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Deli Roll

In America many people have deli roll. This is basically puff pastry dough pocket with deli meat inside of it. In the end the product looks like a pocket with deli meat inside of it. What is the bracha on such an item? Is it pas haba bkisnin because the dough isn’t just made of flour and water but is more like puff pastry dough?

Answer:

Poskim dispute whether or not a meat filling renders a food pas haba bekisnin. However, I understand that the deli roll is usually eaten as an appetizer, or snack. Assuming this is the case, all would concur that it has the status of pas haba bekisnin. In addition, some authorities maintain that puff pastry has the status of pas haba bekisnin, and this is certainly the case if the pastry is baked with a majority part of oil/fat. At any rate, one must be wary of not eating a “meal” of the deli roll, meaning eating one’s fill, or eating an amoung that constitutes a halachic “meal,” which would obligate the blessing of hamotzi followed by birkas hamazon.

Sources: See comments.

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7 Comments

  1. I thought that the Mishna Brura makes a distinction between the dough being filled with meat and meal type foods versus pockets filled with sweet snack type foods such as chocolate or jelly? Isn’t this a debate in the poskim? The Magen Avraham versus the Taz and doesn’t the Mishna brura not even bring the oppinion that the Rav is quoting?

    1. Thank you for the important comment (I have altered the answer). It is true that the principle of filled pastry applies first and foremost to sweet fillings. According to Taz (168:6), it applies even to fillings of meat, whereas Magen Avraham (168:16) writes that a meat filling would not change the berachah from hamotzi to mezonos–which is the opinion quoted by Mishnah Berurah (168:94). However, Chayei Adam (54:5) rules that bedieved one can rely on the Taz, and recite mezonos on a meat-filled pastry. This would be difficult to rely on, in view of the Magen Avraham and Mishnah Berurah (and Shulchan Aruch Harav). But, to my knowledge, the case of the deli roll is somewhat different, because it is classically served as a snack/appetizer, and not as a main course or a meal. Assuming this to be true, all would agree that its filling renders it pas haba bekisnin, just as in the case of sweet fillings. In addition, some maintain that puff pastry is considered thin/crispy and qualifies to be pas haba bekisnin (this is the opinion of Yalkut Yosef), though not all agree to this. If the pastry is kneaded with a maojrity part of fat/margarine (minus the water content) it would also be sufficient to consider it pas haba bekisnin.

  2. When there is a double Adar when would the yarzheit of a person be who was deceased in a single Adar? Would it be in Adar alef or beit?

    1. Shulchan Aruch (668:7) writes that one should observe the yarzeit on Adar Beit, whereas Rema brings that some say it should be observed on Adar Aleph, and adds that some observe both. Mishnah Berurah (668:42) writes that the final opinion (both) is the principle halachah.

  3. Do pancakes have the status of pas haba b’kisnin? Would one wash and bentch on a breakfast of pancakes? Can you please explain the why.

    1. They do not. Because the pancake is very thin, and it does not resemble baked foods — and, indeed, it is generally not baked at all, but fried — it lacks toras pas, and therefore one would not wash and bench even for eating a meal of pancakes.

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