Question:
I was always under the impression that people need to say the regular Kiddush.
Recently, my kids me they were told they can just say the Borei Prei Hagafen Brocha...
Answer:
Hello,
It depends which Kiddush you are referring to. The nighttime Kiddush has 3 parts to it, Vayechulu, Hagofen and then the kiddush bracha, and all three must be said. However during the daytime is a very short[1] kiddush and halachically one only has to make the bracha of hagofen. The custom[2] among many however is to say some pesukim related to Shabbos before saying the bracha. Some people say Zachor etc., and some say V’shomru etc. There is one point though, that a person saying the pesukim should not merely start from “Al Kain” because it is in the middle of a pasuk, and when saying pesukim we should merely say half a pasuk.
Best wishes
Sources:
[1] שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות שבת סימן רפט סעיף א' "ויברך על היין בפה"ג והוא נקרא קידושא רבא".
[2]משנה ברורה סימן רפט ס"ק ב' "יש נוהגין לפתוח מתחלה פסוק ושמרו בני ישראל וגו' או זכור את יום השבת עד ויקדשהו ויש מההמון שפותחין מעל כן ברך וגו' ושלא כדין הוא דכל פסוקא דלא פסקיה משה אנן לא פסקינן".
