What are the rules for a kiddush cup?

Since a Kiddush cup is one used for the ritual of saying Kiddush on Shabbat and holidays, you might expect a host of rules about it. In fact, the main one is that it be a special cup set aside for that purpose if possible, and the nicer the better.

If you are looking for guidelines as to how big a Kiddush cups should be, the online guide to Halachah (traditional Jewish law), Peninei Halakha, outlines a range of opinions of the Rabbinic commentators, with the suggested volume ranging from 38 to 150 ml (from about 2 ½ Tablespoons to a half a cup), or the amount it would take to fill your cheek, puffed out, but adds that if a bunch of people are making Kiddush collectively, the collective amount should be that much. (If you want to read the whole discussion, you can find it here: https://ph.yhb.org.il/en/category/01/01-06/).

 Our Kiddush cups hold about 40 mL of liquid, when filled to the brim, so if you are concerned about meeting the minimum, we’ve got you covered. More importantly, in our liberal religious Jewish eyes, they are lovely, with a simple grape design and silver plating. The cups in our Simply Shabbat bag are simpler, as you would expect, and made of stainless steel, making them easy to keep clean when you’re away from home.

Shop here to order a curated box, create a custom box, or simply buy one of our Kiddush cups, and give yourself or someone else the Gift of a Jewish Home!