1119 Chaye Adam –  Klal 57 Siman 2: Order of Brachos 4 – Defining Chashivus 3: Order of the Seven Species

We are continuing siman 2. The Chayei Adam identified three indicators for determining chashivus for seder brachos. These were: whether the item was of the shivas haminim; the specificity of the bracha; the order of the shivas haminim themselves as determined from the pasuk. Today we will discuss the third indicator.

The Chayei Adam writes that the earlier a species from the shivas haminim is written in the pasuk, the greater its chashivus.

The pasuk says אֶ֤רֶץ חִטָּה֙ וּשְׂעֹרָ֔ה וְגֶ֥פֶן וּתְאֵנָ֖ה וְרִמּ֑וֹן אֶֽרֶץ־זֵ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶן וּדְבָֽשׁ׃. Shemen refers to olives, and devash refers to the fruits which produce honey; i.e., dates. It is not referring to honey from bees.

The Gemara tells us that the closer the species is mentioned to the word eretz, the greater its chashivus. Thus, for example, grapes are listed third in the first list, and olives are listed first on the second list, so olives will precede grapes.

The order of precedence for fruits will be olives, dates, grapes, figs and pomegranates.

Wheat and barley are a category by themselves, as they are grains and not fruits. Wheat will precede barley, as it precedes it in the pasuk. If one needs to determine the order of brachos between grains and fruits, the question can be more complicated. We have learned (shiur 1056) that there are four stages/uses of grain products, each with their own bracha:

1. Fully intact grain kernels–haadama.

2. Ground into flour–shehakol.

   1. Many poskim hold that our flour is ground so fine, it is inedible in this stage and receives no bracha. Coarse flour, which is minimally edible, will be shehakol.

3. Made into a food–mezonos.

4. Made into bread–hamotzi.

Either way, grain products will never be haeitz. We will discuss the order between grains and fruits in a later shiur, be’ezras Hashem.

Chazal consider spelt to be a type of grain, and rye and oats to be a type of barley. Thus, spelt will precede rye or oats. However, it will not precede barley, because barley is mentioned explicitly in the pasuk and spelt is not.

The order of precedence of grains will be wheat, barley, spelt, and rye and oats are equal.

Summary

• The order of precedence of shivas haminim fruits will be olives, dates, grapes, figs and pomegranates.

• The order of precedence of grains will be wheat, barley, spelt, and rye and oats are equal.