Is the Cup Half Empty
Cup of Wine to be Full for Birchas Hamitzvos
One fine Wednesday evening, smack in the middle of the week (as Wednesdays are prone to be), Rabbi Berger asked his son Baruch to please bring him the silver cup on which he made kiddush every Shabbos. Baruch sped off to perform his father's request, all the while wondering why his father would possibly need his kiddush cup right then. The Rabbi retired to his study, and Baruch could only continue to wonder.
The seudah that Shabbos night was enhanced by the addition of a guest, as Binyamin had invited his friend Yosef over for the meal. Baruch kept a close eye on his father throughout kiddush. His astute eye did not pick up on anything out of the ordinary.
“Yosef, I’d like to honor you with leading the zimun over a cup of wine," Rabbi Berger offered Binyamin's friend. Yosef accepted shyly. Out of nervousness, as he raised the cup he accidentally spilled about a quarter of the wine onto the table. To everyone's utter amazement, despite the telltale signs - indicated by the large stain on the tablecloth - that there had indeed been a spill, the cup remained completely full.
“Huh! How is the cup of wine still full?” whispered Yossi in astonishment to Baruch, who whispered back, “shh,” while pointing discreetly at their father Rabbi Berger. Rabbi Berger motioned to Yosef that he should proceed with the zimun.
There are many mitzvos that are accompanied by a cup of wine, i.e. kiddush, bris, chasuna, pidyon haben and birchas hamazon, to name a few. The l’chatchilah (preferable) fashion is to use a cup that is filled to the brim (Rema 182:2). However, if the cup is not completely full, it does not negate the essential point of having a mitzvah performed on a cup over wine, so long as there still is a revi’is (3 oz. - 5.3 oz.) of wine remaining in the cup (Mishnah Brurah 183:9).
If the wine is not filled to the top of the cup, one can put something inside the cup - such as a slice of bread or an ice cube - to artificially raise the wine level to the top, as long as there is still a revi’is inside (Mishnah Brurah 182:32). This cup would be considered full, l’chatchilah.
After the meal, the Berger family escorted Yosef (well beyond the minimum requirement of four ammos, which is 6.4 - 7.7 feet), and directed him how to get home (Ahavas Chesed 3:2, and second haga’ah).
“Tatty, did you tweak the kiddush cup so that a false bottom springs up to raise the liquid level to the brim?” Baruch asked.
“Great deduction, Baruch,” complimented Rabbi Berger. Additionally, the spring is calibrated to prevent the false bottom from going too high. This ensures that a revi’is will always remain in the cup.”
Lzchus Refuah Shlaimah Gila bas Fruma Kressel
L’ielui Nishmas Mirium Roza bas Pinya
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Written By: Simcha Zisel Nakdime
Points to Ponder
Would there have been a problem of making a brachah on a cup of wine that is obviously not full?
Conclusion
