Laws Relating to Birkat HaMazon (8)

 

Translated by David Silverberg

 

The Minimum Required Amount of Wine 

     The cup of wine used for mitzvot must contain a "revi'it," which equals 86 cubic cm.  According to the Chazon Ish, it must contain 150 cubic cm (the numerical value of the words, "kos hagun" - a proper cup).

 

     The amount of wine one must drink depends on the situation:

 

The cup for havdala and "zimun" (the group recitation of birkat ha-mazon): a "revi'it," followed by a "berakha acharona."  (If one finds this difficult, he may drink the majority of a "revi'it" - 44 cubic cm - without reciting a "berakha acharona" thereafter.)

 

Kiddush: a "melo lugmav," literally translated as "the fill of one's cheeks," estimated on the average as the majority of a "revi'it" (around a quarter of a regular cup).  This amount suffices even when one uses a large cup; one need not drink the majority of the cup.

 

The four cups at the seder: optimally, one should drink the majority of the cup for each of the four (preferably the entire cup).  If, however, one drank only a "melo lugmav," he has fulfilled his obligation.

 

The cup for "sheva berakhot" under the "chupa" or at a "berit mila": a mere taste suffices.

 

The cup for "sheva berakhot" after the meal: the one who leads birkat ha-mazon must drink a "revi'it" (or at least the majority of a "revi'it"), whereas the cup serves not only as the cup of "sheva berakhot," but the cup of birkat ha-mazon, as well.  The bride and groom need to only taste a small amount of wine.

 

The Source of the Halakha

 

     The Gemara in Pesachim 107a writes, "One who recites kiddush and drinks the fill of his cheeks fulfills his obligation; otherwise, he does not fulfill his obligation."  Thus, the required amount to be drunk from the cup of kiddush - and, it would seem, from any other mitzva-related cup of wine - is "melo lugmav," the volume capable of being contained in one's cheeks.

 

     Tosafot there explain the term "melo lugmav" to mean enough wine such that should one move it all to one side in his mouth, it would appear to fill his cheeks.  Thus, this amount depends on the given individual, as Tosafot conclude, "Og the king of Bashan [the Biblical giant] would require more."  In any event, even Og would not need to drink more than a "revi'it" (as noted in Chiddushei Rabbeinu David, Pesachim 107a, a view adopted by the Mishna Berura 271:68).

 

     It is generally assumed that for an average person, the quantity of "melo lugmav" equals the majority of a "revi'it."  Whereas a "revi'it" equals 86 cubic cm (the numerical value of "kos" - cup, or, according to the Chazon Ish, 150 cubic cm, the numerical value of the word "kos hagun" - proper cup), the majority of a "revi'it" would amount to 44 cubic cm.  (See "Kol Sinai," the laws of kiddush 10; Bei'ur Halakha 271:13, "ve-hu rubo."  It is possible that the amount is actually greater than the ones mentioned.)  This amount is a little less than a quarter of a regular cup.

 

     This applies only to the amount the individual must drink.  The cup itself, however, must contain a "revi'it" of wine, or 86 cubic cm.

 

Differences Between Various Mitzva-Related Cups of Wine

 

     The cup of havdala and birkat ha-mazon: Although here, too, the required amount is the majority of a "revi'it," one must optimally drink a complete "revi'it."  This evolves not from the halakhot of mitzva-related cups of wine, but from a dispute among the Rishonim concerning "berakha acharona."  The Rambam (Hilkhot Berakhot 3:12) writes that one must recite a "berakha acharona" only after drinking a "revi'it."  Tosafot (Berakhot 39a), by contrast, claim that the required amount is a "melo lugmav."  A third position rules that the minimum quantity is a "ke-zayit" (28 cubic cm).

 

     Due to this controversy, the Rosh (Berakhot 7:24) and Shulchan Arukh (190:3) write that one should ensure not to drink a quantity in between a "ke-zayit" and "revi'it," so as not to face a situation of a questionable requirement of a berakha.

 

     Thus, if one drinks only a "melo lugmav" for havdala or after birkat ha-mazon, although he has fulfilled the respective obligation, he faces a situation of a questionable requirement of a berakha.  Whereas Tosafot would require a "berakha acharona," the Rambam would exempt the individual from the berakha, since the minimum amount has not been drunk.  It is therefore preferable to drink a complete "revi'it" in order to warrant a "berakha acharona" according to all views.

 

Kiddush: The aforementioned problem does not arise regarding kiddush.  Since the kiddush wine is drunk just before the meal, we do not recite a "berakha acharona" over this cup; the birkat ha-mazon recited after the meal suffices (174:6).  Therefore, for kiddush one needs only to drink a "melo lugmav" - 44 cubic cm.

 

     Many people incorrectly assume that kiddush requires one to drink the majority of the cup.  In truth, the concept of drinking the majority of the cup applies only to the mitzva of drinking four cups at the seder.  (As we will see, even that halakha is the subject of controversy.)  Regarding kiddush, however, the majority of a "revi'it" (= a "melo lugmav") suffices, regardless of the size of the cup.  (See Sha'ar Hatziyon, 271.)[1]

 

The four cups at the seder: The Rishonim argue as to whether or not here, too, the minimum required amount is "melo lugmav."  Some Rishonim claim that regarding this mitzva there exists a unique obligation to drink specifically cups of wine, rather than a specified amount of wine, and one must therefore drink the majority of his cup of wine.  One should thus ensure that his wine cup at the seder contains not much more than a "revi'it" so that he may easily drink the majority of the cup for each of the four required cups, thereby satisfying all views.  If, however, one drinks only the majority of a "revi'it" and not most of the cup, he has nevertheless fulfilled his obligation (Shulchan Arukh 472:9, Mishna Berura 9&30).

 

The cup used for sheva berakhot under the "chupa," and the cup at a "berit mila": At first glance, we would expect the halakha here, too, to require drinking a majority of a "revi'it," or, more accurately, an entire "revi'it" so as to avoid a situation of doubt concerning the recitation of a "berakha acharona."  The Taz (Yoreh Dei'a 265:10), however, writes that a "melo lugmav" is required only for cups of wine mandated by the Gemara.  The cups used for "sheva berakhot" and "berit mila," however, are not required by the Gemara, and therefore even just a taste suffices.  The Arukh Ha-shulchan (Even Ha-ezer 34:9, 62:8) concurs, and this is also the ruling in Yabi'a Omer (vol. 5, Even Ha-ezer 10:7).[2]

    

The cup of "sheva berakhot" at the meal: The one who leads birkat ha-mazon at the meal must drink a full "revi'it."  This requirement evolves not from any halakha concerning "sheva berakhot," but rather from the obligations of the one leading birkat ha-mazon.  The custom is for the bride and groom to taste from the cup, and they need not drink anymore than that.  (See Yam Shel Shelomo, Ketubot 1:21.)

 

FOOTNOTES:

 

[1] In fact, there may be reason to specifically avoid drinking a full "revi'it" for kiddush.  Although we do not recite a "berakha acharona" over wine drunk just prior to a meal, some opinions actually require one to do so.  We do not recite a "berakha acharona" in such situations because we never recite berakhot whose obligation is in doubt.  Therefore, it may be preferable to drink less than a "revi'it" for kiddush, as then there is no room for a "berakha acharona" at all.  This reasoning appears in the Bei'ur Halakha in 174:6.

 

[2] The Sedei Chemed, in Ma'arekhet Hilkhot Berakhot 3:5, cites authorities who maintain that preferably the full, proper amount should be drunk from the cup of the "sheva berakhot" under the "chupa."  It would seem, however, that the bride and groom may be lenient and drink only a small taste, for three reasons.  Firstly, the prevalent practice follows the ruling of the Taz.  Secondly, the difficulty involved in drinking a sizable quantity of wine at the beginning of one's wedding, particularly after having fasted, should allow one to follow the more lenient ruling.  Finally, if we require the bride and groom to drink a full "revi'it," they would have to recite a "berakha acharona," which, generally speaking, is unrealistic, and they would likely forget.