The Order of the Shivas HaMinim

Rav Yosef Jacobowitz

“לא מקום זרע ותאנה וגפן ורימון”

Below are selected rules of kedima b’berachos when one has multiple fruits and vegetables he wishes to eat:

1. If there are two fruits of shivas haminim, the beracha of haeitz is generally recited on the ones mentioned first in the pasuk in Devarim: ארץ חטה ושעורה וגפן ותאנה ורימון, and זית שמן ודבש precede the גפן תאינה ורימון since they are closer to the second mention of ארץ than the former three are to the first mention (Shulchan Aruch 211:4).

• If one has a shivas haminim fruit, e.g., grape, together with a non-shivas haminim fruit, e.g., apple, the beracha is recited on the grape because the shivas haminim status renders it more chashuv (S.A. 211:1).

• If one has two non-shivas haminim fruits, one recites the beracha on whichever one usually prefers– chaviv (S.A. 211:1).

• If the two fruits/vegetables have two different berachos (even if one is from shivas haminim), e.g., grape and cucumber, some say he may precede whichever beracha he wishes, while others say he should precede whichever food is more chaviv (S.A. 211:1). The Mishna Berura (9) rules like the second approach. If neither is more chaviv, he recites haeitz before haAdama (M.B. 18).

• If one has raw wheat (including granola according to some poskim) and another shivas haminim fruit, although two different berachos are recited (like in #4), one still recites haadama on the wheat first since it comes first in the pasuk, unless the other food is chaviv (Magen Avraham 2; Shelah).  

• If one of the two fruits is shalem and the other is not, one recites the beracha on the shalem in cases #2 and #3 (M.B. 4). But it is uncertain whether this is true in case #4 (Shaar Hatziun 5).