Kiddush - Quantity

QUESTION: How much Kiddush wine is one required to drink?

ANSWER: The Shulchan Aruch (OC 271:13) writes that the amount of kiddush wine that must be drunk is “melo lugmav” (a cheek full) of wine which, for an average sized person, is the majority of a revi’is. If a large revi’is is about 5 oz., then melo lugmav for an average person will be about 2.5 oz. Mishnah Berurah (271:68) writes that if someone’s cheek is very large, he will have to drink more, but the maximum one is ever required to drink is a revi’is. Mishnah Berurah also writes that even if the cup is very large and holds much more than a revi’is, one is only obligated to drink a melo lugmav, even though it is not the majority of the cup. There is no obligation for any of the other participants to drink the wine, even though they were included in this kiddush. However, it is considered proper for everyone present to take a sip of wine to demonstrate the preciousness of this mitzvah.

Ideally, the one who recites kiddush should drink the melo lugmav himself. However, if he cannot, one of the participants who listened to kiddush can do so. Bedi’eved, if everyone drank a sip of wine and cumulatively a melo lugmav of wine was drunk, it is acceptable. Lechatchila, the wine should be drunk within a timespan of “k’dei shtiyas revi’is” (a few seconds). Bedi’eved, if all the participants together drank the melo lugmav of wine within a timespan of “k’dei achilas pras” (3-4 minutes), it is acceptable.

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