Question:
The olam seems to generally be meikal about washing, saying ha’motzei, and bentching when eating amounts of pas ha’ba b’kisnin which are clearly enough to be koveia seudah (i.e. someone eating several slices of pizza, in a dinner setting, and saying they’re only having a snack or eating several croissants as their main food at a brunch and not washing). I generally try to be careful about washing on pas ha’ba b’kisnin or washing on a piece of bread if there’s some uncertainty about the specific food or whether the amount I’m eating is enough to require washing and bentching.
However, when I’m traveling for work, it isn’t always easy to find somewhere to wash (so I wouldn’t eat a food that is vadai ha’motzi) or to keep a piece of bread with me. In those circumstances, is it permissible to be meikal like the olam and say mezonos and al ha’michya? (Setting aside ‘mezonos bread’, which many poskim have already specifically addressed.)
Answer:
Hello,
There are three opinions among the poskim, as to how much a person has to eat, in order for pas habaa b’kisnin to become kevias seuda. Some say it is 3 eggs worth, others say 4, but the main halacha is that if one ate the amount of cake, etc. that would be eaten for a full meal, (supper, etc.) then one has to wash and bentch. Unfortunately, many people are lax in these halachos, as nowadays unfortunately (many) people will do almost anything in order not to have to wash and bentch. (Such as traveling ten minutes in each direction just in order not to have to wash and bentch- which takes less than 2 minutes). If you are eating 3-4 eggs worth, then there you have poskim to rely on, however if you are eating a full-meals worth, of food, then I don’t see room to be meikel. If you can’t find water, so the halachos would be the same as if you have a real hamotzei roll, but don’t have water. There is an option though, to eat less, make al hamichya, and wait a little while and then eat the other part. This way you didn’t eat a shiur at one time.
Best wishes
