If a woman lit Shabbat candles on Friday evening, and accepted the onset of Shabbat with her lighting, it is permissible for her to drink afterward, before Kiddush? Generally speaking, it is forbidden to eat or drink once the Kiddush obligation takes effect until one hears or recites Kiddush. Seemingly, then, it would be forbidden for a woman to drink after lighting the Shabbat candles, since she has accepted the onset of Shabbat which triggers the obligation of Kiddush.
Hacham Ovadia Yosef, however, rules that a woman may drink after candle lighting, due to a combination of two different factors. First, Hacham Ovadia distinguishes between a congregation’s acceptance of Shabbat and that of an individual. An individual’s private acceptance of Shabbat does not apply as strictly as the congregation’s acceptance through the recitation of "Bo’i Kalla" or "Barechu" in the synagogue. Therefore, there is room to argue that the Kiddush obligation does not necessarily set in by virtue of a woman’s candle lighting, and it is therefore permissible for her to drink. Secondly, the Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Maimonides, Spain-Egypt, 1135-1204) held that it is permissible to drink beverages other than wine before Kiddush. Although we do not accept this ruling as Halacha, we may nevertheless take it into account in combination with the aforementioned argument as a basis for allowing a woman to drink beverages other than wine – such as water, tea or coffee – after lighting the Shabbat candles.
However, Hacham Ovdia applies this ruling only until sundown. Once the sun sets, Shabbat has begun with respect to all Halachot, and therefore one may not eat or drink anything until Kiddush past sundown on Friday evening.
Summary: A woman may drink beverages other than wine after lighting the Shabbat candles until sundown, even though she has not heard Kiddush.
