Hilchos Shabbos Table Learning
A Weekly Guide to Shabbos Laws for Personal Study and Family Discussion
🍽️ Eating or Drinking After Candle Lighting before Kiddush
📝Laws (What to Do):
- It is forbidden to eat or drink before Kiddush.
- The Poskim debate whether this restriction applies after lighting Shabbat candles prior to nightfall (Tzeis Hakochavim).
- Practically, if you are very thirsty (children, pregnant, nursing, elderly, or ill), you can make a special condition before lighting: “I am not accepting Shabbat yet.” This allows you to drink after lighting, but you must accept Shabbat within 10 minutes.
- The best practice is to make Kiddush right after lighting the candles, then eat and drink as much as you need—this is accepted by all opinions.
💡Reasons (Why):
There are different opinions about eating or drinking after lighting Shabbat candles because the halachic status of candle lighting varies. Some rabbis hold that the prohibition to eat or drink before Kiddush only begins at sunset, so until then, eating or drinking is allowed. Others see candle lighting as the moment when Shabbat is accepted, making it forbidden to eat or drink afterward. To help those who may need to drink—like children, pregnant or nursing women, the elderly, or anyone not feeling well—halacha allows making a special condition before lighting, stating that Shabbat is not yet accepted. This way, they can drink if needed. However, to avoid any doubt or disagreement, the best practice is to make Kiddush right after lighting the candles, so everyone can eat and drink with confidence, according to all opinions.
🧩 Example:
Rivka is really thirsty after lighting the Shabbat candles. She asks her mother to help her make a “condition” before lighting, so she can have a drink.
📚 Sources
Minchas Elazar 1:33; 2:11; Peri Yitzchak 2:9; Pischeiy Teshuvah 271 in name of Binyan Olam 7; Minchas Shabbos 77:2 [permits only water]; Ketzos Hashulchan 75 footnote 17 and 79 footnote 3 [leaves in question]; Beir Moshe 8:64; Mishneh Halachos 7:37; Piskeiy Teshuvos 271:13 [May drink any liquid and eat less than a Kebeitza of Mezonos]
🍷 How Much Wine Do You Need to Drink for Kiddush?
📝Laws (What to Do):
- The person making Kiddush must drink enough wine to fill one cheek (not both)—this is called “Malei Lugmav.”
- For most people, this is a little more than half a small Kiddush cup. Children or those with small mouths drink less, just enough to fill their cheek.
- You never need to drink more than a “Revi’it” (about 86 ml/3 oz), even if your cup is very big and your mouth very large.
- On Shabbos and Yom Tov (except Pesach Seder), you don’t need to drink most of the cup—just your “cheekful” is enough. Some people are strict and always drink most of the cup, but this is not required.
💡Reasons (Why):
The Sages established that the mitzvah of Kiddush is fulfilled by drinking enough wine to fill one cheek, known as “Malei Lugmav.” This amount is based on each person’s cheek size, so children or those with smaller mouths need less. Halacha also sets a maximum: you never need to drink more than a “Revi’it” (about 86 ml/3 oz), even if your cheek is larger or your cup is very big. On Shabbat and Yom Tov (except for the Pesach Seder), drinking this “cheekful” is enough, and there’s no need to finish most of the cup. However, on the Seder night, there is a debate, so some are strict and drink most of the cup. Some Chabad families are also strict in this way, inspired by stories of the Rebbeim, but this is not required by the basic halacha.
🧩 Example:
Moshe makes Kiddush and drinks just enough wine to fill one cheek—he doesn’t finish the whole cup, and that’s perfect!
📚 Sources
Admur 271:24; See also 190:4; Michaber 271:13; Rav Huna Pesachim 107a; Ketzos Hashulchan 79:5
🛠️ Melacha Corner 🛠️
🍮 Shabbos & Pudding Cups – What Should We Do?
Opening and Separating Pudding and Yogurt Cups on Shabbos
📝 Law (What to Do):
On Shabbos, one may not break apart or separate the pudding or yogurt cups from each other. It’s also best not to peel off the top cover of the pudding cup. The best way to open the pudding cup, if you forgot before Shabbat, is to use a knife to cut through the top—making sure not to ruin any letters—or to cut from the bottom where there are no letters and eat from there. If you can’t do this, a very young child under age two can open and eat some of the pudding, as long as you don’t tell them directly to do it. Really, the smartest idea is to separate and open all the cups before Shabbos begins, so you don’t run into any of these problems!
💡 Reasons (Why):
The reason for these rules is that breaking the cups apart makes them into separate containers, which is called “Tikkun Keli” and is not allowed on Shabbos. Peeling off the top cover can be a problem called “Koreia,” which means tearing things that are stuck together, and that’s also not allowed. Cutting through the bottom or top with a knife is better, especially if you don’t cut any letters, because it avoids these issues. If a very young child opens the cup by themselves, it’s okay, as long as you don’t ask them to do it. That’s why it’s always best to get everything ready before Shabbos!
🧩 Example:
On Friday afternoon, the Levi family is getting ready for Shabbos. Yaakov and his sister Sarah are excited for dessert and see a pack of six pudding cups in the fridge, all stuck together. They remember that it’s almost candle lighting, and ask their mommy if they can separate the cups. Mommy explains, “On Shabbos, we’re not allowed to break the pudding cups apart because of the rules of Tikkun Keli. Let’s separate them now before Shabbat starts!”
Later, after Shabbos begins, Sarah wants to open her pudding cup. She notices there are letters on the top, so she asks her Tatty for help. Tatty takes a knife and carefully cuts through the bottom of the cup, where there are no letters, and gives it to Sarah to eat. Little baby Rivka, who is under two years old, grabs a pudding cup and opens it herself. Since no one told her to do it, it’s okay for her to eat some.
The Levi family enjoys their Shabbos dessert, happy that they prepared ahead and followed the halacha!
📚 Sources:
Shulchan Aruch HaRav (Admur) 302:5, 308:54-55, 340:17-18, 508:2, 514:18; Shulchan Aruch (Michaber) 322:4, 314:1; Piskeiy Teshuvos 314:3, 340:34; Mishneh Berurah, Shaareiy Teshuvah, Ketzos Hashulchan.
