1) A person should not taste anything until he makes a Beracha (blessing) [on it], as it is said, “To Hashem is the Earth and its fullness…” (Psalms 24:1)

[A person] who receives pleasure from this world without a Beracha makes inappropriate use of sacred property, until all of the Mitzvot (commandments) [that must be done over this object] will permit it to him.

A person should use his face, his hands and his feet only for the honor of his Creator, as it is said, “Every creation of Hashem is for His sake.” (Proverbs 16:4)

(3) The Beracha (blessing) for undiluted wine is Borei Pri Haetz (Who created the fruit of the tree) and it (i.e. undiluted wine) can be used to wash hands. [If] he added water into it, [then] the Beracha on it [becomes] Borei Pri Hagafen (Who created the fruit of the vine) and it (i.e. diluted wine) cannot be used to wash hands. [These are] the words of Rebbi Eliezer. And the Chachamim (Sages) say, “Whether this one (i.e. undiluted wine) or that one (i.e. diluted wine), the Beracha on it is Borei Pri Hagafen and it cannot be used to wash hands.”

(4) [If] they brought in front of him [different] types of desserts, the Beracha (blessing) that he makes on them is Borei Minei Kisnin (Who created different types of nibblings).

Rebbi Meir says, “even [if] he saw bread and he said ‘Blessed be the One Who created this bread, how nice this bread is,’ that is its Beracha. Even [if] he saw figs and he said ‘Blessed be the One Who created these figs, how nice they are,’ that is their Beracha.”

Rebbi Yossi says, “Anyone who changes [the official text] of Berachot from what the Rabbis have coined, does not fulfill his obligation [of saying the Beracha].”

Rebbi Yehudah says, “Any [type of food] that has been changed from its original form (like bread which used to be wheat or wine which used to be grapes), [if] he changed its Beracha [to the Beracha of the food in its original form], he has fulfilled his obligation [of saying the Beracha].”

(6) [A person] that chews [raw] wheat kernels, says a Beracha (blessing) on them Borei Minei Zerayim (Who created different types of seeds).

[If] he [ground them into flour and] baked them [into bread] and [then] cooked them (i.e. the bread) [in water], as long as the pieces [of bread] remain [intact], he says the Beracha on them Hamotzi Lechem Min Haaretz (Who brings forth bread from the earth) and he says [after eating these pieces] the Three Berachot (i.e. Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals)).

[If] the pieces [of bread] do not remain [intact] he makes the Beracha on them Borei Minei Mezonot (Who created different types of foods) and he makes the Beracha after [eating] them is One out of Three (i.e. Al Hamichya (For the Sustenance)).

(7) [A person] that chews [raw] rice [kernels], says a Beracha (blessing) on them Borei Minei Zerayim (Who created different types of seeds).

[If] he [ground them into flour and] baked them [into rice bread] and [then] cooked them (i.e. the rice bread) [in water], even though the pieces [of the rice bread] remain [intact], he says the Beracha on them, Borei Minei Mezonot (Who created different types of foods), and he does not say any Beracha after them at all.

This is the general rule: any [food] that [gets] the beginning [Beracha] Hamotzi Lechem Min Haaretz (Who brings forth bread from the earth), [gets] the Three Berachot (i.e. Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals)) after it.