Daily Halacha Podcast - Daily Halacha By Rabbi Eli J. Mansour

Many people ask whether grape juice may be used instead of wine for the Misva of "Arba Kosot" – drinking four cups of wine at the Seder. This is, indeed, an important question with which the Halachic authorities have grappled, both in regard to this Misva as well as in regard to the Misva of Kiddush. When it comes to Kiddush, the Rambam (Rav Moshe Maimonides, Spain-Egypt, 1135-1204) ruled that wine which is Mebushal – meaning, it has been brought to a boil – may not be used. The Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 472) does not follow this view of the Rambam, but according to some authorities, it is preferable not to use Mebushal wine for Kiddush. The grape juice which is commonly sold in stores today is Mebushal (as it has undergone pasteurization), so this is one disadvantage of using grape juice for Kiddush. It should be noted that the Shulhan Aruch permits using for Kiddush freshly-squeezed grape juice produced on Friday, so if somebody squeezes grapes to produce grape juice before Shabbat, which is obviously not Me