Does the Beracha of Kiddush Cover Beverages That One Drinks Subsequently?

Daily Halacha Podcast - Daily Halacha By Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

People attending a Kiddush on Shabbat morning generally hear or recite the Beracha of Kiddush and then take a small sip of wine. The question arises as to whether they must recite a Beracha over other beverages that they drink during the Kiddush, such as Arak, whiskey, soft drinks or coffee. Must they recite "She'hakol" over these drinks, or are they covered by the "Boreh Peri Ha'gefen" that was recited for Kiddush? Rabbi Moshe Halevi (Israel, 1961-2001), in his work Birkat Hashem (listen to audio recording for precise citation), records two views on this issue. According to some authorities, if a person drank a sip only for the purpose of Kiddush, and not to enjoy the wine, then the Beracha recited over the wine does not cover other beverages, even if he had in mind for the Beracha to apply to other beverages. The Beracha covers other beverages in this case only if the person intends to drink wine for enjoyment at some point after taking the sip. Meaning, if one recited Kiddush, took a sip of wine, and had in mind to drink several beverages including wine, then he does not recite a Beracha over the other beverages, since the Beracha of Kiddush covers all drinks. Otherwise, according to this view, one must recite a Beracha over other beverages. Others, however, disagree, and claim that the Beracha of Kiddush covers all beverages drunk after Kiddush, regardless of whether the person sipped wine for enjoyment, or whether he plans on subsequently drinking wine for enjoyment. This is the view of the Ginat Veradim and the Mishna Berura (174:39), and this is the ruling accepted by Hacham Ovadia Yosef, in his work Yehaveh Da'at (vol. 5, Siman 20). Therefore, if a person sipped some wine for Kiddush, he does not recite a Beracha over beverages he drinks subsequently, even if he does not plan on drinking more wine. However, Rabbi Moshe Halevi writes that if a person specifically decides not to drink any more wine, then he might be required to recite a Beracha over beverages he drinks subsequently. In order to avoid this Halachic question, it is advisable after drinking some wine at a Kiddush to leave open the possibility of drinking more wine, and not make a definitive decision not to drink any more wine. Summary: If a person recites or hears Kiddush on Shabbat morning and then sips a bit of wine, he does not recite a Beracha over any beverages he drinks subsequently at the Kiddush. Preferably, he should not make a definitive decision in his mind not to drink more wine, for if he does have such an intention, he faces a Halachic question as to whether he must recite a Beracha over beverages he drinks subsequently.