How to Follow Evening Kiddush for Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah is a day of tradition and ritual. There is the Rosh Hashanah meal, the lighting of the candles and the saying of the blessings, the performance of the Tashlikh and the evening Kiddush. All of these rituals are meant to strengthen one's commitment to God and the Torah, and these can be easily created with a little preparation.
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Things You'll Need
- Kosher wine (or grape juice)
- Cup or goblet large enough to hold sips for everyone at the Rosh Hashanah table
Instructions
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Prepare for the Blessing
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1
Bring the cup of wine to the table and cover any challah or other bread with a cloth or remove it to a sideboard. This is so that the blessing of the wine will not be shared with the blessing of the bread.
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Hold the cup of wine and recite the following: "Blessed are You, Our Lord, Our God, Our King of the Universe, who creates the fruit and the vine."
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Take a sip after reciting the evening Rosh Hashanah kiddush.
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Pass the goblet to another person at the table, and she will recite the blessing and take a sip and continue to pass the goblet. Alternately, you may choose to have cups of wine for everyone at your Rosh Hashanah table, and each guest would simply say the evening Rosh Hashanah kiddush in turn as he lifted his glass, but sharing one larger wine cup or goblet is far more traditional. Sharing a cup, in ancient times, created a bond of friendship and trust between the host and the guests.
Follow the Spirit of the Kiddush
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Drink the wine as many traditionalists do: in a spirit of gratitude for all that God gives man from the earth. Some Jewish followers take this opportunity to think about what else they may be grateful for.
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Check your local grocery store for kosher wine. If you can't find any, ask members of your synagogue where they buy theirs.
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Follow the Kiddush with other Rosh Hashanah rituals, such as the lighting of the candles (after sundown) and the reciting of the candle blessing.
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Tips & Warnings
To strictly follow accepted Jewish holiday guidelines, the Rosh Hashanah cup must be able to hold at least several ounces of wine or juice. Some households keep a special goblet that they only use on Jewish high holidays, reinforcing the sanctity of the cup.
