Translation:Shulchan Aruch/Orach Chaim/271

by Yosef Karo

271: The Laws of Kiddush over the Wine.

1 When he will arrive at his home, he should hurry to eat immediately.
2 Women are obligated in Kiddush, even though it is a positive commandment that the time causes (meaning, a positive commandment that's dependent on time), because Remember is compared to Guard. And these women, since they are included in watching, they are included in remembering. And they can discharge men from their obligation since they are obligated by the Torah, like them.

3 If one has not the finances at hand to purchase wine for Kiddush and to prepare the needs of the meal for the honor of the night, and for the honor of the day, and for the Kiddush of the day, it is better that he should purchase wine for the Kiddush of the night rather than that he should prepare the needs of the meal or than that he should purchase wine for Kiddush of the day. And that which is taught: "The honor of the day precedes the honor of the night", this is only with regards to other needs of the meal. However, if he does not have more than one cup for Kiddush, the honor of the night is prioritized over the honor of the day.

4 It is forbidden to taste anything before one makes Kiddush, and even water. And even if one began while it was still day, he needs to stop; that he spreads out a tablecloth and makes Kiddush. And if they were drinking wine first, he says only the Kiddush itself without the bracha on the wine. And afterward he recites the bracha "...Who takes out...". And if he does not have wine, and he makes Kiddush on the bread, he does not recite the bracha "...Who takes out...". And there are those who say that even when he recites Kiddush on the wine, he does not recite the bracha "...Who takes out...".

5 Two who were drinking and they said "Come, let us recite the Kiddush of the day", it is forbidden for them to drink until they will recite Kiddush. And if they wanted to return and to drink before they will recite Kiddush, even though they are not allowed, they need to again recite the bracha "...Who creates the fruit of the vine" and afterward they shall drink. Gloss: A person who forgot to recite Kiddush until after he recited the bracha "...Who takes out...", and remembered before he ate; should recite Kiddush on the bread and afterward he shall eat. But, if it was Havdalah, he should eat first – for we do not make Havdalah on the bread. (Hagahos Alfasi; Mordechai, Chapter "Bameh Madlikin").

6 If one finished his meal and the day sanctified before he recited Birkat Hamazon, he recites Birkat Hamazon over the first cup and afterwards he recites the kiddush of the day over a second cup. And he needs to mention Shabbat during Birkat Hamazon even though he recites it prior to Kiddush. Glossː And there are those who say that he does not mention Shabbat because we go after the beginning of the meal, and such is the essence as it was explained above, end of Siman 188. And there is a disagreement if he should taste from the cup of Birkat Hamazon before he will recite kiddush. Also, if he needs to eat a little bit after the kiddush so that the kiddush will be at the place of the meal. And there are those who say that even at the end of one's meal, one does not recite Birkat Hamazon first. Rather, he spreads out a tablecloth and recites kiddush, and recites Hamotzi and eats a little and afterwards recites Birkat Hamazon.

Gloss: And such is our custom to take oneself out from the disagreement of the first opinion.
7 Even though it is forbidden for one to taste before kiddush, if he did taste, he recites kiddush.

8 If one did not make Kiddush at night – whether it was unintentional or intentional, he must make up for it the next day, the whole day. Gloss: And he says all of the Kiddush of the night (Beis Yosef) except "Vayechulu" (Orach Chayim in the name of Tosefos).

9 There needs to be a tablecloth on the table underneath the bread and another cloth spread out on top of it.

10 One recites Kiddush on a cup, full of wine that is not blemished, and it requires all that a cup for Birkat Hamazon requires, and he says 'Vayechulu' while standing and afterwards he says 'Bore pri hagafen' and afterwards kiddush. Gloss: And one may stand during the time of Kiddush and it is better to sit (Kol Bo). And our custom is to sit even during the time that one says 'Vayechulu', except that when we begin, we stand a bit for the honor of Hashem, because we begin 'Yom hashishi, Vayechulu hashamayim' and it hints to Hashem in the first letters of the words. And when one begins, he should look at the candles (Mahari"l and Sechel Tov) during the time of kiddush with the cup of blessing. And so it seems to me, see above Siman 183, seif 4.

11 If one only has one cup, he uses it at night for kiddush and does not taste from it so he will not blemish it. Rather, he pours from it into another cup and tastes the wine of kiddush from the second cup. And the next day, he recites kiddush over what remains in the first cup. And if it had but an exact reviis and he decreased from it at night, he blends it with water the next day to make the reviis. And this is specifically if he has another cup for Havdalah. For if it is not so, it is better that he should leave it for Havdalah, for that is not possible with bread rather than that he should recite kiddush over it, and he will not have wine for Havdalah. And if he has exactly two cups after diluting, he should recite kiddush with one at night and make havdalah over the second and he should not recite kiddush during the day, because the kiddush of the night is preferable.

12 After he recited kiddush over the cup, one washes his hands and recites the blessing "...Al n'tilat yadayim". And if he washed his hands prior to Kiddush, he revealed his opinion that bread is more beloved for him, and he should not recite kiddush over the wine, rather over the bread.

Gloss: And there are those who say that initially, one should wash his hands before the kiddush and to recite kiddush over the wine (the Rosh; and the Mordechai, Chapter "Eves of Pesachim"; and Rashba; and Hagahos Maimoni, Chapter 29; and Tur) and such is the custom spread in these lands and it is not to be changed except on the night of Pesach, as will be explained, Siman 473.

3 One must drink a cheekful from the cup of Kiddush, i.e. if one moves it to one side in his mouth and their cheek appears full, and that is the majority of a revi'it.

14 If the one who recites kiddush did not taste, and one of those who are dining tasted the quantity of a cheekful (meaning: his full mouth), he has fulfilled his obligation. And the drinking of two people cannot combine to equal a cheekful. And nevertheless, it is preferable for the mitzvah that all of them should taste. And there are those who say that since between all of them, they tasted the quantity of a cheekful, they have fulfilled their obligation, because everyone's drinking combines to equal the measurement. And the geonim hold that if the person reciting kiddush did not taste, he has not fulfilled his obligation. And it is appropriate to concern oneself over their words. And specifically regarding kiddush. But regarding other things that require a cup, the geonim acknowledge that it is sufficient for one to taste it.

15 If one recited kiddush, and before he tastes, he paused by talking, he goes back and recites the blessing "...bore p'ri hagafen" and he does not need to go back and to recite kiddush. And this is the law if the cup spilled prior to tasting from it, one should bring another cup and recite "bore p'ri hagafen" over it and he does not need to go back and to recite kiddush.
16 Those reclining should not taste before the one who recites Kiddush will taste if they need his cup he pours from it into the cups that are in their hand, whether empty or blemished. If, however, they had unblemished cups of wine, they may drink before the one who recites Kiddush will drink.

17 One does not need to pour from the cup of the one who recites kiddush into the cups of wine that are in front of those reclining, unless they were blemished, for then one must pour into each and every cup so that all of them should drink from a cup that is unblemished.