Making a "לישב" On Only One Brownie?!

Rav Chaim Cohen

There is an interesting practice that takes place on Sukkos. Very often a person stops by his friend's sukkah and is offered a piece of cake or a brownie in order to make a bracha of לישב בסוכה.  This is a beautiful expression of hospitality, however we need to examine whether this is halachically correct. 

The Shulchan Aruch writes that a a person is only obligated to eat in a sukkah if he eats a כביצה or more of bread, or has an amount of mezonos that would be considered a meal (much more than a כביצה!). The Mishnah Berurah quotes poskim who dispute if a person can make a beracha if he eats an amount of mezonos which is more than a כביצה but less than the amount considered a meal. The Mishnah Berurah concludes that one CAN make a bracha in this case and he should also make sure to have כוונה on the actual sitting in the succah.

What is the halacha when one eats less than a כביצה of mezonos, such as one brownie or a small piece of cake.  This is a very common case, and seemingly the common practice is to make a beracha.  The explanation might be the following: 

There is a dispute if a person plans to be in a sukkah for an hour or two but doesn't plan on eating at all.  Can he make a bracha of לישב בסוכה? The Mishnah Brurah agrees to the opinion of the חיי אדם that allows a bracha to be made. 

In addition, the שער ציון says that the amount of כביצה is only needed for a person in his own sukkah, but when visiting a friend there is no assumption that he will receive a large portion of mezonos. 

Based on these two ideas we can suggest that really a person is really making the bracha on the actual sitting in the sukkah and doesn't really need to eat anything. However since the minhag is to make the bracha on food, it became the practice to take a little mezonos and make the bracha of לישב בסוכה. 

Accordingly, our custom is correct and a person can visit his friend's sukkah and make a bracha of לישב בסוכה even if he eats just a small amount of mezonos. (if a person can eat a כביצה of mezonos that would obviously be ideal).

Wishing everyone a chag sameach!