Q. Someone suffers from epileptic attacks or seizures that make him totally unconscious and unaware of his surroundings, he usually recovers after a half an hour, but has no recollection of what happened. If that happened in the middle of a meal does he have to wash again and make hamotzi?
Is it considered like falling asleep for the purpose of making birchas Hatorah?
A. Mishna Berura (47: 22) writes that the ruling of Shulchan Aruch that even after a lengthy interruption in learning Torah, as when one goes to work during the day for many hours, he does not have to repeat Birchas Hatorah when he learns again, applies even when there was no original intention to return to learn. Poskim explain that the reasons are, firstly, that all the needs that a person takes care off during his day are mostly necessary for being able to continue learning Torah. (Maagid Taaluma – Brochos 11b). Additionally, all activities in our life including eating, sleeping or attending other bodily necessities, are ruled by Halacha and the mitzvos of the Torah. Therefore, one does not disassociate or is “masiach daas” from the Torah study while doing them. (Mishna Berura ibid.).
However, Poskim debate whether the above applies also to someone who temporarily looses cognition and is not in control of his mind (Itim cholim veitim shoteh), since at that time he is totally unaware and in a state that lacks any perception and reason. (Eretz Tzvi 1: 18, see Piskei Teshuvos 47: n. 109 regarding one who looses consciousness due to severe drinking).
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that if the attacks are common and expected, he should not repeat the brocho.
However, if the seizure occurs in the middle of a meal, after one recovers he can recite birchas hamazon, if still within the time of digestion. If one desires to continue eating one should wash hands again, eat a kezais of bread with a brocho, before returning to the meal and reciting birchas hamazon.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a