Question:
I like to Bench at least once a day, BLI NADR. I can’t always find bread. How can I be KOVEIA Seudah on crackers? How much must I eat regarding Rits crackers (round 2 inches by 2 inches)? How is someone KOVEIA Seudah on crackers? Can it be done lchatchila? Please answer all questions?
Answer:
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Regarding your question, the amount that one has to eat in order to bentch is the amount most people would eat at a proper meal and feel full. (A good way to measure this for someone in the U.S. would be the amount of food that you would eat for supper). It is hard to determine this exact amount, because different people eat different amounts, (women, men, people from different countries eat different amounts). It can also depend on the type of food, as different types of foods satiate differently. There are opinions that this is three eggs worth, and others that it is about 21 eggs worth. Therefore I can’t give you a definitive amount. Having said that, there are poskim who say that this is 6 eggs worth, which would be 325 gr. (8 1/4 ounces), and there are others that say that it is 280 grams worth. I cannot tell exactly how many Rits crackers you will need for this. If you are sure that you will eat that amount (325 grams worth) then you can bentch, (and rely on those poskim that say that it is permitted to bentch at this amount) otherwise you should be careful not to eat more than four eggs worth 250 grams worth.
If you want to know what should be done l’chatchila… look for the conventional ways to bentch, and wash on bread, etc.
Best Wishes
Sources:
Shulchan Aruch O: CH 268-6, M:B ibid 24, Aruch Hashulchan ibid 16, Graz ibid 8, Piskei Teshuva ibid 4 ftnt. 29. V’zos Habracha 4-8.
