Question:
This past Shabbos, I was hearing Kiddush from someone who didn’t have much grape juice, so he diluted the grape juice with water. I know that this is problematic, if you add too much water, because the grape juice becomes a shehakol. However, in this case, I am not sure if the amount of water he added was enough to make it a shehakol, although my feeling is that he did the wrong thing.
After hearing Kiddush from this person, I had a safek if I was yotzi. What should I have done, if it’s not possible to hear Kiddush from someone else? Just say safek d’rabbon lekula (I already davened Maariv) and not worry about it?
Also, there is the issue of embarrassing the person etc. – which is not an excuse c”v to not fulfill the mitzvah of kiddush, but I would like the rav to offer some guidance on what would have been the best thing to do in this case.
Thank you.
Answer:
You are correct that embarrassing the person is an important factor. If you had separate challas you could have possibly made kiddush on them providing the host would not notice.
Sources:
O:CH 272:2 &9 Mishnah Berurah 27, Hamoriah Shevat Year 742,
