We are continuing in Klal 59. We will discuss situations where it is muttar lechatchilla to effect a shinui makom during an eating session.
In Klal 47, the Chayei Adam writes that one is not allowed to leave their makom without birchas hamazon, and one must return to where he ate to say birchas hamazon. However, there are a few exceptions:
In our Klal, in siman 5, the Chayei Adam wrote that if one will not be able to return to their original place before the time elapses for birchas hamazon, they should recite birchas hamazon in their current location. Additionally, the Chayei Adam wrote in siman 5 that one may recite birchas hamazon within four amos of where they began.
In shiur 880, we learned that a person may recite hamotzi with daas (intent) to recite birchas hamazon elsewhere, provided they had daas at the time they made hamotzi, and they eat bread in the place where they will say birchas hamazon. Common scenarios include joining a sheva brachos at the end of a private meal, chassidim who join their rebbe at the end of their shabbos seuda, or beginning a meal at home and continuing in the car.
The Mishnah Berurah writes that in this case, a person is able to continue their meal elsewhere even if they consume less than a kezayis of bread in the second place, because once even a little bread is consumed, it is considered a makom of eating.
Additionally, the Mishnah Berurah discusses a case where he had no daas and left his first makom, against the halacha. He is supposed to return to the first place to bench. However, if that is difficult, then this halacha allows him to eat in the second place and say birchas hamazon there.
Summary
- If a person had daas when they said hamotzi that they will finish their meal in a different place, they are allowed to move there lechatchila, and say birchas hamazon there. They must eat bread in the second place.
- If they did not have daas, they are not allowed to leave the first place without birchas hamazon.
- If they left without saying birchas hamazon, they must return to the place where they ate to say birchas hamazon.
- However, there are a few exceptions:
- One who will not be able to return to their original makom before the time for reciting birchas hamazon elapses;
- One who moves within four amos of their original makom;
- One who eats any amount of bread in their new makom, even without having daas when they said hamotzi.
