Question: Can Coca-Cola be used as chamar medina? What drinks are permitted to be used as chamar medina? I know that the rule is a beverage that one would serve… Read more »
Category: The Shabbat routine and the meals
Making an early Shabbos
Question: I was once speaking to a huge talmid chacham, who has a vast knowledge of yedios hatorah but is not a Moreh Horeh, regarding making an early shabbos …. Read more »
Eggs on shabbat
Question: Why is it customary to eat eggs or egg salad on shabbat? Answer: As far as I know, the real custom is to eat a type of egg salad… Read more »
hefsek in kiddush
Question: If one is listening to kiddush over whiskey, may one call out l’chaim after the person making kiddush says savri but before he makes the bracha shehakol or is… Read more »
Additions in bentching after Shabbos is over
Question: Should one continue to say all Shabbos additions to Birkas Hamazon during a Seudas Shlishis, if the time ending Shabbos has passed? Answer: Yes one should continue bentching even… Read more »
Challah that is Shalem
Question: If one puts the challah on top of a pot to keep warm and there is a screw sticking up on top of the pot. Can one stick the… Read more »
Eating the shabbos meal when one is sick
Question: If a person is r”l very sick on Shabbos, to the point that eating will cause him to vomit, should he simply refrain from eating? Answer: The shabbos meals… Read more »
Melaveh Malka when I am full
Question: Hi, If I generally eat seudah shlishis within about 30 min before shekiah, then go daven maariv less than an hour later, it’s likely that I’m not at all… Read more »
Whiskey and pas are you yotza kiddush in the place of the meal
Question: If one made Kiddush Shabbos morning on whiskey, and drank a melo lugmav of it, and then he eats a kezayis of pas to nullify the bitter taste, he… Read more »
I davened Shabbos maariv instead of mincha, was I mekabel Shabbos
Question: A person came to shul on Friday afternoon to daven Mincha. By accident he started saying the Friday night S”E (Maariv) instead of the weekday Mincha. What should he… Read more »
Fasting on shabbos
Question: One sees that the Mussaf prayer on Shabbos will be delayed and one will only get home/ have the opportunity to make Kiddush when it will be after chatzos… Read more »
Eating bread for Melava Malka after eating other foods
Question: If one ate mezonos or fruits for the third Shabbos meal or melava malka (whether due to being lazy, or not having an appetite for bread, or being unable… Read more »
Eating before davening Mussaf
Question: Is it ok to eat before davening mussaf? If a person had to leave shul early and won’t daven musaf until later is it okay to eat before? Is… Read more »
Is a cup that holds 2.9 ounces good enough for kiddush
Question: If on Friday night one made Kiddush using a cup that holds 2.9 or 3 oz., even though it is preferable to use 4 or so oz. on Friday… Read more »
Diluting grape juice
Question: Follow-up question to “diluting grape juice” – As I indicated in my original question, I had a safek if I was yotzi (though my feeling is that the Kiddush… Read more »
Two kiddushim combined
Question: We’re IY”H making a kiddush for our son’s bar mitzvah this Shabbos. Our neighbor wants to make a kiddush for his new baby girl this Shabbos as well. (The… Read more »
Diluting grape juice
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,… Read more »
Drinking wine spilled from kiddush
Question: I know many people are makpid not to drink the wine spilled during the seder. Is there any source not to drink the wine that spills over from the… Read more »
kiddush before maariv
Question: Is it OK to made/ hear Kiddush before Maariv, begin the seuda, then leave to daven Maariv and then come back to finish the seuda? I understand that the… Read more »
Shabbat
Question: I have a digestive condition whereby I am not allowed to eat within 4 hours of going to bed. If I don’t adhere to this now, I will end… Read more »
Kiddush on Shabbos morning
Question: If someone is making kiddush on a cup of grape juice on shabbos morning but does not want to drink most of it, and would rather be yotzei the… Read more »
Continuing Seuda Shlishis After Sunset
Question: If one desires to fulfill shalosh seudos by eating cake, fruit, or fish, is it necessary to stop eating them by shkia, or may one continue to eat them… Read more »
Eating Before Kiddush and Davening
Are there different opinions regarding the obligation to make kiddush shabbos morning before eating breakfast? If someone is perfectly capable of davening without eating, however their overall physical and mental… Read more »
Spilled Kiddush Cup
If a person started out making Kiddush on a revi’is of wine, but it spilled in the process of making Kiddush and now he has less than a revi’is in… Read more »
Waiting for Kiddush
If a person follows the pious practice of not eating/ drinking outside the sukkah at all (on Sukkos), and right now he doesn’t have access to a sukkah (he will… Read more »
Havdala Sitting or Standing
Dear Rabbi When making havdalah, is it best to stand or sit? Answer: There are varying customs, both are acceptable. One who has no custom in his family or community… Read more »
Reciting Kidduch Twice
My husband would like to make kiddush for my housebound mother on Shabbos night on his way home from schul. (She’s unable to make it alone.) He doesn’t want to… Read more »
Lechem Mishneh In Bag
Shalom, If a loaf being used for lechem mishnah is wrapped up or in a bag, is it best to remove it before using it? Thank you Answer: The Challah… Read more »
Wood Kiddush Cup
According to Sefardic halaha laws: does a kiddish cup need to be silver? can’t be made of wood? Answer: A kiddush cup can be made of wood or any other… Read more »
Kiddush with Disposable Cup
Can one make kiddush using a plastic disposable cup? Also, can one use a shnapps cup with shnapps in it that’s less than reviis to make kiddush? Answer: It is… Read more »
Adding Water to Grape Juice
Concerning grape juice (e.g., Kedem, Nature’s Own, etc…) that is used for Kiddush on Leyl Shabbos and Leyl Yom Tov (& consequently during the daytime meals). If after making Kiddush,… Read more »
Passing on the Cup at Kiddush
HI, If you are a guest at a shabbos table and you are given a cup of wine, are you required to drink it or can you pass it to… Read more »
Drinking Kiddush Wine on Trip
I am on a school trip to Israel and one school the rules is that you are not allowed to drink alcohol. When I stayed with another family during my… Read more »
Mistakes in Shabbat Kiddush
In my shul the chazzan occasionally mistakenly skips words in the recital of the day Kiddush of Shabbos, he gets offended at my corrections. Am I obligated to correct him… Read more »
Sensitivity to Wheat
Question: Dear Rabbi, I am diabetic, and do not eat wheat during the week for health reasons. I have become so sensitive to wheat that when I eat it on… Read more »
Coke and Beer for Kiddush
Hello a Rabbi here holds that coke is chamar medina to make kiddush on, what is the Rav’s opinion? Also is beer or whisky considered chamar medina? Answer: Although some… Read more »
Kiddush and Meal before Davening
I have small children and sometimes they cannot wait for me to come home from shul to make kiddush and then eat. Is it permitted to make kiddush and have… Read more »
Sources for Kiddush Bemakom Seudah
I just received an answer from you regarding why chazal mandated a meal to accompany kiddush in order to halachically fulfill the mitzvah of kiddush. I looked up the sources… Read more »
Meal with Kiddush
Why did Chazal mandate a meal with kiddush? What is it about the meal that determines if one has fulfilled kiddush for if one does not have a meal kiddush… Read more »
Forgot Vayechulu in Kiddush
If someone recited borei pri hagefen on Shabbos night and forgot to say vayechulu, should he go back and say vayechulu or just continue with the rest of kiddush, drink… Read more »
Kiddush Without Holding Cup
If one is unsure if one can be yotze kiddush through someone, i.e. he may be mechallel shabbos b’tzina or doesn’t believe fully in one of the yud gimmel ikkrim… Read more »
Eating Before Kiddush in Morning
Someone who didn’t make Kiddush Friday night must make Kiddush by day. Can such a person drink before davening in the morning or must they make kiddush even before this?… Read more »
Making Early Yom Tov on Shabbos
This year Shavuos came out Motzei Shabbos. The following shailo was raised. In regards to Shavuos and to other yamim tovim, may one be “makabel yom tov” early while it’s… Read more »
Kiddush on Cup of Liquor
My husband makes kiddush on a full becher of liquor (he has wine but prefers to drink liquor) on shabbos morning. Since the children (the oldest is 8 years) can’t… Read more »
Kiddush at Bris on Shabbos
What is halacha l’maseh by a Bris on Shabbos for the one making the brachos over a cos of wine. Are they yotzee with this kiddush? When should they drink… Read more »
White Grape Juice for Kiddush
Can white grape juice be used for kiddush at night, day or havdallah? If one has been using it because of preference was he not yozei? Whats the best drink… Read more »
Kiddush on Beer at Night
Re saying Kiddush on beer – is there a difference between the Kiddush of the night and the Kiddush of the day? Answer: In the night, it is better to… Read more »
Kiddush on Bread
Can one make Kiddush on bread? Answer: Bedieved, when one has no wine, one can make kiddush on bread (Shulchan Aruch 271:12; Rema 272:9; this is based on the rulings… Read more »
Kiddush on Beer
Can one say Kiddush on beer or whiskey? Answer: In places where beer is a common drink, one can say kiddush on beer (396:2). With regard to whiskey,… Read more »
Havdalah before Maariv
In a sha’as hadchak situation can someone make havdalah on motzaei Shabbos before davening maariv? Answer: Yes, this is fine. Sources: The enactment of havdalah includes two parts: One havdalah… Read more »