Bamba Bracha Blitz

2
>>Follow Matzav On Whatsapp!<<

bambaWhat bracha should one make on the popular snack Bamba and its many surrogates? This dispute has been thrust to the forefront between two sons of Chacham Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual mentor of Shas. Rav Yitzchak Yosef and Rav David Yosef, the two sons, are vying to become the next chief sephardi rabbi of Yerushalayim. Rav Yitzchak Yosef, who heads Yeshiva Chazon Ovadia and authored the Yalkut Yosef from his father, says that the proper bracha for Bamba, which is made out of ground corn, is borei pri ha’adama.

Rav Yitzchak Yosef says that since the corn was grown especially for the production of the Bamba, this was the proper bracha even if the corn were no longer recognizable.

In contrast, Rav David Yosef, head of Yeshiva Yechaveh Da’as and rov in Har Nof, rules that the proper bracha is shehakol.

“I spoke with exporters from Trieste [the Italian port from which a large amount of corn flour used for Bamba production is brought to Israel],” said Rav Dovid. “They told me that a lot of the corn grown in Italy is used for other purposes besides Bamba, such as polenta. And even when corn is grown specifically for one purpose, we still say a shehakol. In Mexico, for instance, the national food is corn tortillas. My father told all the Yidden to say shehakol.”

Meanwhile, a source close to Chacham Ovadia Yosef revealed the octogenarian rov’s opinion on this matter.

“Do you want to know what Maran holds?” asked the source, who insisted on remaining anonymous. “He believes the bracha is shehakol. But if someone said ha’adama, he does not have to bracha again. After all, Bamba is made out of corn meal.”

{Based ona JPost report/Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}

 


2 COMMENTS

  1. What Brocha would one say on “papaya”? If they answer “ha’eitz”, they may not eat it, as ALL commercially available papaya is “Orlah
    “Vadei Orlah is ossur in chutz lu’oretz as well.
    Others make a “ha’adomah” on papaya, which wouldn’t have an orlah issue.

  2. That is incorrect. Even if it is a fruit, there still is safek orlah. This is due to the fact that a papayah tree is used for three years. If it was planted before tu bishvat, the month is halachically a year. Therefore, the fruit becomes muttar in its last year. This causes all papayas to be safek orlah and muttar.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here