Letter Discussing the Laws of Blessings, by Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach - His Opinion Regarding the Blessing ...

Letter Discussing the Laws of Blessings, by Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach - His Opinion Regarding the Blessing Recited on Chocolate - Jerusalem, 1976
Lengthy letter (28 lines) pertaining to the laws of blessings, handwritten and signed by R. Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. Jerusalem, Sivan 1976.
Approbation to the book Mekor HaBracha - laws of blessings, authored by R. Gavriel Krausz, head of Manchester Beit Din. In his letter, R. Shlomo Zalman adds several halachic notes on topics discussed in the book, including the question of the correct blessing to be recited on chocolate: "And behold, regarding chocolate, about which he asked me to review his writings, I already raised this point forty years ago, and I discussed it with leading Torah scholars, and I did not hear a satisfying answer on the matter". At the foot of the letter, R. Shlomo Zalman adds an important note offering a possible halachic basis for the prevalent practice of reciting the blessing of Shehakol on chocolate.
Background: R. Shlomo Zalman always queried why the blessing commonly recited on chocolate - which is manufactured from the fruit of the cocoa tree, is Shehakol and not Boreh Pri HaEtz. He first set forth his reservations in a lengthy letter (ca. 1936) to R. Tzvi Pesach Frank Rabbi of Jerusalem, in which he writes: "Regarding chocolate, which is commonly considered Shehakol, I discussed this with leading Torah scholars… and one should recite on it Boreh Pri HaEtz". The letter was printed in his book Responsa Minchat Shlomo (I, section 91, 2). The recipient of the current letter, R. Gavriel Krausz, discusses this topic at length in his book Mekor HaBracha, and he also queries the accepted practice of reciting Shehakol rather than Boreh Pri HaEtz. To which R. Shlomo Zalman responds in this letter that forty years earlier, he already researched the matter and discussed it with leading Torah scholars, yet "I did not hear a satisfying answer" (as to why the blessing of Shehakol is recited). Nevertheless, in a footnote to this letter, R. Shlomo Zalman explains briefly why there is nonetheless a halachic source for the accepted practice of reciting Shehakol on chocolate.
R. Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (1910-1995) was the dean of the Kol Torah Yeshiva and leading posek of his times. Born in Jerusalem to R. Chaim Yehuda Leib Auerbach - dean of the Shaar HaShamayim yeshiva for kabbalists. He was a close disciple of R. Isser Zalman Meltzer, who held him in great esteem and quotes his teachings in his book Even HaEzel. In 1935, at the young age of 24, he published his first book - Meorei Esh - regarding the use of electricity on Shabbat. The book earned the approbations of leading Torah scholars of the generation, including his teacher R. Isser Zalman Meltzer, R. Chaim Ozer Grodzensky and Rav Kook. In time, R. Shlomo Zalman became one of the leading poskim and the foremost authority in several halachic areas, such as medicine in halacha. His pleasant ways and refinement earned him the veneration of all sects of Orthodox Judaism. This was expressed at his funeral, which was attended by some 300,000 people.
[1] leaf. Official stationery. 28 cm. Good condition. Folding marks.
This letter was printed at the beginning of the book Mekor HaBracha - laws of blessings, authored by the recipient of the letter, R. Gavriel Krausz.