Q When taking part in a
kiddush after davening on Shabbat morning, what are the requirements of
how much of what food(s) I have to eat? The gemara (Pesachim 101a) brings the opinion of a few Amora'im that kiddush needs to be made at the place of a meal, and the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 273:3) rules this way. The source is the pasuk in Yeshaya (58:13), "and you shall call Shabbat a delight", from which we derive that the proclamation of the day of Shabbat (kiddush) should be connected to partaking in delights (a meal). Yet, in describing an actual case, the gemara talks about tasting something after kiddush, from which halachists of all generations understood that a full meal is not necessary to validate the kiddush. But the question remains: how much is needed and of what foods? The Tur (Orach Chayim 273) cites the Ge'onim as follows: "Even if he ate a little bit or drank a cup of wine upon which he is required to make a beracha, he fulfilled [the obligation of] kiddush... but only if he ate bread or drank wine, but fruit, no." The Acharonim (including the Magen Avraham 273:10) reason that the need to have enough for a beracha must refer to the beracha after eating, as before eating, one requires a beracha on any amount. The amount one needs to eat is, therefore, a kazayit (the size of an olive, or, roughly, 1 fl.oz.) of solid food or a revi'it (roughly, 3 fl. oz.) of wine. (One can argue that revi'it is too much or too little (see Mishna Berura 273:22,29). We anyway advise avoiding using wine or grape juice to fulfill the meal requirement, because at many (most?) public kiddushes there is not sufficient wine for many people to drink so much. Of course, derech eretz is an important concern from any healthy, Jewish perspective.) The Magen Avraham (ibid.:11) uses the Ge'onim's logic to extend the list of foods one can eat. This is because food made from the five major grain species are more meal-like than wine, as we find in the context of the requirements of seuda shlishit. Most Acharonim assume that such foods need not be pat haba'a b'kisnin (cake and the like, which are closer to bread). Rather, any food that gets the beracha acharona of "al hamichya" suffices (see Shemirat Shabbat K'hilchata 54:22). The preceding are the standard recommendations for meeting the halachic requirements of kiddush. However, we want to mention some less standard, yet legitimate, lenient positions. The Chayei Adam (6:22) says that if one is somewhat weak and does not have grain-based food, he can rely on the opinion that even fruit (or, apparently, any food) is sufficient. The Sha'arei Teshuva (273:7) says that every person who wants to use the kiddush to eat and/or to fulfill the mitzva must himself eat the requisite amount of the correct foods. However, B'tzel HaChochma (IV 2) brings a minority view that it is sufficient for one person from a group that took part (recited or listened) in a given recitation of kiddush to eat. Once someone connects the kiddush to a meal, others can rely on the kiddush without connecting it to their own meal. One should know these opinions before correcting others (which should generally be avoided when not absolutely necessary) and to use in extenuating circumstances. Several poskim indicate that circumstances need not be dire in order to apply reasonable leniency in this matter, which, while we do not treat it lightly, is not a particularly severe area of halacha. Such situations include (but are not limited to) cases where there is not enough cake for all or when a person has health concerns about eating carbohydrates at that time. Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of
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Please leave the subject blank. Ask the Vebbe Rebbe is partially funded by
the Jewish Agency for Israel Midrash Yalkut Shimoni (Toldot 111) teaches that this prenatal conflict was resolved by awarding this world temporarily to Esav and the World to Come to Yaakov. Esav later confirmed this settlement with the sale of his birthright. When Esav saw that Yaakov was returning from Lavan laden with the material blessings of this world, he protested: if God has given Yaakov so much of what is not his domain, how much more will he give Yaakov in the World to Come which is his by agreement? Yaakov, however, did not see the wealth that he amassed outside of the Land of Israel as anything but a means to strengthen his ownership of the Land of Israel. Declaring "the wealth of Chutz LaAretz unworthy of being retained by him" (Rashi Bereishit 46 6), he first used it to bribe Esav and then left it all to Esav in return for Esav's share in Ma'arat HaMachpela (Tanchuma Vayishlach 11). By doing so, Yaakov set an
example for all times; we today should see material success in Chutz LaAretz
as Yaakov saw it: as a means to facilitate Aliya and redeem the Land of
Israel. TORAH THOUGHTS as contributed
by Aloh Naaleh members for publication in the Orthodox Union's 'Torah
Insights', a weekly Torah publication on Parshat Ha'Shavuah Many people including some observant Jewish people do not realize that Jewish law also includes monetary law. Too many people think that Jewish law encompasses only the laws of the Sabbath, Jewish holidays, laws of what is kosher, and synagogue ritual. Perhaps the reason for this is although much has been written about Jewish ritual law, there have heretofore been only eight codes since the close of the Talmud dealing comprehensively with this subject matter. The eight codes are: Maimonides. (Rambam; 1135-1204) The greatest attempt ever made to arrange the entire mass of the Oral Law in a clear, orderly, logically coherent manner. R. Asher b. Yehiel (Rosh; 1250-1327) His compendium, like that of Alfasi is an abridgemnt of the Talmud and also gives expression to the traditions of the Franco-German scholars. R. Jacob b. Asher (Tur; 1280-1340) Arranged all of the laws that Jews practice today in four rows (Arba Turim) according to subject matter. R. Yosef Karo (Shulchan Aruch – set table; 1488-1575) Wrote a commentary on Tur and digested this large work into the Shulchan Aruch. Sephardic approach. R. Moshe Isserlis (Mapa - tablecloth to the Shulhan Aruch of R. Karo; 1520-1572) These are additions to the laws as stated by R. Karo and set forth the Franco-German views. R. Mordechai Jaffe (Levush, 1530-1612) Followed the order of the Tur and Shulhan Aruch and set forth the decision as he saw them in practice and often gives reasons for his decisions. R. Yechiel Michel HaLevi Epstein (Aruch haShulchan, 1829-1908) novellae and halachic rulings on the four parts of the Shulhan Aruch Rabbi Quint enters into the pantheon of this illustrious group by completing his Restatement of Rabbinic Civil Law. With the just published Volume Ten, the set completes all 427 chapters of the totality of Jewish Civil law as organized by Tur and Shulchan Aruch. What makes this work so user friendly is that Rabbi Quint's chapters correspond to the chapters of the Shulchan Aruch. His copious footnotes elucidate the text when necessary. Restatement of Rabbinic Civil Law is the first restatement of Jewish Civil law in English and thus makes the knowledge of Jewish Civil law accessible to tens of millions of people who do not read or understand Hebrew. More importantly, it is written
for educated laymen and one does not require any knowledge of either law or
Jewish or Rabbinic literature to comprehend the subject matter. The style is
a lucid and clear prose and gives the reader insight into areas that he
didn’t know even exist in Judaism. He realizes that those areas that he
thought are only part of 20th-21st century matters in business, commerce and
every day living are also included in Jewish law. Volume 1: Laws of: Judges;
Evidence; Role of the Woman in the Beth din System Each volume has its own index. There will be a cumulative index of all ten volumes published shortly. Today, more and more Jews are relying on having their business deals and commerce governed by Jewish law, and by having their disputes adjudicated by a Beth Din according to Jewish law. This work can help understand the process and laws regarding a Beth Din. These volumes will make a
welcome addition to the libraries of individuals and certainly to libraries
of synagogues, schools, and general libraries. The Israel Center proudly
salutes Rabbi Quint for this monumental achievement. Before the fateful encounter, and with all desperate measures taken, the lonely Ya'akov confronts "a man". There is a struggle; Ya'akov is wounded. Yet Ya'akov prevails over the persistent antagonist, designated by our rabbis as Esav's guardian angel. When the sparring partners are done, Ya'akov asks his opponent to identify himself - but the angel refuses to comply (Bereishit 32:30). Ostensibly, says Rashi, because the names of angels change according to their designated assignments. However, when it comes to our human enemies, it is clear that whatever their guise and by what- ever name they are known they share but only one ugly goal. And in the face of that reality, we, like Ya'akov, hold steady to the exalted name of Yisra'el, an accolade that reflects Ya'akov's potential to rise above his wounded pride and the lowly image thrust upon him by his dastardly detractors. And thousands of years later we still declare: "Shema Yisra'el HaShem Elokeynu HaShem Echad!" Shabbat Shalom, Menachem Persoff [The Parshat Vayishlach Homepage]
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