The Friday night Kiddush begins with verses from Genesis (ch.1:31 – ch.2:3) that describe the very first Shabbat, the seventh day of Creation. Two Kiddush blessings are recited on Friday Night before the evening Shabbat meal.

Different texts are used for the daytime and evening Kiddush, culled from different Biblical texts that discuss Shabbat. Kiddush is said at the beginning of the Shabbat evening meal on Friday night, and then again on Shabbat day before the lunchtime meal. Some families pour the wine for each person individually before reciting Kiddush, or use a Kiddush fountain that doles out wine evenly into small cups. The person who recites Kiddush drinks a couple sips of the wine (a cheekful or 2oz) and then passes their cup to guests around the table, or pours it into cups for each person. Regardless of the size of the cup, it is customary to fill it to the brim with wine when reciting Kiddush, as a symbol of the fullness of our blessing and joy. Some opinions say that it is equal to 3.3oz, others place it at 3.8oz, and there are other opinions as well. Like many aspects of Jewish practice, there is debate around the exact volume of this measurement. A revi’it is a Talmudic measurement that’s slightly more than 3 liquid ounces. But don’t worry, if you don’t have a silver Kiddush cup, any cup can be used.Ī Kiddush cup should be able to hold at least a revi'it of liquid. Sometimes, Kiddush cups are passed down as family heirlooms, or given as wedding or bar mitzvah gifts. Kiddush is traditionally recited over a special cup, often made of silver with special engravings or filigree, meant to give honor to this blessing. What Is A Kiddush Cup & What Is It Used For? Rabbi Fohrman dives further into the questions of why rest on Shabbat is so important, and what counts as 'purposeful' rest on the Sabbath. In this way, our Kiddush is the perfect complement to God’s own “Kiddush.” On the very first Shabbat, God stopped adding to Creation and called this day “holy.” We too refrain from our mundane creative activities every seventh day, and together with God, declare Shabbat as a holy time. This recognition is at the core of God’s purpose in creating the world – and that’s exactly what we do when we recite Kiddush: We acknowledge God as our Creator who stands behind all of Creation, the true source of all that we have. How so? Well, Shabbat is a day devoted to recognizing that God is the Creator of all that exists. Rather, when we make Kiddush and proclaim the holiness of Shabbat, we actually become God’s partners in Creation. They say that our recitation of Kiddush is not some unnecessary repetition. The Rabbis of the Talmud (Shabbat 119b) pick up on this seeming contradiction. It seems repetitive at best, if not flat out ridiculous!

It’s really quite strange then, that every Friday night, we stand up and proclaim that Shabbat is a holy day.

The Torah says that on the seventh day of Creation, God sanctified the Shabbat and made it a holy day (see Genesis 2:3). There’s a fundamental paradox about the Kiddush blessing, as we alluded to above. In the absence of a special drink, Kiddush can be recited over Challah bread to start the meal. If for some reason someone can’t buy or consume a grape-based drink, any kind of alcohol or fruit juice can be used. Ideally, the Kiddush blessings are recited over a cup of wine or grape juice, which are similarly meant to symbolize the special status of this mitzvah. Kiddush, or קידוש means “an act of sanctification.” It’s commonly pronounced “kid-ish” by English speakers, whereas the Hebrew pronunciation is “kee-doosh.” Why Do We Drink Wine On Shabbat? Reciting Kiddush is a fulfillment of the Biblical command to “remember the day of Shabbat and keep it holy.” The verses and blessings that we recite in Kiddush proclaim the holiness of Shabbat, and trace it back to God’s creation of the world. For many people, the words and melody of Kiddush evoke some of their most primal Jewish memories. It’s a blessing said over a cup of wine every Friday night and Saturday morning before the traditional Shabbat meals. Kiddush is one of the central rituals of Shabbat.

Kiddush transliteration