📖 Daily Rambam (1 Chapter) Shabbos – Chapter 29: Kiddush and Havdalah: Sanctifying and Distinguishing the Sabbath

 

Halachah 1 — Torah Obligation of Kiddush

There is a Biblical mitzvah:

To sanctify Shabbat verbally (“Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it”).

This includes:

• Kiddush at the beginning
• Havdalah at the end

 

Halachah 2–3 — Text of Kiddush and Havdalah

The Rambam provides full formulations:

• Kiddush: praises Shabbat, Creation, Exodus, and God’s choice of Israel
• Havdalah: emphasizes distinctions
  • holy vs mundane
  • light vs darkness
  • Shabbat vs weekdays

 

Halachah 4 — Timing

• Main Kiddush → Friday night
• If missed → may do it all day
• Havdalah:
  • ideally Saturday night
  • may be said until Tuesday

 

Halachah 5 — Eating Restrictions

Forbidden:

• eating or drinking before Kiddush
• eating, drinking, or working after Shabbat ends before Havdalah

Exception:

• water allowed before Havdalah

Even if one already ate: → still must say Kiddush/Havdalah afterward

 

Halachah 6–7 — Kiddush Over Wine

Rabbinic requirement:

• Kiddush and Havdalah done over wine

Procedure:

• cup must hold a revi’it
• clean cup
• hold in right hand
• say “borei pri hagefen” → then Kiddush

Drink:

• at least a cheekful

 

Halachah 8 — Kiddush in Place of Meal

Critical rule:

Kiddush must be where you eat

• Cannot say Kiddush in one house → eat in another
• Same room is fine

 

Halachah 9–10 — Using Bread Instead of Wine

If no wine:

• Kiddush can be made over bread

BUT:

• Havdalah cannot be on bread

Also:

• if already washed for bread → Kiddush must follow that

 

Halachah 10 — Daytime Kiddush (“Great Kiddush”)

Second meal:

• only say borei pri hagefen over wine

Still:

• cannot eat before this Kiddush

 

Halachah 11 — Early Kiddush/Havdalah

Permitted:

• Kiddush slightly before nightfall
• Havdalah slightly before end

→ mitzvah includes marking the boundary moments

 

Halachah 12–13 — Meal Interruptions

If Shabbat begins during a meal:

• cover table → say Kiddush → continue

If Shabbat ends during meal:

• finish → bench → do Havdalah

Important:

• don’t combine two mitzvot on one cup

 

Halachah 14–17 — Proper Wine

Valid:

• good-quality wine
• grape juice
• diluted wine (within limits)
• raisin wine

Invalid:

• bad-smelling wine
• uncovered wine
• cooked wine (according to Rambam)
• wine diluted too much

Also:

• once drunk from → remainder invalid

 

Halachah 17 — Substitutes

• Beer → invalid for Kiddush
• But → acceptable for Havdalah in some contexts

 

Halachah 18–21 — Kiddush for Festivals

Same principles:

• Kiddush at beginning
• Havdalah at end

Includes:

• special texts for holidays
• combinations when Shabbat overlaps

 

Halachah 22 — When Holiday Follows Shabbat

Order:

1. Wine blessing
2. Kiddush
3. Fire blessing
4. Havdalah
5. Shehecheyanu

Ends with:

“Who distinguishes between holy and holy”

 

 

 

Halachah 23 — Shehecheyanu

Recited:

• at start of festivals

Not:

• on last day of Pesach (continuation of first)

 

Halachah 24 — Order of Havdalah

1. Wine
2. Spices
3. Fire
4. Havdalah

 

Halachah 25–27 — Fire for Havdalah

• Must benefit visibly from flame
• Cannot use:
  • idolatrous fire
  • inappropriate sources

Best:

• torch

Special:

• after Yom Kippur → must use “rested fire”

 

Halachah 28 — Havdalah After Holidays

Differences:

• No spices
• No fire

 

Halachah 29 — Reason for Spices

Spices are used because:

The soul is saddened by the departure of Shabbat

→ fragrance restores and comforts it