{"id":7188,"date":"2016-01-08T04:00:28","date_gmt":"2016-01-08T02:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/?p=7188"},"modified":"2016-07-14T14:18:32","modified_gmt":"2016-07-14T11:18:32","slug":"01-08-04","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ph.yhb.org.il\/en\/01-08-04\/","title":{"rendered":"04. Using Beverages Other Than Wine"},"content":{"rendered":"
Ideally one should make havdala<\/em> over wine, which is the most dignified beverage, as it nourishes and gladdens, so when it is enjoyed in the service of a mitzva, it has the unique capability to reveal the inner goodness of the Jewish people. The Sages state that one who makes havdala<\/em> over wine on Saturday night will be blessed with children (Shev.<\/em> 18b).<\/p>\n However, if there is no wine available, one may use \u0125amar medina<\/em> (lit. \u201cthe wine of the country\u201d), a dignified beverage that people in that locale drink as one would drink wine (SA 296:2). For example, in many places people commonly drink beer. In such places, since beer is important for them, they may make havdala<\/em> over it, replacing Ha-gafen <\/em>with She-hakol<\/em>.<\/p>\n If one has wine but prefers \u0125amar medina<\/em>, some say that he may not make havdala<\/em> on \u0125amar medina<\/em> (Rabbeinu \u0124ananel; Rashbam), while others maintain one may nevertheless use \u0125amar medina<\/em> (Rambam; Smag<\/em>). In practice, it is proper for even one who prefers beer to recite havdala <\/em>over wine, as long as he also likes wine. However, if he wants to, he may make havdala<\/em> on \u0125amar medina<\/em>.<\/p>\n Vodka and arak are also considered \u0125amar medina<\/em>, but because they are so strong it is difficult to drink a melo lugmav <\/em>(c. 50-55 ml) of them. One who is able to drink a melo lugmav <\/em>of them may recite havdala <\/em>over them.<\/p>\n The poskim<\/em> disagree about whether a beverage must be alcoholic to be considered \u0125amar medina<\/em>. The lenient poskim<\/em> maintain that any beverage that one would serve to important guests, and which people sometimes sit around drinking with friends, is considered a dignified beverage and may be used for havdala<\/em>. Thus, one may make havdala <\/em>on coffee, tea, or malt beer, as well as fresh-squeezed apple juice or orange juice. However, one should not make havdala<\/em> over flavored beverages or other soft drinks, like grapefruit juice or Coca Cola, because they are not dignified beverages, merely drinks that quench one\u2019s thirst. Some rule leniently even regarding these beverages, since one would serve them to important guests.<\/p>\n The stringent poskim <\/em>maintain that only alcoholic beverages are considered \u0125amar medina<\/em>, because these are the beverages that people drink at collegial parties. Other drinks, however, are not so dignified and should not be used for havdala<\/em>. According to this, one may make havdala<\/em> on beer and other alcoholic beverages, but not on coffee, malt beer, or fruit juice.<\/p>\n In practice, one should be stringent and make havdala<\/em> over alcoholic beverages only. Only if these are unavailable, then be-di\u2019avad<\/em> one may make havdala<\/em> on dignified non-alcoholic beverages.[3]<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n