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Kiddush (; he, קידוש ), literally, "sanctification", is a blessing recited over
wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented grapes. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different ...
or
grape juice Grape juice is obtained from crushing and blending grapes into a liquid. In the wine industry, grape juice that contains 7–23 percent of pulp, skins, stems and seeds is often referred to as '' must''. The sugars in grape juice allow it to ...
to sanctify the
Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; he, שַׁבָּת, Šabbāṯ, , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical stori ...
and
Jewish holiday Jewish holidays, also known as Jewish festivals or ''Yamim Tovim'' ( he, ימים טובים, , Good Days, or singular , in transliterated Hebrew []), are holidays observed in Judaism and by JewsThis article focuses on practices of mainst ...
s. Additionally, the word refers to a small repast held on Shabbat or festival mornings after the prayer services and before the meal.


Significance

The Torah refers to two requirements concerning Shabbat – to "keep it" and to "remember it" (''shamor'' and ''zakhor'').
Jewish law ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical comman ...
therefore requires that Shabbat be observed in two respects. One must "keep it" by refraining from thirty-nine forbidden activities, and one must "remember it" by making special arrangements for the day, and specifically through the ''kiddush'' ceremony. Reciting ''kiddush'' before the meal on the eve of
Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; he, שַׁבָּת, Šabbāṯ, , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical stori ...
and
Jewish holiday Jewish holidays, also known as Jewish festivals or ''Yamim Tovim'' ( he, ימים טובים, , Good Days, or singular , in transliterated Hebrew []), are holidays observed in Judaism and by JewsThis article focuses on practices of mainst ...
s is thus a commandment from the Torah (as it is explained by the Oral Torah). Reciting ''kiddush'' before the morning meal on Shabbat and holidays is a requirement of rabbinic origin. Kiddush is not usually recited at the third meal on Shabbat, although
Maimonides Musa ibn Maimon (1138–1204), commonly known as Maimonides (); la, Moses Maimonides and also referred to by the acronym Rambam ( he, רמב״ם), was a Sephardic Jewish philosopher who became one of the most prolific and influential Torah ...
was of the opinion that wine should be drunk at this meal as well.


Rituals

To honor the
mitzvah In its primary meaning, the Hebrew word (; he, מִצְוָה, ''mīṣvā'' , plural ''mīṣvōt'' ; "commandment") refers to a commandment commanded by God to be performed as a religious duty. Jewish law () in large part consists of discus ...
of reciting ''kiddush'', a silver goblet is often used, although any cup can suffice. The cup must hold a ''revi'it'' of liquid. A ''revi'it'' is between (Rabbi Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz) and (Rabbi Avraham Chaim Naeh). After the person reciting the kiddush drinks from the wine, the rest of it is passed around the table or poured out into small cups for the other participants. Alternatively, wine is poured for each of the participants before kiddush. Before reciting ''kiddush'', the challah, which will be the next food item eaten in honor of the Shabbat or holiday, is first covered with a cloth. According to
Halakha ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...
, the blessing over bread takes precedence to the blessing over wine. However, in the interests of beginning the meal with ''kiddush'', the challah is covered to "remove" it from the table (some do not have the challah on the table at all during ''kiddush''). Wine or grape juice may be used for kiddush. The Talmud permits the use of unfermented fresh grape juice for sacramental use. While later legal codes have expressed a preference for wine, traditional and orthodox communities generally permit the use of grape juice in place of wine for blessings and rituals. On Friday night ''kiddush'' may be recited over the challah; the blessing over bread is substituted for the blessing over wine. In that case, the ritual hand-washing normally performed prior to consuming the challah is done ''before'' the recitation of ''kiddush''. German Jews follow this procedure even if wine is present. If there is only sufficient wine or grape juice for one kiddush, it should be used for the Friday night kiddush. In many synagogues, ''kiddush'' is recited on Friday night at the end of services. This ''kiddush'' does not take the place of the obligation to recite ''kiddush'' at the Friday night meal. When recited in a synagogue, the first paragraph (
Genesis Genesis may refer to: Bible * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...
2:1–3) is omitted. The text of the Friday night ''kiddush'' begins with a passage from
Genesis Genesis may refer to: Bible * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...
2:1–3, as a testimony to God's creation of the world and cessation of work on the seventh day. Some people stand during the recital of these
Biblical The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of ...
verses (even if they sit for kiddush), since according to Jewish law testimony must be given standing. There are different customs regarding sitting or standing while reciting kiddush depending on communal and family tradition. Some
Hasidic Hasidism, sometimes spelled Chassidism, and also known as Hasidic Judaism ( Ashkenazi Hebrew: חסידות ''Ḥăsīdus'', ; originally, "piety"), is a Jewish religious group that arose as a spiritual revival movement in the territory of conte ...
and
Sephardic Sephardic (or Sephardi) Jews (, ; lad, Djudíos Sefardíes), also ''Sepharadim'' , Modern Hebrew: ''Sfaradim'', Tiberian: Səp̄āraddîm, also , ''Ye'hude Sepharad'', lit. "The Jews of Spain", es, Judíos sefardíes (or ), pt, Judeus sefa ...
Jews pour small amounts of water into the wine before kiddush on Friday night. This is done either to commemorate the old custom of "mixing of the wine" in the days when wine was too strong to be drunk without dilution, or to infuse the water (wine?) with the quality of mercy which is symbolized by water (wine?). Since the Shabbat morning ''kiddush'' is rabbinically rather than biblically mandated, it has a lesser status than the Friday night ''kiddush''. Its name ''Kiddusha Rabba'' (קידושא רבא, "The Great ''Kiddush''"), first mentioned in the Talmud, is euphemistic. There are different versions for the kiddush on Sabbath morning, and it is generally shorter than the Friday night kiddush. Originally, this kiddush consisted only of the blessing over the wine. Later, additional verses related to Shabbat were added. However, there are a wide variety of customs as to which verse are recited, and in some liberal congregations no verses at all are recited.


Text


Other variations

On
Rosh Hashanah Rosh HaShanah ( he, רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, , literally "head of the year") is the Jewish New Year. The biblical name for this holiday is Yom Teruah (, , lit. "day of shouting/blasting") It is the first of the Jewish High Holy Days (, , ...
, the night Kiddush is similar to that of the other festivals. Where it differs, it is usually to follow the pattern of middle blessing of the
Amidah The ''Amidah Amuhduh'' ( he, תפילת העמידה, ''Tefilat HaAmidah'', 'The Standing Prayer'), also called the ''Shemoneh Esreh'' ( 'eighteen'), is the central prayer of the Jewish liturgy. Observant Jews recite the ''Amidah'' at each ...
. (An example is the concluding formula "Blessed are You, the LORD, King over the entire world, Who sanctifies he Sabbath,Israel, and the Day of Remembrance.") During the day, the verses Psalms 81:4–5 (Ashkenazi) or Numbers 10:10 (Sephardic) are recited prior to the blessing over wine. Many also say the festival verses (usually first), and on
Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; he, שַׁבָּת, Šabbāṯ, , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the week—i.e., Saturday. On this day, religious Jews remember the biblical stori ...
all recite the relevant verses (see above) at the very beginning. On
Yom Kippur Yom Kippur (; he, יוֹם כִּפּוּר, , , ) is the holiest day in Judaism and Samaritanism. It occurs annually on the 10th of Tishrei, the first month of the Hebrew calendar. Primarily centered on atonement and repentance, the day' ...
, being a fast day, no kiddush is recited, even by one who will be eating for medical reasons, and even on Shabbat.


Yaknehaz

When a festival is on Saturday night, Kiddush is recited, but
Havdalah Havdalah ( he, הַבְדָּלָה, "separation") is a Jewish religious ceremony that marks the symbolic end of Shabbat and ushers in the new week. The ritual involves lighting a special havdalah candle with several wicks, blessing a cup of ...
must also be said because Shabbat is holier than the festivals. The sequence of blessings in such a case is known as ''yak'n'haz'' (יקנה"ז), for ''yayin, kiddush, ner, havdalah, zman'', meaning "wine, kiddush, flame, havdalah,
shehecheyanu The ''Shehecheyanu'' blessing ( he, ברכת שהחיינו, "Who has given us life") is a common Jewish prayer said to celebrate special occasions. It is said to express gratitude to God for new and unusual experiences or possessions. The blessing ...
". That is, first the blessing over wine, then the standard kiddush blessing (see above), then the blessing for the flame (''borei m'orei ha'eish'', Who creates the radiance of the fire), then a modified havdalah blessing (ending with "Who differentiates between (one level of) holiness and (another level of) holiness"), and then the shehecheyanu blessing (omitted on the final days of
Passover Passover, also called Pesach (; ), is a major Jewish holiday that celebrates the Biblical story of the Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt, which occurs on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, the first month of Aviv, or spring. ...
; see above). Essentially, the havdalah blessings are recited after kiddush, but before shehechiyanu, which is usually the last blessing to ever be recited. Spices are not used. In the opposite case, when Shabbat ''follows'' a festival, the regular Shabbat kiddush is recited, with no variations.


Yaknehaz Candle

While on a year-round Motzai Shabbat one can extinguish the candle used for
Havdalah Havdalah ( he, הַבְדָּלָה, "separation") is a Jewish religious ceremony that marks the symbolic end of Shabbat and ushers in the new week. The ritual involves lighting a special havdalah candle with several wicks, blessing a cup of ...
, this is not permitted when the evening coincides with a Holiday date (Yom Tov). Rather than simply picking up two of the candles already lit for Yom Tov when the blessing for fire is recited as part of a modified Havdalah, and holding them so that their wicks are interlaced, it is easier to use a special two-wick candle as one of the Holiday candles; they're sized to fit in a regular Shabbat candelabra or candlestick holder (in place of a standard one-wick candle). This special candle is called a ''Yaknehaz Candle''.


Synagogue kiddush

The term ''kiddush'' also refers to refreshments served either at home or at the
synagogue A synagogue, ', 'house of assembly', or ', "house of prayer"; Yiddish: ''shul'', Ladino: or ' (from synagogue); or ', "community". sometimes referred to as shul, and interchangeably used with the word temple, is a Jewish house of wor ...
following prayer services on Shabbat or Yom Tov, which begin with the recitation of kiddush.
Cake Cake is a flour confection made from flour, sugar, and other ingredients, and is usually baked. In their oldest forms, cakes were modifications of bread, but cakes now cover a wide range of preparations that can be simple or elaborate ...
,
cracker Cracker, crackers or The Crackers may refer to: Animals * ''Hamadryas'' (butterfly), or crackers, a genus of brush-footed butterflies * '' Sparodon'', a monotypic genus whose species is sometimes known as "Cracker" Arts and entertainment Films ...
s, and gefilte fish are traditionally served. On
Shavuot (''Ḥag HaShavuot'' or ''Shavuos'') , nickname = English: "Feast of Weeks" , observedby = Jews and Samaritans , type = Jewish and Samaritan , begins = 6th day of Sivan (or the Sunday following the 6th day of Sivan ...
morning, the custom is to serve dairy foods such as cheesecake and cheese blintzes for the kiddush. According to the ''
Shulchan Aruch The ''Shulchan Aruch'' ( he, שֻׁלְחָן עָרוּך , literally: "Set Table"), sometimes dubbed in English as the Code of Jewish Law, is the most widely consulted of the various legal codes in Judaism. It was authored in Safed (today in ...
'', kiddush should be recited preceding the Shabbat meal. Eating '' mezonot'' such as cake or cookies or drinking an additional revi'it of wine is also sufficient according to the opinion of most Rishonim. Nevertheless, some Jews recite kiddush only when about to partake of a full meal. Often a ''kiddush'' is hosted by a family celebrating the birth of a daughter, a bar mitzvah, a wedding, an engagement, a birthday, or other happy occasion. Some people also host a ''kiddush'' on the
yahrtzeit Bereavement in Judaism () is a combination of ''minhag'' and ''mitzvah'' derived from the Torah and Judaism's classical rabbinic texts. The details of observance and practice vary according to each Jewish community. Mourners In Judaism, the p ...
of a parent or other relative. In some synagogues the celebrant is honored with reciting the Shabbat morning ''kiddush'' on behalf of all the attendees. In other synagogues the
rabbi A rabbi () is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism. One becomes a rabbi by being ordained by another rabbi – known as '' semikha'' – following a course of study of Jewish history and texts such as the Talmud. The basic form o ...
or gabbai recites the ''kiddush''. Some Jews make kiddush on Shabbat morning over liquor instead of wine. When this is done, the blessing recited is ''she-hakol nihyeh bid'varo'' instead of ''borei p'ri ha-gafen''. The ''
Mishnah Berurah The ''Mishnah Berurah'' ( he, משנה ברורה "Clear Teaching") is a work of ''halakha'' (Jewish law) by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (Poland, 1838–1933, also known as ''Chofetz Chaim''). It is a commentary on ''Orach Chayim'', the first section ...
'' (an authoritative
Ashkenazi Ashkenazi Jews ( ; he, יְהוּדֵי אַשְׁכְּנַז, translit=Yehudei Ashkenaz, ; yi, אַשכּנזישע ייִדן, Ashkenazishe Yidn), also known as Ashkenazic Jews or ''Ashkenazim'',, Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation: , singu ...
halakhic text) rules that under extenuating circumstances, liquor may be substituted for wine on the grounds that it is ''Hamar Medina,'' a drink one would serve to a respected guest; nevertheless, many rely on this even without extenuating circumstances.


History of using white wine

During the 17th century, because of
blood libel Blood libel or ritual murder libel (also blood accusation) is an antisemitic canardTurvey, Brent E. ''Criminal Profiling: An Introduction to Behavioral Evidence Analysis'', Academic Press, 2008, p. 3. "Blood libel: An accusation of ritual mur ...
s,
David HaLevi Segal David ha-Levi Segal (c. 1586 – 20 February 1667), also known as the Turei Zahav (abbreviated Taz ()) after the title of his significant '' halakhic'' commentary on the ''Shulchan Aruch'', was one of the greatest Polish rabbinical authorities ...
''Turei Zahav'' "issued a Passover ruling ... that the traditional red wine used at the Seders be substituted with white wine in lands of persecution in order to not arouse suspicion."


See also

*
Kosher wine Kosher wine () is wine that is produced in accordance with ''halakha'', and more specifically ''kashrut'', such that Jews will be permitted to pronounce blessings over and drink it. This is an important issue, since wine is used in several Jewi ...


References


External links


Jewish Encyclopedia: Kiddush
{{Shabbat Jewish ceremonial food and drink Jewish prayer and ritual texts Jewish blessings Shabbat Positive Mitzvoth Judaism and alcohol Hebrew words and phrases in Jewish prayers and blessings