From left to right: Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Rav Nissim Karelitz, Rav Yosef Shalom Eliyashiv and Rav Ovadia Yosef of blessed memories.
R' Shlomo Zalman Auerbach [Halichos Shlomo, Seder Leil Pesach, p. 225] says that one does not recite a bracha if he consumes that which the doctors forbade him to since it will cause him harm. This is because his act of consumption violates the Torah’s command to maintain one’s physical wellbeing.
R’ Nissim Karelitz [Chut Shani, Brachos, p. 184] ruled that one who is not allowed to eat something for health reasons (such as sugar) and eats it anyway still says a bracha, since ultimately he is deriving pleasure from that food when he eats it. However, if it irritates him when he eats it, then he should not say a bracha.
R’ Yosef Shalom Eliyashiv [Chashukai Chemed, Brachos, p. 225. Ashrei Ha’ish 1 36:15] said that even if one ate something he is not allowed to eat for health reasons, he should still say the bracha before eating it (bracha rishona), but he might be exempt from reciting the bracha after eating it, since one says a bracha rishona even on a crumb and such a small amount presumably does not undermine his health. In spite of this, R’ Eliyashiv [Shiurai Maran Hagaon R’ Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, Brachos, p. 378] ruled that even in such a case, one should still say a bracha achrona since eating just a kzayis wouldn’t endanger him (and the obligation to recite a bracha achronal already comes from eating just the first kzayis).
What should a person do if he recited a bracha over food in the morning and then realized that he had not yet davened shacharis (and therefore he is forbidden to eat due to the prohibition against eating before shacharis)? R' Ovadia Yosef writes that he should taste the food so that his bracha will not have been recited in vain.[Yabia Omer, volume 10, Orach Chaim 6.]
What should a person do if he recited a bracha over milk or dairy food within six hours of eating meat? Many poskim rule that he should take a sip of the milk or a bite of the food so that his bracha will not have been recited in vain. The rationale for this ruling is that the prohibition against consuming milk within six hours of eating meat is less severe than the prohibition of reciting a bracha in vain. All questions of Halachah should be adressed to your local orthodox Rabbi (Excerpted Rabbi from Yehoshua Alt [email protected].)
