We are continuing in siman 8 and have a few points to clarify. We have learned that Chazal understand oats and rye to be subtypes of barley, and spelt to be a subtype of wheat. Therefore, we learned (shiur 1127) that an item made from spelt precedes an item made from rye or oats. We also learned that, according to the Mishnah Berurah, there is no precedence between oats and rye.
However, the Chayei Adam writes that between oats and rye, one should precede an item made of oats. The Chayei Adam brings a proof from hilchos kilayim. The mishnah states that oats and barley are considered the same min (type), so mixing them together is not kilayim. However, rye and barley, or rye and oats, are considered kilayim. The Chayei Adam concludes from this mishnah that even though both may be sub-types of barely, oats are more similar to barley than rye, and therefore take precedence over it.
The Mishnah Berurah does not mention this idea at all. However, in siman 168, in discussing different breads on which one may make hamotzi, he writes that if one has a choice between bread made out of oats and bread made out of rye, one should make the bracha on the bread made of rye, because it is more chaviv. In our siman, he does not make this differentiation, which would seem to indicate that he holds it only applies to bread, and by any other dish, this is no precedence.
It is important to note that nowadays, most rye breads are combined with wheat, so the bread is looked at as a bread made of wheat and treated accordingly.
Nor the Mishnah Berurah, Magen Avraham or Chayei Adam mention any preference between a food and drink. However, the Aruch Hashulchan writes that when they are of the same bracha, one should give precedence to a food over a drink. Thus, if one has no preference between the two items, they should follow the Aruch Hashulchan and make a bracha on the food. However, if the drink is chaviv, the Mishnah Berurah holds one should make the bracha on the drink.
Summary
- The Chayei Adam holds an item made of oats should precede an item made of rye. The Mishnah Berurah holds there is no difference and one should do as they please.
- However, a pure rye bread that is hamotzi should precede a bread made of oats.
- If one has a food and drink of the same bracha, and neither is more chaviv, they should make the bracha on the food. If the drink is more chaviv, they should make the bracha on the drink.
