Daily Dvar Halacha

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Rav Eliyahu Reingold, Rosh Kollel in the Yeshiva of Greater Washington, spent many years learning in the Telshe Yeshiva and Kollel where he was recognized as one of their foremost talmidim. He taught in the Telshe Mechina before coming to the Yeshiva of Greater Washington. He is a noted Baal Halacha and Baal Mussar, serving as a well-respected posek for the Yeshiva and community. Besides his responsibility in leading the Kollel, he delivers a high level shiur to advanced students, and provides many halacha shiurim throughout the year. His heartfelt weekly mussar shmuess in an inspiration to all.

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Eating Before Kiddush 2 (Klal 6 Siman 19) Hilchos Shabbos - S0176

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We are continuing in siman 19, where the Chayei Adam is discussing the daytime kiddush. The Chayei Adam wrote that the chiyuv kiddush does not take effect until one is allowed to eat, and before one is allowed to eat, there is no chiyuv kiddush. The only issue is eating before davening, and we learned that although there is an issur to eat before davening, one may drink before davening.
We also learned that after shacharis, there is no issur of eating before davening, but there is another issue, the issue of making a seuda before performing a mitzvah. One opinion holds that since one cannot eat a seudah, there is no chiyuv kiddush, so one may eat a small amount without kiddush. We do not pasken with this opinion. Rather, we hold that since one may eat up to a k’beiah of mezonos or hamotzi, it has some level of seudah, so a person cannot eat or drink anything until a person makes kiddush.
If a person is very thirsty, and is unable to make kiddush, they can rely on the opinion that it is not yet the time for kiddush, and they can drink. Preferably, one should not rely on this opinion.

We learned previously that classic halachic sources hold that only water is muttar before shacharis. The Mishnah Berurah adds that black coffee is acceptable, but without sugar or milk. Adding sugar or milk is considered indulging oneself before davening. Many poskim hold that nowadays, people are so wimpy that it is not considered gaivah or indulging to add coffee or sugar, and it is muttar.

The Chayei Adam adds that if, after finishing shacharis, one feels weak, they may rely on the opinions that one can eat, and may make kiddush and eat a meal before davening.

For a man, the chiyuv kiddush takes effect once he has davened shacharis. For a woman, if she regularly davens shacharis, the chiyuv takes effect once she has davened. If a woman is unable to daven shacharis on a regular basis, she is relying on the Rambam that the primary definition of tefilah deoraysa is shevach, bakasha, hodaah; praise to Hashem, making a request, and thanking Hashem.
The poskim point out that reciting birchos hatorah fulfills all three requirements: laasok b’divrei Torah is a shevach, vehaarev na is a bakasha, and asher bachar banu is hodaah. Thus, a woman fulfills the mitzvah of tefillah through birchos hatorah, and many women, due to their situation at home, will rely on this idea. If so, they were yotzei their chiyuv tefillah, and, now that they are allowed to eat, the chiyuv kiddush takes effect.
Rav Moshe says a chiddush, that since a married woman is not going to sit down for a meal until her husband is ready to eat (meaning, until after he has finished davening), it is not yet her time to eat, and therefore there is no chiyuv kiddush. Rav Shlomo Zalman is on record as having multiple questions on Rav Moshe’s chiddush, and Rav Neuwirth ztl paskens that a woman should not eat or drink in such a situation without making kiddush.

Summary
Before davening, the classical poskim hold that one should not drink anything other than water. The Mishnah Berurah adds black coffee, and contemporary poskim hold one may add milk and sugar.
Even after davening shacharis, preferably one should not eat until after mussaf. If one needs to drink, they can make kiddush and eat less than a k’beiah. If one is unable to make kiddush, bedieved they may rely on the opinions that the chiyuv kiddush has not yet taken effect.
For a woman who regularly daven shacharis, the chiyuv kiddush does not take effect until she has davened. If she does not regularly daven, her chiyuv kiddush takes effect after reacting birchos hatorah.