Siman 211 – Priority in berachos

בChelek 2

When you have a variety of foods before you and you want to eat them all now, which one should you say the beracha on (first) ?

153. If both are Hoaytz:
     1. olive
     2. date
     3. grape
     4. fig
     5. pomegranate
     6. whole
     7. chaviv – what you normally prefer (only applicable when neither are from the 7 species and neither has the advantage of being whole). (ShA 1 – MB 4 – ShaH3)
154. If one is Hoaytz and the other Hoadama:
     1. whole
     2. chaviv
     3. (wheat – according to the Magen Avraham – MB 27)
     4. (barley – according to the Magen Avraham – MB 27)
     5. the other 7 species in the order listed above
     6. Hoaytz (ShA 1 – MB 18 – ShaH5)
155. If one is either Hoaytz or Hoadama and the other is a Shehakol, Hoaytz/Hoadama takes priority even if the Shehakol is chaviv and is from the 7 species (e.g. date honey). (ShA 3 – MB 14 – ShaH8)
156. Hagoffen takes priority over Hoaytz even if the Hoaytz is chaviv. (Rama 4 – MB 35)
157. Mezonos of the 5 grains takes priority over Hagoffen. (Rama 4 – MB 24, 25)
158. Hamotzi always comes before Mezonos. In what case must this be stated? When the Mezonos is a snack and not a meal-type food toffel to the bread. You will say a beracha on the Mezonos only after the Hamotzi. If the Mezonos is the type which is toffel to the bread, you aren’t allowed to eat it before the Hamotzi anyways – since you would be causing an unnecessary beracha. (Rama 5 – MB 28)
159. These laws of priority apply only when you want to (and can) eat both foods now. But if you only want the food of lower priority now, you don’t have to specifically eat the higher priority one for the beracha’s sake, even though it is sitting in front of you. (Rama 5)
160. If you want both foods now but the higher priority one hasn’t yet been brought, you don’t have to wait for it. (MB 31)
161. Say you transgressed and recited the beracha on the lower priority food – will the beracha cover the higher priority food? Only if it has the same beracha and you had specific intent to cover it. Unspecific intent will not cover the food of higher priority, even if placed in front of you at the time of the beracha. (Rama 5 – MB 32)
162. Say you have an esrog (preferred) and an olive (7 species) in front of you. We pasken to say the Hoaytz on the olive. But since there is an opinion (Rambam) that holds chaviv takes priority, l’chatchila have specific intent on the esrog as well. And if you mistakenly said the beracha on the esrog without specific intent for the olive, rely on the Rambam that you did correctly and do not repeat the beracha for the olive. (MB 33)
163. So, to sum it up:
     1. Hamotzi
     2. wheat Mezonos
     3. barley Mezonos
     4. spelt Mezonos
     5. oat or rye Mezonos
     6. Hagoffen
     7. olives
     8. dates
     9. grapes
     10. figs
     11. pomegranates
     12. all other Hoaytz
     13. Hoadama
     14. Shehakol

     For this list do not pay attention to chaviv. When do you follow chaviv? Only when one food is Hoaytz and the other Hoadama (even if one is from the 7 species), or both are the same beracha (when neither are from the 7 species).

     What is called chaviv? Ashkenazim follow the Rosh, that says the one which you usually prefer. If you usually prefer neither one over the other, then follow the Rambam for chaviv being the one you prefer now.

     Any Birkas Hanehenin over food and drink takes priority over berachos on good aromas. (MB 35)