Making Kiddush on Beverages Other Than Wine
Aryeh Lebowitz

I. Introduction. At a typical Shabbat morning kiddush in most shuls, the large majority of people make kiddush on a shot glass of scotch or whiskey, rather than on the traditional full size cup of wine. Often, those who sponsor a kiddush provide only a minimal amount of wine, while “hard” drinks are plentiful. While this trend has had significant sociological implications (teenagers learning to drink at an unsupervised shul kiddush, adults missing major segments of davening in order to get together with their friends to drink a few shots at a “kiddush club”, etc.), we will focus this essay on the halachic considerations of making kiddush on beverages other than wine. Our discussion will center specifically on the halachot of making kiddush on chamar medina, or drinks other than wine that are commonly used in a particular place.

II. Using Scotch and Whiskey. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 272:9 and 289:2) rules that in the absence of wine one may recite kiddush over beer. The Mishnah Berurah (ibid. 272:24) explains that this is only true in a place where beer is commonly drunk and may therefore be considered to be chamar medina. Similarly, other commonly drunk beverages that fall into the category of chamar medina may be used for kiddush in the absence of wine.
A. Defining chamar medina. It is important to note that not every drink that people commonly consume has the status of chamar medina. Only beverages that are halachically considered chamar medina may be used for the mitzvah of kiddush. The later poskim differ as to the exact definition of the term chamar medina. This difference of opinion has obvious implications on which drinks may be used for kiddush.
1. The opinion of the Shulchan Aruch Harav. The Shulchan Aruch Harav (182:2-3) rules that there are two criteria that must be met for a beverage to attain the status of chamar medina. First, the drink must be one that people use as a primary beverage for a meal, much the way it was common to drink wine with most meals in ancient times. Second, the beverage must not be cheap and trivial, but should have some significance. Therefore, although borscht was commonly drunk with meals, due to its low stature, it would not be considered chamar medina.
2. The opinion of Rav Moshe Feinstein. Rav Moshe Feinstein (Responsa Iggerot Moshe, Orach Chaim II #75) defines chamar medina as a beverage one might serve to a guest to whom one wishes to show respect (and not merely for the purpose of quenching his thirst).
3. Practical halacha of liquor as chamar medina. It would seem that regardless of which definition of chamar medina we choose, beer and liquor (whiskey, brandy etc.) are both considered chamar medina. Indeed, the Shulchan Aruch (289:2) rules clearly that beer may be used for kiddush, and the Mishnah Berurah (272:30) rules that liquor is considered chamar medina. (See also Responsa Minchat Yitzchak X #22.)
B. When may chamar medina be used? Although there are occasions when one may use drinks other than wine for kiddush, such circumstances are rather limited.
1. Nighttime. The Shulchan Aruch (272:9) cites the opinion of the Rosh that even if one does not have any wine he should not recite the Friday night kiddush on another beverage. Rather, he should recite the kiddush over the challah, as it is considered to be a more prestigious food than chamar medina.
2. Daytime. The Shulchan Aruch (ibid.) rules that for the daytime kiddush, if one does not have any wine, he should use chamar medina rather than make kiddush on the challah, even though challah is generally considered to be superior to chamar medina. The logic for this ruling is based on a fundamental distinction between the night time kiddush and the day time kiddush. The nighttime kiddush has a specific text whereas the day time kiddush consists exclusively of the beracha that is recited on the wine. When one makes kiddush on challah at night, it is still apparent that he is reciting kiddush, and not just making his regular hamotzi, because he recites the entire text of kiddush. When, however, one recites the daytime kiddush over challah, he merely recites the beracha of hamotzi, which is a beracha he would recite on the bread even if he were not making kiddush. In order, that it be apparent that the person is reciting kiddush at the day time meal, it is important that he make a beracha that he would otherwise not recite. (Mihnah Berurah 272:31)
a. The stringent view. Based on the above-cited sources it would seem abundantly clear that one may never make kiddush on liquor on Friday night, and may only make kiddush on liquor on Shabbat day when there is no wine available to him. The Mishnah Berurah (ibid.:29) recommends that where wine is available, one should only use wine for kiddush.
b. The lenient view. The Mishnah Berurah (ibid.) records that many great people had the custom to recite the daytime kiddush over other beverages even when wine was available. They were lenient based on a combination of two considerations. First, wine was extremely expensive, and had fallen out of common use in favor of other drinks. Second, they felt that one may be lenient for the daytime kiddush because the obligation to recite kiddush during the day is only Rabbinic in nature. Rabbi Shmuel Wosner (Responsa Shevet Halevi III #26) suggests an additional reason to allow other beverages even where wine is available. He explains that in Talmudic times people drank wine very regularly. In some towns wine was so popular that people barely drank any water (see Tosafot Shabbat 47a). When wine had such widespread popularity we can certainly understand the obligation to attain wine for kiddush rather than settling for liquor or beer. Today, however, most people, especially in the Orthodox Jewish community, do not drink wine regularly. Therefore, other beverages are no longer considered inferior to wine for the purposes of the mitzvah of kiddush. (See also Responsa Shevet Halevi V #32 where he reaffirms this position.)
C. How much must be drunk?
1. When using wine. The Shulchan Aruch (271:13) rules that one must recite kiddush over a cup that contains a revi’it of wine, and he must actually drink the majority of a revi’it. The Talmud (Pesachim 109) gives two methods of measuring a revi’it that practically do not yield the same results. There is considerable discussion amongst the acharonim regarding the resolution to this problem. A thorough presentation of this discussion is well beyond the scope of this essay (see Tzlach to Pesachim 116, Mishnah Berurah 486:1, Aruch Hashulchan 472:12, and Chazon Ish 39). Suffice it to say, the leading contemporary poskim debate the exact measurement of a revi’it. The possibilities range from 3.07 fluid ounces (Rav Chaim Naeh) to 5.36 fluid ounces (Chazon Ish). Rav Moshe Feinstein ruled that for the purposes of the morning kiddush a revi’it is 3.3 ounces. Therefore, one must make kiddush on a cup that contains at least 3.3 ounces and one must actually drink 1.7 ounces of wine (most of a revi’it).
2. When using whiskey etc. Drinking the proper measure of wine does not present any particular difficulty. After all, it is common to drink a sizable glass of wine. Drinking the proper measure of whiskey, however, can present a problem for many people. The average shot glass can only hold one fluid ounce. Many people have the practice to make kiddush even on this minimal amount of liquor. We will attempt to analyze whether there is any sound halachic basis for this practice.
a. The stringent view. The Mishnah Berurah (272:30) clearly rules that the measure of a revi’it is required regardless of the beverage one uses for kiddush. Most leading poskim concur with this view and therefore rule that one may not fulfill his obligation of kiddush on Shabbat morning with a one or two ounce shot glass of whiskey.
b. The lenient view.
i. The opinion of the Taz. The Taz (Orach Chaim 210:1) writes that although normally one must drink a revi’it of any drink in order to be required to recite a beracha acharona, one need not drink a revi’it of liquor to require a beracha acharona. The logic for this contention is that while one is not considered to have drunk a significant amount of a beverage until he has had a revi’it, a much lesser amount of liquor is already deemed significant. In fact, most people usually drink less than a revi’it of liquor. Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank (Responsa Har Tzvi I #159) extends this leniency of the Taz to kiddush and states that according to the Taz one may recite kiddush on less than a revi’it of liquor. While some poskim support the opinion of the Taz (see Responsa Chatam Sofer 49), the Magen Avraham (Orach Chaim 190) rejects the opinion of the Taz, and states that Chazal established measurements for all liquids and did not distinguish between liquids that people commonly drink different quantities of. The Mishnah Berurah (190:14; 272:30) rules in accordance with the opinion of the Magen Avraham.
ii. The opinion of the Kozhoglover Gaon. Rabbi Hershel Schachter (B’ikvei Hatzon page 41) cites the author of Responsa Eretz Tzvi who had a very unique approach to allow kiddush on less than a revi’it of liquor. He argues that the measure of a revi’it only applies to beverages, and liquor does not have the status of a beverage. The definition of a beverage is something that people would drink to quench their thirst. Any liquid that people drink for other reasons (i.e. soup, liquor) have the status of a food. The measurement of a food that would require a beracha acharonah and be considered a significant consumption is a k’zayit (the size of an olive-much less than a revi’it). While a small shot glass definitely does not contain a revi’it, it may contain a k’zayit. This argument, however, seems to be flawed. Rav Chaim M’Volozhin (also cited in B’ikvei Hatzon ibid. from Sefer Sha’ar Rachamim) used the same logic that liquor is actually a food, to prove that one may not make kiddush on liquor at all. After all, the most basic criteria of chamar medina is that it be a beverage, not a food.

III. Conclusion. We have outlined the basic problems with reciting kiddush on liquor and have surveyed the solutions and counterattacks of the leading poskim. First, many poskim maintain that one may not make kiddush on liquor at all unless there is no wine available to him. Others are lenient even when wine is available. Second, even if one uses liquor, most poskim maintain that one must drink a revi’it (or most of a revi’it) of the liquor. While some poskim posed arguments to be lenient in the amount of liquor one is required to drink, their arguments were met with significant criticism. Nevertheless, Responsa Maharsham (I #175) records that many great rabbis were lenient in this area. In summation, at the nighttime kiddush all authorities agree that only wine should be used. For the daytime kiddush, ideally one should refrain from using liquor. Certainly, one who uses liquor should be careful to use a cup that contains a full revi’it, unless he has a specific tradition to the contrary.