Snacking During Maggid

Q. I sometimes become hungry and thirsty during Maggid. May I eat a snack or drink a coffee?

A. The second cup of wine at the seder is filled after karpas so that Maggid (the central portion of the Haggadah) will be recited over the cup of wine. The Mishnah Berurah writes that after filling the cup, it is inappropriate to drink a separate cup of wine (Be’ur Halachah 473:3 s.v. Harishus). Both Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Halichos Shlomo, Hil. Pesach 9:34) and Rav Elyashiv (Shevus Yitzchok, Pesach 9:3) maintain that only wine is restricted, but in cases of necessity, one is permitted to drink water or coffee. Rav Elyashiv explains that unless there is a pressing need, even water should be avoided because the Haggadah should be recited with a sense of awe and reverence (see Mishnah Berurah 473:71).

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.