Kiddush - Schnapps

QUESTION: I often see people make Kiddush on Shabbos day over a small shot glass of schnapps. Isn’t this a problem since they are using less than a revi’is (approximately 3.3 oz. – minimum amount for Kiddush)?

ANSWER: The Taz (OC 210:1) writes that if one drinks an entire shot glass of schnapps in one sip, they are required to recite a bracha acharona (Borei Nefashos). Although on other beverages one only recites a bracha acharona if one drinks a full revi’is, Taz maintains that a shot glass of schnapps is equivalent to a revi’is of other drinks. This is because schnapps is strong and most people are unable to drink more than this amount in one sip. The Machatzis HaShekel (272:6) points out that following the logic of the Taz, one should be permitted to recite Kiddush on Shabbos day over a shot glass of schnapps.

However, most poskim disagree with the Taz. The Magen Avrohom (190:4), Chayei Adam (6:18), Mishnah Berurah (190:14), and Aruch Hashulchan (483:3) all require a revi’is of schnapps for Kiddush. If one cannot by themselves drink a m’lo lugmav (most of a revi’is, the mandatory minimum) of schnapps, they may share with others.

Piskei Teshuvos (289, note 88) lists many Chasidishe Rebbes (including the Chozeh from Lublin and the Yid HaKadosh) who held that the halacha follows the Taz. They insisted on making Kiddush on Shabbos morning over a shot glass of schnapps to emphasize this point.

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