May a Woman Eat or Drink Before Hearing Kiddush on Shabbos Morning?

As mentioned in yesterday's Halacha Yomis, there is no requirement to recite Kiddush before davening as the obligation to recite Kiddush only begins after davening when one is permitted to eat the Shabbos meal.

There are two opinions among Rishonim whether a woman is required to daven Shacharis every day, or is it sufficient for her to recite a short prayer (see Mishna Berura 106:4). Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchosa (52:13) writes that if a woman does not daven Shacharis, but recites a short prayer in the morning, the short prayer is equivalent to davening Shacharis vis-a-vis the requirement to recite Kiddush. Once she has said her short prayer, she is obligated to recite Kiddush, and may no longer eat or drink until she has fulfilled the requirement of Kiddush.

If a woman is feeling weak and does not have grape juice available, some poskim are lenient to allow her to eat in the morning before hearing Kiddush. (Teshuvas Minchas Yitzchok 4:28(3)). This is because some Rishonim exempt a woman from Kiddush Shabbos during the day. Though we do not normally follow this view, we can rely on it in situations of necessity.

Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt”l is of the opinion that a married woman is not obligated to recite Kiddush before her husband has davened. (Igros Moshe, volume 4, 101:2). Accordingly, if a woman has completed her morning prayers before her husband has davened, she may eat a full meal. Shemira Shabbos Kehilchosa (52:46) notes, that Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, zt”l disagreed with Rav Moshe, zt”l on this latter point.

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.