You have to eat something TB Pesakhim 101

Yesterday’s daf concluded with a discussion whether one fulfills his obligation of saying kiddush in the synagogue. Rav says yes and Shmuel says no. Today’s daf TB Pesakhim picks up the argument by explaining the underpinning reasoning and why Rav supports saying kiddish again at home and why Shmuel supports saying kiddush in the synagogue.

“But according to the opinion of Rav, why should one have to recite kiddush a second time at home if he has already fulfilled his obligation in the synagogue? The Gemara answers: He must repeat kiddush to fulfill the obligations of his children and the members of his household, who did not come to the synagogue.

"The Gemara asks: But according to the opinion of Shmuel, why do I need to recite kiddush in the synagogue at all, if one does not fulfill his obligation with that kiddush? The Gemara answers: The purpose of kiddush in the synagogue is to fulfill the obligations of the guests who eat and drink and sleep in the synagogue. Since these visitors are staying in the synagogue for Shabbat, they must hear kiddush there.

“And Shmuel follows his line of reasoning, as Shmuel said: There is no valid kiddush except in the place of one's Shabbat meal (אֵין קִידּוּשׁ אֶלָּא בִּמְקוֹם סְעוּדָה). If one does not eat a meal in the location in which he recites kiddush, he has not fulfilled the mitzva of kiddush.” (Sefaria.org translation)

The halakha follows Shmuel. (Shulkhan Arukh, Orekh Hayyim, 373:1-3) Rashbam gives two reasons why a person does not fulfill his kiddush obligation except in the place of one’s Shabbat meal. He cites the midrash quoting the verse in Isaiah 58:13 ‘If you call the sabbath ‘delight...’” Calling refers to kiddush and delight refers to the meal. In other words you make kiddush in the place where you delight i.e. your meal. The second reason is based on logic. We are commanded to remember the Sabbath day in the 10 Commandments. The rabbis understood “remembering” meaning by the kiddush wine at the meal because the meal is important segment of the day.

The Gemara relates a very interesting story which has implications of of what we mean by a meal. “And Rabba also maintains that there is no kiddush except in the place of onefs Shabbat meal, as Abaye said: When I was in the house of my Master, Rabba, when he would recite kiddush he would say to us: Taste some food here, lest by the time you get to your place of lodging your lamp be extinguished, and you will not be able to recite kiddush in the place where you will eat. And with the kiddush you heard here you do not fulfill the mitzva, as there is no kiddush except in the place of onefs Shabbat meal.” (Sefaria.org translation)

What did Rabba mean when he said “Taste some food” Tosefot (ד"ה טעימו מידי) claims that Rabba meant eat some bread because bread signifies a meal. The Gaonim disagree and say drinking another significant glass of wine (רביעית) is sufficient to satisfy the requirement of “in the place of one’s meal.“ The Lavush adds that even eating something that requires a final blessing (ברכה אחרונה) is effective. See the Shulkhan Arukh, Orekh Hayyim, 373:5.

If you want to fulfill your obligation of kiddush when hearing it in the synagogue, make sure you eat something.