Cake, Fruit and Wine: A Guide to Al Hamichya and the Other Mei’ein Shalosh

By: Rabbi Dovid Heber

Spring 2026

While much is written regarding the halachos of Birkas Hamazon, there are also important halachos regarding the recitation of Mei’ein Shalosh. Mei’ein Shalosh is commonly referred to as Al Hamichya because that is the most recited version. Mei’ein Shalosh means “a similar abbreviated version of three” referring to brachos containing snippets of three of the brachos of Birkas Hamazon, which Biblically is three blessings.[1]

Few people realize that there are 238 different variations of Mei’ein Shalosh,[2] a number that has the gematria of the word vayevareich (and he blessed). The various possible combinations of foods (e.g., cake and wine, cake and fruit from Israel) add up to 17 variations. This number is multiplied by 14 possible special day combinations[3] to arrive at 238. Let’s examine the intricacies of the halachos of Mei’ein Shalosh.

The Three Different Mei’ein Shalosh

Al Hamichya – said after eating a shiur […]

Handling With Care: Boneh in the Kitchen

By: Rabbi Chananya Jacobson

Spring 2026

Boneh, the melacha of building, is not just for the lumberyard. It has many applications in the kitchen. Cheesemaking and churning butter are boneh.[1] Shaping egg salad and smoothing chopped liver can be boneh as well.[2] It can even apply to household appliances: according to some poskim, attaching a magnet to a refrigerator on Shabbos with the intention of leaving it there long-term is prohibited because of boneh.[3]

Recently, STAR-K certified a line of Gaggenau ovens without handles. Instead, they open electronically at the push of a button. In Sabbath Mode, this feature is deactivated and the door must be opened without mechanical assistance. The manufacturer offers a detachable handle to make opening the oven easier.

If these handles snap or suction into place, they should not be attached on Shabbos, as a semi-permanent attachment may violate the prohibition of boneh. (They should also […]

Too Close For Comfort: A Halachic Guide To Shaving

By: Rabbi Mordechai Frankel

Spring 2026

The Torah forbids men to use a razor to shave the pei’as hazakein, which are the corners or edges of the beard. There are many opinions regarding the exact location of these corners, which are not delineated in the Gemara. Therefore, to fulfill all opinions, the Shulchan Aruch (Y.D. 181:11) states that a G-d-fearing person should not use a razor on any area of his beard.

This prohibition is found twice in the Torah: In Vayikra 21:5, the Torah forbids giluach – shaving, while in Vayikra 19:27, it forbids hashchosa – destruction. From this, Chazal explain the prohibition as the complete removal of the hair (hachchosa) with an implement that is commonly used for shaving (giluach).

A man is therefore permitted to cut his beard with scissors, which does not completely remove the hair. He may also pluck his hair with tweezers or use depilatory cream, as these are not common […]

What Is Brewing with Kosher Beer?

By: Rabbi Tzvi Rosen

Spring 2026

No one would argue that we are living in the Age of Information, one that has greatly benefited the kashrus world. Thirty years ago, we did not have access to the information highway known as the internet because the highway was still under construction. Ferreting fact from fiction was the mainstay of our research process, one that involved finding the right people to speak to who could share their expertise so that we could create reliable kashrus standards for the tzibur.

In that era, our knowledge of the kashrus of beer and liquor was very much in its embryonic stage. Few, if any, beers carried reliable kosher certification. Using the information then available to us, we developed an educated kosher beer policy which stood the test of time for three decades. In 1996, the Kashrus Kurrents published its first beer article, “Is Something Kosher Brewing?”

But today, we are light years […]