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Introduction to Jewish Festival "Eating a Meal" Requirements
We are required to eat two meals on Jewish festivals, each preceded by kiddush, one in the evening and one in the morning. For both meals for each Jewish festival day (and all three meals on Shabbat), say ha'motzi over two complete loaves of bread, each of which is at least 1.3 fl. oz. in volume.
Source of Saying Jewish Festival Kiddush
Some kiddushes are commanded by the Torah (d'oraita); the others are from Chazal (d'rabanan), as follows:
Kiddush d'Oraita
Saying Jewish festival kiddush at the place where you will eat your meal is a rabbinical (d'rabanan) enactment.
Jewish Festival Kiddush-Meal Quantities: Evening
There are two separate eating requirements during the daytime. They may be combined (say/hear kiddush and start the main meal right away) but are often done separately (say/hear kiddush and then eat some light foods and beverages; the main meal is eaten later in the day).
Note Since eating and drinking requirements on all morning kiddushes (both Shabbat and Jewish festivals) are d'rabanan, the required beverage amount for morning kiddush is only 3.3 fl. oz. (99 ml) instead of the d'oraita 4 fl. oz. (119 ml) (which is required for kiddushes for Shabbat evening and all first-night Jewish festivals).
Note Girls and women are not required to eat any meals (that is, including bread or matza) on Jewish festivals except the Passover seder. However, if a woman, or girl at least bat mitzva age, wants to eat bread, she should use two loaves, just as men do. This is halacha, not a custom. Also, girls and women may not fast on any festival day so even if they do not eat bread or matza, they must eat some food.
Source of Saying Jewish Festival Kiddush
Some kiddushes are commanded by the Torah (d'oraita); the others are from Chazal (d'rabanan), as follows:
Kiddush d'Oraita
- First night of Jewish festivals
- Night of seventh day of Passover
- Night of Shmini Atzeret.
- First day of Jewish festival
- Second night of Jewish festival
- Second day of Jewish festival
- Seventh day of Passover
- Eighth night of Passover
- Eighth day of Passover
- Shmini Atzeret day
- Night and day of Simchat Torah.
Saying Jewish festival kiddush at the place where you will eat your meal is a rabbinical (d'rabanan) enactment.
Jewish Festival Kiddush-Meal Quantities: Evening
- For evening kiddush for a first-night (d'oraita) Jewish festival, a minimum of 4 fl. oz. (119 ml) of wine must be blessed on and at least half must be drunk.
- For evening kiddush for a second-night (d'rabanan) Jewish festival, a minimum of 3.3 fl. oz. (99 ml) of wine must be blessed on and at least 2.0 fl. oz. must be drunk.
- For the evening meal, as on the first two Shabbat meals and for all required Jewish festival meals, a minimum of 1.9 fl. oz. (56 ml) of bread must be eaten within four minutes.
There are two separate eating requirements during the daytime. They may be combined (say/hear kiddush and start the main meal right away) but are often done separately (say/hear kiddush and then eat some light foods and beverages; the main meal is eaten later in the day).
Note Since eating and drinking requirements on all morning kiddushes (both Shabbat and Jewish festivals) are d'rabanan, the required beverage amount for morning kiddush is only 3.3 fl. oz. (99 ml) instead of the d'oraita 4 fl. oz. (119 ml) (which is required for kiddushes for Shabbat evening and all first-night Jewish festivals).
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Morning kiddush requires a halachically legal “meal” with these elements:
- Blessing on a minimum of 3.3 fl. oz. (99 ml) of wine (or other beverage),
- Someone's drinking at least half the beverage, followed by
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Eating at least 1.3 fl. oz. (39 ml, or 1/6 cup) of some type of mezonot within four minutes.
Note If you drink at least 3.3 fl. oz. (99 ml) of wine within 30 seconds, you do not need to eat mezonot.
Note You do not need to drink the wine or other kiddush beverage to fulfill “establishing a meal.” You may hear kiddush and then simply eat the required amount of bread or mezonot. This applies to Shabbat or Jewish festivals, evening or morning.
The kiddush “meal” does not have to satiate.
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The real meal (kovei'a se'uda) requires eating at least 1.9 fl. oz. (56 ml) of bread (or matza during Passover!) within four minutes. It must include enough food to satiate.
Note You can simultaneously fulfill the requirement to “establish a meal” and to “eat a meal” by eating one (the same) piece of bread.
Women: Who May Make Kiddush
For women's obligation to say or hear Jewish festival morning kiddush, see Jewish Festivals: Kiddush: Who May Make.
Shabbat: Applying Makeup
Women and girls may not apply any nail polish or makeup on Shabbat (and Jewish festivals), including mascara and lipstick. You may not even apply lip coatings such as ChapStick, even if just to prevent chapping.
Note Beware of “Shabbat makeup” that stays on longer than normal makeup but may not be applied on Shabbat.
Note Beware of “Shabbat makeup” that stays on longer than normal makeup but may not be applied on Shabbat.
Saturday Morning: Cut Upper Challa
On Saturday morning, cut the upper challa of the two challot. (For Jewish festivals, cut the upper loaf at night and day.)
Jewish Festival: Hair Cuts/Shaving
You may not have your hair cut and you may not shave on Jewish festivals (and Shabbat).
Shabbat: Hair Cuts/Shaving
You may not have your hair cut and you may not shave on Shabbat (and Jewish festivals).
Rosh Hashana: Challa Customs: Round Challa
It is a custom to make round challa for Rosh Hashana and other Jewish festivals (except Passover!), unless Rosh Hashana falls on Shabbat.
Where To Add Personal Requests in Amida
You may add personal requests to the amida on weekdays (not Shabbat or Jewish festivals) in these prayers:
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For livelihood:
- In the amida's 9th paragraph (bareich aleinu), between mi'tuvecha and u'vareich shnateinu.
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For a general request:
- In the amida's 16th paragraph (shema koleinu), before ki ata shomei'a.
- Even better, just before saying yihiyu l'ratzon.
Talit Katan: Blessings: Shabbat or Jewish Festival Talit Katan
Situation You switch to a special talit katan right before Shabbat and Jewish festivals.
What To Do You do not need to say another blessing over the special talit katan if to switch:
What To Do You do not need to say another blessing over the special talit katan if to switch:
- Is your normal intention (even if you did not specifically intend to switch when you put on your talit katan that morning), or
- Is NOT your normal intention but you did intend to switch later that afternoon.
- Is not your normal intention and you also did not intend to switch when you put on the talit katan that morning.
Owning a Business Operated on Shabbat
A business whose sole or major owner is Jewish may not be operated on Shabbat (and Jewish festivals), even by non-Jewish employees.
Note There may be possibilities to allow operation by relinquishing majority control, but the issues are complex and rabbinic guidance is essential.
Charity To Enhance Prayers
It is an enhancement of our prayers to give charity at shacharit and mincha (except on Shabbat and Jewish festivals).
Shabbat Ends at Dark
You may not end Shabbat before dark (appearance of three medium-size stars--tzeit ha'kochavim).
When Is Dark
Shabbat (and Jewish festivals) ends at “dark”: when three medium-sized stars are visible overhead.
When Is Dark
Shabbat (and Jewish festivals) ends at “dark”: when three medium-sized stars are visible overhead.
Note To find medium-sized stars, look for stars to appear in the west—those will be large stars. When large stars appear in the west, medium-sized stars should be visible overhead.
If you are in a place where the sun sets but the sky will not get dark any time that evening, ask a rabbi what to do.Everyone Must Drink at Seder
At the Passover seder, all Jews above the age of bar mitzva or bat mitzva (including women--unlike on other Jewish festivals) must drink wine for kiddush and for the other three times in the seder when the borei pri ha'gafen blessing is said.
Note On the other Jewish festivals, only one person needs to drink the wine when kiddush is said, and that will cover and fulfill everyone else's requirement for that kiddush.
Note Only children and people who will get sick if they drink alcohol are permitted to drink grape juice at seder.
Note Only children and people who will get sick if they drink alcohol are permitted to drink grape juice at seder.
Jewish Festival: Weight-Lifting
You may change weights on barbells or on a completely mechanical (no electrical parts; no timers or indicators) weight machine on Jewish festivals but only for enjoyment, not for exercise.
Passover: When To Finish Kashering
When kashering an oven or utensils for Passover, you may kasher:
- By Libun
Anytime, including on chol ha'moed (but not on Jewish festivals or Shabbat).
- By Hag'ala
Until one hour before halachic midday on Passover eve (but b'di'avad it is OK until
just before sunset of Passover eve).
just before sunset of Passover eve).