Shabbat Lunch

Richard B. Aiken

Eating before Making Shabbat Kiddush

You may eat non-mezonot and non-bread food before praying Shabbat shacharit and without making kiddush, in order to avoid hunger or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

Women and Minimum Prayer before Saying Shabbat Kiddush

The minimum prayer that a woman should say on Shabbat (or Jewish festival) morning before saying kiddush and eating some food is birchot ha'shachar.

Eating Only after Fulfilling Shabbat Kiddush Requirements

Once you have said the amida of Shabbat shacharit, you may not eat any food until you have said (or heard) kiddush and finished kiddush requirements by either:

  • Drinking at least 4 fl. oz. (119 ml) of wine/grape juice, or
  • Eating at least 1.3 fl. oz. (39 ml, or 1/6 cup) of mezonotor bread. 

Eating before Shabbat Midday

Don't fast on Shabbat (except Yom Kippur!) past halachic midday:

  • If you will not finish shacharitbefore halachic midday, you should eat or drink earlier in the day, even before you begin shacharit—water can be sufficient for this purpose.
  • If you will finish shacharitbut not musaf by halachic midday:
  • Finish shacharit,
  • Make kiddush,
  • Eat some mezonot, and then
  • Return to say musaf.

How To Do Shabbat Daytime Kiddush

There are two requirements for Shabbat daytime kiddush: Say or Hear Kiddush Segments/Blessings and Establish a Halachic Meal (kovei'a se'uda):

1. Say or Hear Kiddush Segments/Blessings You must say, or hear, the Shabbat daytime kiddush segments/blessings and someone must drink at least 2 fl. oz. (59 ml) of the kiddush beverage:

  • Say or Hear Kiddush Segments/Blessings
    • Torah segment(s): V'shamru bnei Yisrael (even beginning from al kein).
    • Blessing over at least 3.3 fl. oz. (99ml) of drink:
      • Borei pri ha'gafen (if on wine or grape juice), OR
      • She'hakol nihiyeh bi'dvaro (if on other beverage/chamar medina).

NOTE: For Saturday (or Jewish festival) lunch and havdala, you may use any beverage (chamar medina) commonly drunk for social purposes (not just for thirst) in the country in which you are saying kiddush. The ideal is to use wine or grape juice.

  • Drink at Least 2 fl. oz. (59 ml) of the Kiddush Drink This amount may be drunk by one person or by several people together.
  • Establish Halachic Meal (Kovei'a Se'uda) You must establish a halachic meal (kovei'a se'uda) shortly after saying or hearing Shabbat morning kiddush by either:
  • Drinking Wine--at least 4 fl. oz (119 ml) of wine (or grape juice) within 30 seconds, OR
  • Eating Bread/Mezonot--at least 1.3 fl. oz. (39 ml, or 1/6 cup) of bread or mezonot within four minutes.

NOTE: The second half of making kiddush, “establishing a meal” (kovei'a se'uda), can be fulfilled simultaneously when you fulfill the subsequent, separate Shabbat requirement for “eating a meal” but in that case, you must eat 1.9 fl. oz. of bread. NOTE: If you make, or hear, Shabbat morning kiddush on any beverage except wine or grape juice, you must also eat at least 1.3 fl. oz. (39 ml, or 1/6 cup) of bread or mezonot within four minutes to establish the kiddush meal. If you do not want to eat bread or mezonot, only drinking at least 4 fl. oz. (119 ml) of wine (or grape juice) within 30 seconds will fulfill all the kiddush requirements. NOTE: If you have not fulfilled the kiddush requirements, you may not eat other foods, such as fruit or fish at a kiddush. NOTE: Once you have heard kiddush and either eaten the required bread or mezonot or drunk the required 4 fl. oz. of wine or grape juice, you do not need to say or listen to kiddush again if you eat your actual meal later (except if you need to say kiddush for other people who have not yet heard or said kiddush).

How To Fulfill Eating Shabbat Second Meal

You must eat a second meal on Shabbat (or Jewish festival) day with at least 1.9 fl. oz. (56 ml, 1/4 cup) of bread--even if you already said ha'motzi but ate less than 1.9 fl. oz. of bread at kiddush.

NOTE: Ideally, begin your second meal before halachic midday. But you may eat your second meal anytime after shacharit and before sunset.

Torah at the Table

Saying some Torah at each meal--anytime bread is eaten and at least two people are eating--is a custom but not a halacha. But, Torah can be said anytime!

Shir HaMa'alot as Torah

Saying shir ha'ma'alot before birkat ha'mazon fulfills the custom to say Torah at the meal.

Copyright 2015 Richard B. Aiken. Halacha L’Maaseh appears courtesy of www.practicalhalacha.com Visit their web site for more information.