DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 816 KB)
Using Beverages Other than Wine and Grape Juice for Kiddush on Shabbat Morning

Kiddush on Shabbat morning should preferably be recited over either wine or grape juice. If one cannot drink wine or grape juice, or if one does not have access to wine or grape juice, then Halacha allow reciting Kiddush over "Hamar Medina," an intoxicating beverage that is commonly drunk in his area of residence. In contemporary times, the most common example of "Hamar Medina" is beer. Therefore, a person who, for whatever reason, cannot recite Kiddush over wine or grape juice should use beer for Kiddush. He should recite the Beracha of "She'hakol Niheya Bi'dvaro" and drink a Revi'it – approximately 3 ounces – of beer.

If a person cannot recite Kiddush over wine, grape juice or beer, is there any other beverage over which he may recite Kiddush?

Maran (Rabbi Yosef Karo, author of the Shulhan Aruch), in his work Bet Yosef (Siman 289), rules that in such a situation one may recite Kiddush over any beverage other than water. According to this view, one who does not have access to wine, grape juice or beer may recite Kiddush over any fruit juice or even cola. In the Shulhan Aruch, however, Maran retracted this ruling and required that Kiddush be recited over only "Hamar Medina" where wine and grape juice are not available.

As for the final Halacha, Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his work Yabia Omer, Helek 3, O"H, Siman 19, rules that one who cannot drink wine or grape juice should certainly recite Kiddush over beer, in accordance with the ruling of the Shulhan Aruch. Nevertheless, if a person does not have access to beer, either, then he should recite Kiddush over a beverage other than water and then conduct his Shabbat meal over bread. Since the Kiddush recitation on Shabbat morning consists of only the Beracha over the beverage, using a different beverage does not entail the risk of a Beracha Le'vatala (a "wasted" Beracha). The only potential Halachic dilemma relates to the prohibition against eating and drinking before Kiddush: if Halacha does not allow one to fulfill the Kiddush obligation with other beverages, then one who does so will have drunk and eaten without reciting Kiddush. As Hacham Ovadia notes, however, some Rishonim (Medieval Halachic authorities) permit eating and drinking before Kiddush on Shabbat morning, and thus in a situation where wine, grape juice and beer are not available, one may rely on these authorities and recite Kiddush on any beverage other than water.

Summary: On Shabbat morning one should recite Kiddush specifically over wine or grape juice. If one cannot drink wine or grape juice, or does not have access to wine or grape juice, he should recite Kiddush over beer. If he cannot drink beer or does not have access to beer, then he should recite Kiddush over any beverage other than water.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Using an Electric Menorah for the Hanukah Candle Lighting
The Custom That Women Refrain From Certain Activities While the Hanukah Candles are Lit
Chanukah- Some Issues Concerning Hallel on Chanukah
Hanukah- May a Mourner Attend a Hanukah Party?
The Qualifications of the Hanukah Menorah
Chanukah- Should the Hanukah Candles be Lit Indoors or Outdoors?
Is There an Obligation to Eat Festive Meals on Hanukah?
What are the Preferred Materials From a Menorah Should be Made?
Hanukah – The Custom to Eat Jelly Donuts and Potato Pancakes
If a Congregation Neglected to Read the Hanukah Torah Reading
Hallel on Hanukah – One Who Mistakenly Recited Half-Hallel; Women’s Recitation of Hallel; Interruptions During Hallel
If One Did Not Recite Shehehiyanu on the First Night of Hanukah
The Hanukah Candle Lighting in the Synagogue When the First Night of Hanukah is Friday Night
Hanukah – Insights Into the Word “Hanukah”; the “Ma’oz Sur” Hymn; Praying for One’s Children at the Time of Candle Lighting
Hanukah Candles – The “Shamosh” Candle, and the Extra Candle Lit by Syrian Jews
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found