Pas Shacharis – The Importance of Having a Good Breakfast in Halachah and Hashkafah

Elul zeman is a short zeman, however, it is the time of year that many bochurim start new yeshivos; many avreichim start new kollelim and it is also the beginning of the new school year. Bochurim, avreichim and pupils are all looking for what they can do to ensure that the new year will get off to a good start. Consequently, I would like to discuss a topic which Chazal tell us that if one treats seriously, he will be very successful. That is the important topic of eating breakfast. Why is breakfast so important? What exactly must one eat to see success? When should one eat it? Is it obligatory, or is it simply advisable and a healthy thing to do? What does Mir Yeshivah offer to help ensure people have a successful morning seder? What did R' Yisrael Yaakov Fisher zt"l respond to someone who told him that he eats cake and coffee every morning? Is drinking coffee a segulah to help remember learning? Of this and lots more below.

Healing of the Body and Soul

The Gemara (Gittin 69b) discuses a “medical regimen" for someone whose spleen is swollen due to illness. Rav Acha the son of Rava said: If the patient would drink lots of wine that alone would heal the spleen and he wouldn't have become ill in the first place. However, if one can't afford to constantly drink wine: מרגל בפת שחרית דמעליא לכולי גופיה – he should accustom himself to eat bread in the morning, which benefits the entire body.

Diseases of the Gallbladder

Regarding the benefit of pas shacharis [morning bread], the Gemara (Bava Metzia 107b; Bava Kama 92b) says: The word “machalah" (מחלה) refers to the gallbladder (מרה), and why is it called “machalah”? Because 83 illnesses depend on the gallbladder (83 = מחלה in gematria), and all are nullified by eating in the morning: פת במלח וקיתון של מים - bread with salt and a jug of water.

The Virtues of Pas Shacharis [Morning Bread]

The Gemara lists thirteen benefits of eating pas shacharis: 1) Saves from the sun, 2) Saves from cold, 3) Saves from harmful winds, 4) Saves from harmful spirits, 5) Makes the simple person wise, 6) Helps one win in judgment, 7) Enables one to learn Torah, 8) Enables one to teach Torah, 9) His words are accepted, 10) His learning is retained, 11) His flesh does not emit foul odor, 12) He is drawn to his wife and not to other women, 13) Kills intestinal worms.

Some say, there an additional two benefits: 14) Removes jealousy, 15) Brings love.

In light of the above, Rabbi Akiva instructed his son Rabbi Yehoshua to eat early in the summer because of the heat, and in the winter because of the cold (Pesachim 112a).

Runs quickly

Rabbah said: “One who eats pas shacharis — even if sixty people chase him — they will not catch him."

Rashi explains: “Sixty” is not literal and it is simply a common Gemara expression.

The Pnei Yehoshua asks: What difference does it make if a person is being chased by one person or sixty people, just because there are sixty people it doesn't mean that they can run faster?

Tosfos quotes Rabbeinu Meshulam who offers an alternative explanation in the Gemara: There are six seasons in the year (sowing, harvesting, summer, winter, cold, heat), each lasting sixty days, and what the Gemara means is: Every single day of every season, one who eats pas shacharis cannot be overtaken.

The Toras Chaim explains: That even though normally we find in Maseches Chullin (97b) that issurim are nullified in sixty, nevertheless, one who eats pas shacharis can even override sixty, and sixty people won't be able to overtake him.

The Iyun Yaakov explains: The Gemara in Berachos (57b) teaches that sleep is considered 1/60 of death, and immediately when one wakes up in the morning the 1/60 of death still clings to him, and when one eats pas shacharis it goes away. The Iyun Yaakov adds that this is provided one davens krias shema and shemonah esrei with kavonah, if one does that then: והסרתי מחלה מקרבך – "illness will be removed from his midst". However, if one doesn't daven with kavonah then eating and drinking first thing in the morning is actually dangerous and can be harmful.

The Iyai HaYam explains: The chiddush of the Gemara is not that sixty people are running at the same time. The chiddush is: Even if one person runs after him until he gets tired, and then a second and then a third, going all the way until sixty, even then one who eats pas shacharis will not be caught.

Additional Droshas

The Gemara also says one should eat early because of summer heat and winter cold. This is learned from the pasuk (Yeshayah 49:10): לא ירעבו ולא יצמאו, ולא יכם שרב ושמש - “They shall not hunger nor thirst, nor shall heat or sun strike them.” When one is satisfied, they are protected from the cold and the heat.

The Gemara also darshens the pasuk (Shemos 23:25): ועבדתם את ה' אלקיכם וברך את לחמך ואת מימיך והסרתי מחלה מקרבך – “You shall serve Hashem your G-d and He shall bless your bread and your water, and I shall remove illness from your midst" as follows: “You shall serve Hashem your God" - this refers to krias shema and tefillah. “He shall bless your bread and your water" — this refers to bread with salt and a jug of water. In the merit of doing these things “I shall remove illness from your midst."

The Maharsha (Bava Kama 92b) writes: לחמך (your bread) has the same letters as מלחך (your salt), which refers to eating bread with salt. And ומימיך, refers to the jug of water that one should drink. This hints to the fact that one should live with simplicity and minimalism — bread with salt and measured water.

The Maharsha continues: The pasuk writes: ועבדתם "You shall serve” in the plural as everyone davens, however, it writes: את לחמך ואת מימיך – “your bread and your water” in the singular, as only individuals of special piety live with such simplicity.

"Puta” or “Pita”?

The Mordechai HaAruch writes and this is quoted by the Bach (O.C. 155), Magen Avraham (155:3), Taz (155:1), Chacham Tzvi (siman 15), Kaf HaChaim (155:22), and others — that although Chazal greatly praised the virtue of pas shacharis for healing and bodily health, people do not customarily insist on it. Why? Because we have heard that pas shacharis must be made from grain grown far from civilization, which has never heard the crow of a rooster, the sound of shipmen pulling ropes, or other human noise. Additionally, in order to benefit from it, it must be eaten every single day. Being that it is impossible to maintain such conditions, talmiday chachomim refrain from even trying.

However, the Magen Avraham, Taz, and Chacham Tzvi strongly reject this claim. It is nothing but prophetic fantasy (“divrei nevius”) and one who fulfills the Gemara's words simply and plainly loses nothing. From the Gemara's simple wording — פת "bread" (פת) it is clear that any bread that removes hunger qualifies.

The Tur and Shulchan Aruch also wrote simply “eat morning bread,” without specifying any special type. And this is the universal custom.

Source of the Mistake

The Magen Avraham adds: The root of the error is based on the Gemara in Shabbos (66b). The Gemara says: The puah (הפואה) plant — if tied to a sick person — heals him, but only if it has never: Seen sun or moon, been rained on, heard the sound of iron, heard a chicken, or heard footsteps.

The Gemara then brings that Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak said: “If so — nofal puta b'bira — the puta has fallen into the pit!” Meaning: Its healing is useless, because it is impossible to meet all these conditions.

Someone misheard the Gemara and confused the word ‘puta' (the healing plant) with 'pita' (bread) and mistakenly thought that the Gemara was referring to pas shacharis.

The Pri Megadim (Eishel Avraham 155:3) quotes the Eliyah Rabbah (155:2), who wonders how anyone could make such a mistake.

"Puta” or “Pita”? (Part 2)

A Tragedy

In Shu”t Tzemach Tzedek (shailah 93) of R' Menachem Mendel Krochmal zt"l, someone named Yaakov son of R' Naftali Katz asked whether he needed atonement for the death of his servant, who froze to death in the snow and ice while traveling.

One of the reasons given why he was not guilty was because before the servant left the city, he had eaten pas shacharis, and the Gemara (Bava Metzia 107b) explicitly says it protects from cold.

The Tzemach Tzedek writes that although the Mordechai HaAruch claimed that our pas shacharis does not protect, the simple reading of the Gemara refers to ordinary morning bread, and the Mordechai HaAruch's view is not widely known among people.

Times for Eating

The time for eating lunch is clear in the Gemara (Shabbos 10a; Pesachim 12b) and ruled in Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 157:1): During the fourth hour — ordinary people eat, the fifth hour — workers eat, and during the sixth hour — talmiday chachomim eat. After that, if one did not taste anything in the morning, eating is like throwing a stone into a wineskin — useless.

Time for Pas Shacharis

The Gemara (Sukkah 26a) describes the amount of casual eating (אבילת ארעי) permitted outside the sukkah and says: בדטעים בר בי רב ועייל לכלה "the amount a talmid tastes before going to learn."

We see that talmiday chachomim eat a small amount of pas shacharis after Shacharis before learning, and then eat their main meal at the sixth hour.

The Pri Megadim (M.Z. 155 s.k. 1) writes this is about the size of an egg.

The Biur Halachah (155 d.h. Yuchal) quotes the Tur and says that pas shacharis is a small amount, like the Gemara says: “He tastes something."

Rashi (Kiddushin 30a) writes: They would taste in the morning meat roasted on coals.

What comes out from the above is: A talmid chocham should eat a little before learning, because in the days of Chazal people ate two meals — day and night — and talmiday chachomim ate the day meal at midday. Since they were hungry during learning, they tasted something beforehand. Additionally, they feared that they may get heavily involved in their learning and only sit down to eat after midday and eating after midday is like “throwing a stone into a wineskin" unless one tasted something earlier.

The gilyon Oimek HaPeshat (129) writes: Today, the estimated time for eating pas shacharis is ideally: Until 10:30 AM and bedieved: Until 12:30 PM.

The Comment of Rabbeinu Bechayeh Regarding the Seudah of Yosef and His Brothers

Yosef HaTzadik sat down to have a meal with his brothers and the pasuk (Bereishis 43:16) says: כי אתי יאכלו האנשים בצהרים "For the men will eat with me in the afternoon."

Rabbeinu Bechayeh comments that the pasuk specifically mentioned “afternoon” as it coming to criticize those who eat in the morning and praise those who eat in the afternoon, like it says in Koheles (10:16): “Woe to you, land... whose princes eat in the morning.” “Fortunate are you, land... whose princes eat at the proper time."

Some ask on this Rabbeinu Bechayeh as surely pas shacharis is praiseworthy and very important? However, the answer is obvious: Yosef and his brothers at a large meal, and that should only be eaten in the afternoon, however, a small meal should be eaten in the morning and doing so is praiseworthy.

The Maharsha (Bava Metzia 107b) writes explicitly, that the advantages of pas shacharis are only if one makes sure not to eat a lot. He writes “if one eats and drinks a lot, it won't be possible for him to toil in Torah."

In Keser Rosh of R' Chaim Volozhin (Hilchos Seudah ois 74) they also bring: “One should eat pas shacharis, however, don't eat a lot because it is matamtem the mo'ach [it ruins the brain]! One should a little to satisfy his heart."

Nature of the Obligation

Rav Shmuel Halevi Wosner zt”l (Shu”t Shevet HeLevi 4:16) has a Teshuvah in which he discusses the nature of the obligation to eat pas shacharis. Is it considered a mitzvah derabonon and if one doesn't do so he is considered a sinner? Does it override other mitzvos? Or is it simply a good practice and a healthy habit?

The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 155:2) writes: אחרי שיצא מבית הכנסת, ילך לבית המדרש לקבוע עת ללמוד, קודם שילך לעסקיו. וטוב להרגיל עצמו, לאכול פת שחרית קודם הליכתו לבית המדרש – "After leaving shul, one should go to the beis hamedrash to learn before going to work. It is good to accustom oneself to eat morning bread before going to the beis hamedrash. We see clearly from here that eating pas shacharis is not a rabbinic obligation nor a formal mitzvah — rather, it is a good practice and healthy habit. One who does not eat it is not considered a sinner.

The Tur writes: מצוה להנהיג עצמו במידה טובה והנהגה טובה לשמור בריאותו, כדי שיהא בריא וחזק לעבודת הבורא יתעלה "It is a mitzvah to accustom oneself to a good practice to preserve health." Which implies that it is a mitzvah, however, R' Wosner writes there is no special mitzvah to eat pas shacharis, rather it is included in the general mitzvah of doing things which are mechazek one's avodas Hashem and being that pas shacharis has the 13 (or 15) advantages we mentioned above, doing so helps improves ones avodas Hashem. However, there is no specific mitzvah to eat pas shacharis, rather, it is included in the general mitzvah of doing things that enhance one's ability to serve Hashem.

What Time Should a Talmid Chocham Eat Lunch?

We mentioned above that a talmid chocham should eat his lunch during the sixth hour of the day.

There is a big machlokes how to determine when the sixth hour of the day is.

According to the Magen Avraham (cited in Mishnah Berurah 157:2–3) the hours are seasonal (זמניות) and counted from when one wakes up.

According to the Mor U’Ketziah (155) and Shulchan HaTahor (sif 1) the hours are fixed (שלימות) not seasonal.

The Shulchan HaTahor also cites an opinion that the hours are fixed hours always counted from alos hashachar and not from when one wakes up.

The Kaf HaChaim cites an opinion that we count from alos hashachar seasonal hours.

Can One Fulfill the Obligation of Pas Shacharis with Tehillim or With Learning Torah?

The Shu”t Divrei Yatziv (7:41:13) quotes the Daʼas Kedoshim (Butchatch) who had a doubt regarding pas shacharis whether one can fulfill his duty by reciting Perokim of Tehillim which the pasuk (Tehillim 63:6) says about them: כמו חלב ודשן תשבע נפשי ושפתי רננות יהלל פי – “Just like sweet foods satisfy me, so does singing words that talk about your praise".

The Divrei Yatziv (7:65:4) brings that based on this, perhaps one can fulfill pas shacharis with words of Torah as well. As Torah is also referred to as רננות like we find in the pasuk: קומי רוני בלילה (Eichah 2:19). Additionally, the Gemara in Berachos (14a) says: כל המשביע עצמו בדברי תורה "Anyone who satisfies himself with words of Torah.” We see from here that it is possible for one to get satisfied from Torah.

It is also brought down from HaGaon HaKadosh of Zitishtov that the Gemara in Bava Kama (107b) says: פת שחרית מבטל פ"ג חלאים "Pas shacharis annuls 83 illnesses", and תלמוד has the same gematria as פת.

However, all this is not lechatchilah and ideally one should eat real food. The Da'as Kedoshim himself (Vol. 2, Toldoisov pg. 88, cited in the Mesivta Gemara, Bava Metzia 107b, Peninei Halachah) was particular to eat real breakfast.

The Shefa Chaim (לדברי יציב ר"ה ב) also writes that although the Butchatcher was in doubt if one could fulfill pas shacharis with Tehillim, that was for people on his holy and kadoshdika level, however, for regular people, who says they are on such high levels.

What Should One Eat – Does Coffee and Cake Suffice?

Coffee and Cake

In Yeshivas Mir Yerushalayim, it has long been the custom that after Shacharis and before First Seder, there is breakfast available in the dining room (floors: -1 and -2), and coffee and cookies on the entrance floor.

Seemingly the purpose of this practice is to fulfill the halachic detail of "pas shacharis”. One who is meticulous in fulfilling pas shacharis will eat actual bread, as it says (Tehillim 104:15): ולחם לבב אנוש יסעד - "And bread sustains the heart of man." But one who does not have time to wash his hands and eat real bread can at least drink coffee and eat cookies.

Eating a biscuit of about 54 cc (approx.) fulfills pas shacharis, as is clear from the Pri Megadim (M.Z. 155:1) and Kaf HaChaim (155:23). They write that even a kebeitzah [size of an egg] of pas haba'ah b’kisnin (cakes, cookies) made from the five grains fulfills pas shacharis, since the pasuk says: וברך את לחמך - “He will bless your bread" (Shemos 23:25) and “bread” in the Torah refers to the five species of grain. But a cooked dish made from the five grains does not count, since it is not bread.

They prove this from Tosfos (Berachos 37b): Tosfos relates that Rabbeinu David of Mitz would soak crumbs in water overnight so he could eat them quickly in the morning without needing to say hamotzi or birchas hamazon, and thus not delay the shiur — and his mind would be strengthened to teach halachah. This shows that one does not need actual bread and that any food from the five grains works.

A Novel View: Even Cooked Grain or a Nourishing Drink

The Eishel Avraham (Butchatch 155) is mechadesh that even a cooked grain dish suffices for pas shacharis. And bedieved, even a nourishing drink without food at all.

The Shulchan HaTahor (155:2) writes: Drinking anything, even water, counts as "tasting something in the morning," and one is no longer considered "throwing a stone into a wineskin."

Modern Breakfast Foods

There is room to discuss whether various modern foods (cereals, cornflakes, bran flakes, kariot, shugi, cocoman, deli-pecan, oatmeal, rice cakes, puffed rice, porridge) fulfill the pas shacharis requirement.

If one eats an amount the size of an egg of the five grains within kdei achilas pras, he fulfills pas shacharis according to all opinions.

If the food does not contain an egg's volume of the five grains — especially those whose berachah is shehakol because the flour is only a binder — then according to the Pri Megadim he does not fulfill pas shacharis and according to the Eishel Avraham he does.

Cold Coffee or Iced coffee

Besides for pas shacharis we also mentioned one should drink קיתון של מים – a jug of water. There is a question whether cold coffee or iced coffee fulfills this requirement.

The Sha'ar HaTziyun (155:3) explains, based on Rashi (Bava Metzia 107b) that preferably one should drink a beverage that nourishes, such as wine. If one has no wine, then even water suffices.

The Kaf HaChaim (155:23) writes: It is best if the water is hot, therefore, one may drink tea or coffee which is hot.

Thus, ideally if one is having a coffee, it should be hot, but cold coffee also fulfills the requirement.

Segulah for Memory

The sefer Segulos Yisrael writes that drinking coffee is a segulah for memory. The Kaf HaChaim (157:29), quoting the Or Tzaddikim in the name of the Arizal, writes: One should accustom himself in the morning to eat clean wheat bread, a lightly roasted egg (Berachos 44b) and olive oil, because these improve memory, as taught in the Gemara (Horiyos 13b).

Caution

When eating cakes or cookies, one must be careful not to eat the amount that constitutes kevius seudah, which would obligate Birchas HaMazon.

Similarly, according to many opinions, someone who eats “mezonos rolls” for pas shacharis is considered to be establishing a meal, requiring netilas yadayim and Birchas HaMazon, especially if he eats more than 3–4 eggs' volume (according to Rav Chaim Naeh, 180 grams and up) when combined with fillings (common in rolls with omelet and vegetables).

Some Anecdotes

R' Isaac Rabinowitz of Minsk related:

After Shacharis, he visited the Chafetz Chaim, who told him: “I am now going to eat pas shacharis. Return in twenty minutes.” (Meir Einay Yisrael)

R' Nosson Meir Wachtfogel zt”l, mashgiach of Lakewood, was asked how one can accept upon himself in Elul not to be makpid [particular] with others even in his heart. He answered forcefully: “Learn the Ramban's letter.” He himself would learn the Ramban's letter before eating pas shacharis, as written in his personal kabbolas [resolutions] from the years 5733 and 5735 (Leket Reshimos pg. 123): קודם פת שחרית, חיוב גמור עלי ללמוד איזה חלק מאגרת הרמב"ן "Before eating pas shacharis, there is a strict obligation upon me to learn part of the Ramban's letter."

When people would come to complain to R' Yisrael Yaakov Fisher zt"l about their illnesses they were suffering with, he would ask them: “Do you eat breakfast?”

One time a man said: “I eat cake and drink coffee every morning.” R' Fisher replied in Yiddish: קאווה מיט עוגה מאבט גראב, פרישטיק מאבט געזונט "Coffee with cake makes you fat; breakfast makes you healthy.” However, practically he ruled that one may fulfill pas shacharis even with pas habaʼah b’kisnin.

Guard Your Health

An avreich talmud chocham related that while he was waiting in the emergency room, a man arrived with a severe heart attack. The professor was surprised that such a healthy person could have such a heart attack. The professor asked him: "Do you eat breakfast every day?” He answered: “No.” The professor said: “In that case, everything is clear..."

Summary of the Dinim that Come Out:

• Pas shacharis nullifies 83 illnesses related to the gallbladder. The poskim write that one should accustom himself to this practice; it is a mitzvah to guard one's body and soul.
• According to the Mordechai HaAruch, the segulah applies only to wheat bread far from civilization, which hasn't heard the sounds of roosters or shipmen, and must be eaten daily. Most poskim disagree with this as the simple reading of the Gemara is that all types of bread work.
• Eating pas shacharis is not an absolute obligation, but is rather an: עצה טובה שיש בה סרך מצוה - good practice with a hint of mitzvah attached to it. One isn't considered a sinner if he doesn't do it
• Chazal describe pas shacharis as פת במלח וקיתון של מים – "bread with salt and a jug of water.” Some say one fulfills it with pas haba'ah b'kisnin (cakes), but not with cooked dishes, even if made from grain.
• Others write that any food or drink that nourishes the body and settles the mind suffices — even coffee with milk and sugar. Some are lenient even with coffee and sugar alone.

So, to ensure you have a productive Elul zeman make sure to eat breakfast ... wishing you a productive and successful zeman.