Blessing on Bananas I was taught that the blessing before eating
a fruit is “borei p’ri ha’aitz.” Yet the blessing for bananas is
what we say on vegetables, “borei p’ri ha’adamah” When I asked
around, no one seemed clear on the reason. One offered the
farfetched suggestion that “because they grow facing down.” What
is behind this distinction? The Aish Rabbi Replies: Yes, bananas
are a well-known exception to the rule that on fruit one recites
a “borei p’ri ha’aitz” (“who creates the fruit of the tree”).
They seem to get an honorable mention in all the blessing guides
given out in schools. They're also high in potassium and Vitamin
C. So what is the reason? The issue stems from (yes, pun
intended) the definition of a tree in Jewish law. There is a
range of opinions on this in the earlier commentators. The
consensus, however, is that a tree is defined as a plant which
remains from year to year and produces a yearly crop. Any plant
which dies in the winter and must be replanted each year is not
a tree. Note that