The Elusive MeZonos Roll
information for this article garnered from a number of sources including the OU
“MeZonos Rolls” suggests two important Halachic considerations: Re Berachos; Its initial Beracha is Borei MiNei MeZonos, and its final Beracha is Al HaMichYa. Secondly, it does not require NeTiLas YoDaYim, the ritual washing of the hands required before consuming bread.
Rav Yisroel Belsky, shlita, Rav Hershel Schachter, shlita, and the Rabbinical Council of America agree that the so-called MeZonos Rolls are in fact HaMotzi and also require NeTilas YoDayim.
The source for the BeRacha of Mezonot is in Talmud Bavli Brochos 42a where it is described as Pas HaBaA BeKisnin PHB. This means bread, Pas; HaBaA BeKisnin, that is with Kisnin. There are three opinions or illustrations of Kisnin.
The BeRacha of HaMotzi Lechem Min HaAretz (Who brings forth bread from the ground) is reserved for bread which is consumed as a basic staple and cornerstone of a meal. Any bread that has been modified to the point where it no longer is seen as the basic staple and cornerstone of a normal meal is no longer bread but MeZonos. [Maamar Mordechai and Aruch Hashulchan consider that the 3 opinions we are about to document actually agree with one another and represent various forms of modified bread that are consumed as snack foods]
Rav Hai Gaon explains that crackers, i.e. regular bread dough which is baked into a thin crisp wafer, is Mezonot. The word Kisnin means – munch or crunch. This includes hard pretzels, flat bread, bread sticks and kichel. Toast and Melba toast is not included since it is really a fully qualified bread which has later been only slightly modified.
Kisnin also means pockets, like a Hamantasch, which is an ordinary bread dough which is folded to hold a dash of fruit or chocolate or poppyseed. This is how the Rabbenu Chananel illustrates PHB. The RaMBaM includes any dough which has spices or flavours added to the dough. This includes adding oil, milk, and sugar to the dough.
The three illustrations are variations of the same basic definition; any variation from what is deemed to be the bread which is the staple and corner-stone of the meal, at least as they ate their meals in the times of the Mishna and Gemara.
Of course there is plenty of room for arguing about just how much sugar etc. need be added to the dough before it is no longer a “normal” bread; and we are not surprised that the argument we are having now about MeZonos Rolls was had back then, with some saying HaMotzi on what others considered to be cake. The Beis Yosef and Rama argue whether a slight taste of the sweeteners or condiments is adequate or whether they must be the Ikkar, the dominant feature. But defining what is dominant is also highly subjective.
The Shulchan Oruch (O.H. 168) rules that any of these variations qualify to make bread into MeZonos.
We run into confusion when eating cakes and biscuits at the end of a bread meal; should we make a Beracha [which we would is we were eating fruit] of MeZonos on something that is essentially bread for which we have already said HaMotzi? (Mishnah Bmrah, Biur Halachah, Omch CMim, 168:8, “Teunim brochah”).
But we run into bigger more pressing problems with MeZonos Rolls. The inherent fallibility of their being defined as MeZonos is well illustrated by the ubiquitous raisin Chalah, which is without question HaMotzi, yet is sweeter than some “cakes” and certainly sweeter and less bread-tasting than MeZonos Rolls. Which leads to the question, when does a raisin Chalah become a fruit cake? Does it depend on its shape and texture?
Here is a counter argument. If the fruit juice exceeds the water content, MeZonos is recited even if the fruit juice is totally indiscernible. (See Da’as Torah, 168:7; Mekor Boruch #15). Guess what they use for juice? Water, but not ordinary water, no, water in which raisins or other fruits have been soaking for 72 hours. Next question; what is the ratio of water to raisins? Who cares. If the flavour need not be discernible it might be a million to one. In order to inhibit costs, rumour has it that in one bakery, the same raisins have been used since 1986. They make a unique tasting MeZonos Roll.
A full meal of Pas HaBaA BeKisnin, requires HaMotzi, Birchas Hamazon and NeTilas YoDayim since Pas HaBaA BeKisnin is a modified bread eaten as a snack. Therefore, when it is in fact eaten as bread in a meal, it must be treated exactly like bread.
This resolves another troubling issue; Matza is not bread. Why do we recite HaMotzi on hard crispy Matzah? What is the difference between a water cracker and hard Matza? In fact, Sephardic Jews recite MeZonos on hard but not soft Matzah, (except on Pesach, when Matza is consumed as bread.) Ashkenazim consider hard Matza as food for a meal, not a snack. It must all be in the mind since it is difficult to explain why water crackers are different from Matza.
The OU argue that even if we concede that the rolls are in fact MeZonos, when eaten as part of a meal, even small portions of PHB must be treated as bread. They therefore rule that an airline meal cannot be eaten with a PHB roll, it would become HaMotzi.
This is highly questionable. Most people living in first world countries, do not consider an airline meal, a meal. If you were invited to someone’s home for Shabbos lunch and you were served an airline meal, you would not be satisfied. You would be insulted if everyone else was served the sort of meal you were expecting. In short, an airline meal is not a meal; it is an opportunity to break the boredom.
Why do we recite MeZonos on pizza?
Ostensibly, pizza is similar to pies, one of the three categories of Pas HaBaA BeKisnin. Nonetheless, meat, fish or cheese pies are HaMotzi. [Shulchan Aruch 168:17] since they are eaten as meals not as snacks. [Magen Avrohom]
So the question is: is Pizza eaten as a meal or a snack? And as we noted earlier, a meal ought to be defined as what is eaten at a proper meal. When you are invited for Pizza, you don’t think of Shabbos lunch, even if you are going to the home of a vegetarian. OU accepts the fact that the prevailing custom is to make MoeZonos, but they would like to change it to HaMotzi if they could.
There are two types of Pizza: those made on fresh raw dough and those made on a pre-baked base. Since a pre-baked base is an already established HaMotzi bread before the extras are added, it ought to remain HaMotzi even after they are added. It seems strange though, that two Pizzas that for all intents and purposes are identical will have two different BeRachos.
Here are some other examples of difficult to define foods: bagel chips, pita chips and croutons. Two issues need to be considered. First: are these products seasoned to the point where the seasoning is primary? Second: when is the seasoning added. The OU has checked with a few manufacturers, all add the seasoning after the baking is completed.
To complicate matters, the Shulchan Aruch OC 168:10 rules that boiling pieces of bread that are smaller than a KeZayis modifies the bread to MeZonos. Does this guideline apply here where the bread chips are fried in oil? We feel the answer does not depend upon the frying but upon the finished product and the perception it creates. Is it perceived as a snack or a core meal bread product?
For those who wish to know the details of the Halacha, consider the following. According to Halcha, there are three types of frying. A) deep frying which makes bread into MeZonos (Magen Avrohom 168:36). B) shallow frying, which is a dispute if the Beracha is altered. The Mishnah Brurah (168:56) recommends eating them as part of a bread meal. C) oil prevents the foods sticking and burning, in which case the Rama rules it remains HaMotzi (168:14).