KollelBoker: Can one use grape juice for the Four Cups?

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Vol. 1 Iss. 22

פרשת מצורה

There will be a TBT Shalosh Seudod this week at Rabbi Goldman's house (137-73 75th road) at 7:00. Have a great Shabbos!

Dvar Torah

By: Rabbi Goldman

When Moshe Rabbenu was in Egypt he was wondering how it could be that Hashem was causing so much suffering to the Jews. However, when he recognized that there were Jews who were speaking loshon hara about each other, he realized that the suffering was appropriate. Rabbenu Bachya says that we see from other places as well that loshon hara can be the determining factor as to how Hashem treats the Jews. In the time of Shmuel and Shaul even thought the Jews were careful in most areas of Torah and Mitzvos they were not so careful in speaking loshon hara. This is why many soldiers fell in battle. However, in the time of King Achav, when Jews were doing many עבירות, including avodah zarah, but were careful in the area of loshon hara, they didn't lose any soldiers in battle.

The Chofetz Chaim takes this a step further. He writes that the cause of the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash was because of loshon hara. The fact that we are till in gulos today, 2,000 years later, shows us that we still have not corrected that sin.

It seems that the events of Jewish history throughout the generations have been influenced by the impact of the loshon hara that they were involved in. The stages of history when the Jews were zoche to have the Bais Hamikdash around, and were protected from there enemies have been times when they were careful in the way the spoke. On the other hand when we have been careful about how we speak we were protected even thought we were lacking in other areas. Knowing these chazal will surely help us to appreciate the severity of the sin.

The fact that there is such a severe punishment for speaking loshon hara (Tzoras) furthere shows us how severe the sin is. However, the Chosfetz Chaim tells us that understanding the severity is only part of the battle. We must also know what the guidelines of the prohibition are. We must figure out what causes us to speak badly about others. We also must have a plan as to how to avoid speaking loshon hara. May we be zoche to stop speaking loshon hara and the rebuilding of the Bais Hamikdash soon! Have a good Shabbos!

Dvar Halacha

By: R' Chananya Berman

Question: Can one use grape juice for the Four Cups?

Discussion: One should use wine for the Four cups even if he does not like it so much. This is true even if using wine will give him a headache. One should push himself to drink wine as long as he wont become bedridden from it ( במשנה ברורה סי תע"ב סקל"ה).

Additionally the gemara says that one must use wine that has the (alcoholic) taste of wine. Many poskim say that if one uses grape juice, although they have fulfilled the mitzvah, they have not fulfilled the חרות aspect of the mitzvah. Therefore one should try to drink wine if at all possible. However, some poskim say that לכתחילה a woman can drink grape juice for the Four Cups .(מקראי קודש סל"ה הערה 2) According to Rav Dovid Finestien wine that has an alcoholic content of less then 5 % does not meet the requirement of חרות. One may mix grape juice with the wine as long as he does not dilute the alcoholic taste past this point.

Both men and women are obligated in this mitzvah even thought it is a time bound mitzvah. Once a child has reached the age of Chinuch (5-6 years of age) he/she to should drink the four cups. However, a child need only to drink grape juice. The child should be instructed to drink a "Cheek full" of grape juice to fulfill his obligation.

How much must one drink?

The cup must hold at least a rivis of wine. The minimum measure for this is 2.9 fl. oz. (Kol Dodi 2:6) One must drink most of the rivis but should drink the entire rivis. However, if one uses a cup that contains more then a rivis, one should drink most of the cup. If one is unable to do so he should drink most of a rivis. The best thing is for a person to have a cup that contains a rivis. This way he only needs to drink the cup.

One should drink most of the rivis in one swallow and finish the rivis in the second swallow.

Summary: The best way to fulfill the mitzva is to use wine even if it will make a person uncomfortable. However, one certainly will fulfill the mitzva with grape juice. There is an aspect of the mitzva called חרות this can only be fulfilled with wine. According to Rav Dovid Finestien this means wine with an alcohol content of 5% or more. Both men and women are obligated in the mitzva. One should drink most of a rivis (about 1.5 fl. ou.) However, if the cup contains more then a rivis one should drink most of the cup. It is sufficient for children under bar mitzva to drink a "cheek full". One should drink the amount in one swallow.

For all practical questions please ask your Rav.