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I heard from a friend that, as per the Gemara, saying the following phrase in Aramaic discharges the obligation to recite Bircas Hamazon in its entirety:

Brich rachamana malka d'alma ma'rei d'hai pita.

Is this accurate? Though I know it's obviously much better to do a full bentch, does this truly fulfill the obligation?

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2 Answers 2

up vote 3 down vote accepted

The Gemoro is Brochos 40b. The halocho (very similar to the Shulchan Oruch HaRav) is also brought down in Orach Chayim 187 (1) and see Mishna Berura (4) there. (It seems that it may also serve as a brocho rishono bedieved see Orach Chayim 167 (10).)

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Only the first blessing. To fulfill one's obligation for that, one must also finish off with "brich rachmana dzan kulo".

This, however, is only bdieved. Lchatchila one must say the whole text (except for children under 8 years old who need to be taught gradually how to say the after-blessing).

Shulchan Aruch HaRav 187:4

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Is there also a reference to this in a non-Chabad sefer? Ie: R' Karo's Shulchan Aruch, Mishneh Berurah, etc. –  Naftuli Tzvi Kay Aug 12 '11 at 23:37
@TK, Shulchan Aruch HaRav is not a "Chabad Sefer" anymore than R' Karo's is a Sefardi Sefer or the Mishna Berurah is a Litvish Sefer. It is one of the basic sifrei halacha of the achronim which is universally esteemed. It is quoted many times in the Mishna Berurah. It is one of the three sefarim upon which the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch is based. You may not pasken like it in any given Halacha just like ashkenazim may not pasken like the Shulchan Aruch in any given Halacha. But it is not a "Chabad Sefer" it is a sefer of halacha for Klal Yisrael. –  Aaron Shaffier Aug 13 '11 at 17:50
@AaronShaffier, 100% correct, but most Ashk'nazim when discussing Orach Chayim prefer to hear something from the MB or, perhaps, the Aruch Hashulchan. Some like the KSA. Very few (except Lubavitchers) rule straight from the SA Harav. (Again, I'm talking about Orach Chayim only. For YD my impression is SA Harav is more accepted.) OTOH, since this site is for discussion, with practical rulings to be sought from one's rav, I don't see the loss in quoting a book most people don't rule straight from, so I'm upvoting this answer. –  msh210 Aug 14 '11 at 4:05
tom smith, I don't understand the requirement to conclude the bracha. That should only be the case for a "long bracha" where there was a change in the subject (Tos.). Here, we are accepting a short bracha, albeit not in the normal text and language. –  YDK Aug 14 '11 at 6:16
I didn't mean to stir up controversy, I was only trying to get something older. I appreciate @Avrohom Yitzchok's answer, as he brings both the Gemara and SA and Mishnah Berurah. Also, so is it necessary to make brich rachamana d'hai before eating and then make brich rachamana d'zan after eating? I'm somewhat confused by it. –  Naftuli Tzvi Kay Aug 14 '11 at 20:11

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