Hilchos Shabbos Table Learning

A Weekly Guide to Shabbos Laws for Personal Study and Family Discussion

✨This weeks Topic✨

🍷 Preparing the Kiddush Cup – Kos Shel Bracha

Using a cup for Kiddush and other mitzvos is not just about the wine — the cup itself must be prepared properly and respectfully.

📜 Rinsing the Kos Shel Bracha

The cup used for Kos Shel Bracha — such as for:
• Kiddush
• Havdala
• Birchas Hamazon
• Chuppah
• Bris Milah

— requires proper preparation before use.

🔹 Hadacha & Shetifa

• Hadacha – washing the inside of the cup
  • Shetifa – washing the outside of the cup

✅ From the letter of the law:
Both should be done to ensure the cup is clean and presentable.

🧽 Cleaning with a Cloth

❓ Is water required?
Not necessarily.

✅ An alternative method:
• Thoroughly wipe the cup with a cloth or napkin
• Ensure it appears clean and dignified both inside and outside

⚠️ According to Kabbalah:
The cup should specifically be rinsed with water.

🕯️ In a time of need:
If water is unavailable, wiping with a napkin suffices.

📌 Chassidic practice:
The Rebbe was observed wiping his Kiddush cup with a napkin before Kiddush during Shabbos farbrengens.

✨ If the Cup Is Already Clean

If the cup is:
• Clean inside and outside
• Contains no food remnants

✅ It does not require further rinsing or wiping.

⚠️ According to Kabbalah:
Even a clean cup should still receive Hadacha and Shetifa with water.

🍷 If the Cup Contains Leftover Wine

If the cup looks clean but contains leftover wine:

✅ From the letter of the law:
• No rinsing is required unless the wine contains food crumbs
• For example: wine that bread or other food was dipped into

✨ Additional opinions:
• Some Poskim recommend rinsing even if no crumbs are present
• According to Kabbalah, rinsing is required in all cases

🔁 Reusing the Cup During the Same Meal

📌 Example: Pesach Seder

✅ If the cup was rinsed before Kiddush and remained clean:
• It does not need to be rinsed again for the second Kos

❗ Before using the cup for Birchas Hamazon:
• One must ensure there is no leftover wine containing food
• If there is — the cup must be rinsed or wiped clean

🕯️ Chassidic practice:
• The Rebbe did not rinse the cup for the second Kos at the Seder
• However, he did rinse the cup before Birchas Hamazon
• This was because the cup had become visibly dirty (e.g., from charoses)

✅ Summary

• A Kos Shel Bracha should be clean inside and outside
  • Cleaning may be done with water or by wiping with a cloth
  • If the cup is already clean, no further cleaning is required
  • Leftover wine alone does not invalidate the cup
  • Wine containing food remnants does require cleaning

✨ According to Kabbalah:
The cup should always be rinsed with water before use, even if clean.

❓ Q & A

🍷 If multiple people make Kiddush using the same cup, must it be rinsed between each person?

✅ From the letter of the law:
No — it is not required.

✨ Some opinions:
• It is proper to rinse, since the cup contains another person’s leftovers
• Others say this is only necessary for one who is particular about this

🕯️ Chabad Custom:
• There is no fixed custom
• Many do not rinse between people
• Some Chassidim are careful to do so