Siman 190

After the conclusion of birkat hamazon, he shall recite the blessing "borei peri hagafen" if he is reciting the blessing over a cup. And there is one who says that he must say "savri maranan" (see Taz), but the custom is not so. And so it appears, for everyone is prepared to hear at the conclusion of birkat hamazon that they all recited. And one should not ask: why in kiddush and havdalah does the blessing "borei peri hagafen" precede the other blessings, while in birkat hamazon it is later? For it is not comparable, as kiddush and havdalah are the beginning of the matter, and the blessing over the cup precedes the other blessings, and it is not an interruption since it is of the matter itself. But birkat hamazon is the end of the matter of the meal and the removal from the meal, and the cup is a matter unto itself; and if he were to recite the blessing before birkat hamazon – birkat hamazon would be an interruption. (See Magen Avraham. And regarding what he wrote concerning the cup of marriage because of "do not differentiate," the Beit Shmuel in Even HaEzer siman 62 wrote another reason: that if they were to recite the blessing "borei peri hagafen" before the seven blessings, it would appear that the blessing is only for birkat hamazon, see there.)

And after the blessing "borei peri hagafen," the one who recites the blessing shall taste. And it is a mitzvah to swallow a large swallow, due to the love of the mitzvah. And there is no obligation upon the others who are reclining to taste from the cup, for even more than this, the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch ruled in section 4 that if the one who recites the blessing does not wish to taste—one of the recliners shall taste, see there; and all the more so that the tasting of the one who recites the blessing is sufficient. However, when they come to taste—they shall not taste before the one who recites the blessing, when they drink from his cup or he pours from his cup into their cups. But when each one has a cup of wine before himself—they may taste before the one who recites the blessing. And if each one has a cup of wine before himself but they are pagum, the one who recites the blessing must pour a little from his cup into their cups. And some say that he does not need to, for a cup that is pagum is only disqualified for the one who recites the blessing. And this has already been explained in siman 181, see there. And one should not ask according to the first opinion: how can there be a disqualification in those that are pagum, for is there not no necessity that the recliners drink, as I have written? For this is no difficulty at all: for certainly if they do not drink at all—we have no concern with it. But when they drink—they must drink from those that are not pagum, since the name "cup of birkat hamazon" is upon them. And if the one who recites the blessing made an interruption between the blessing and the drinking—he must return and bless; as will be explained in siman 271, see there. And it is simple that if he drank the measure that will be explained—he must recite the concluding blessing. But if his intention is to drink more—he shall bless after the conclusion of his drinking. And if he recited the concluding blessing, and wishes to drink more—he shall recite the initial blessing. And there is one who says that if his intention was previously to drink more, he does not need a blessing when his intention was to drink immediately (Magen Avraham, subsection 3). And this is a wondrous thing, since he recited the concluding blessing (the Eliyah Rabbah also did not agree with his words, see there).

The Tur and the Shulchan Aruch wrote in section 3: Regarding the measure of drinking to be obligated in a concluding blessing, there is a doubt whether a kezayit or a revit is sufficient. Therefore, one should be careful to drink either less than a kezayit or a revit, in order to remove oneself from the doubt. And here it is impossible to drink less than a kezayit, for anything that requires a cup—one must drink from it a melo lugmav, which is the majority of a revit. Therefore, he should drink a full revit. Thus far his words. The explanation of the matters: For behold, the Rambam in the third chapter ruled that for a concluding blessing over wine or other liquids one requires a revit, and the measure of drinking a cup of blessing he did not explain. However, since he explained in the twenty-ninth chapter of Shabbat that for kiddush one requires a melo lugmav, and so it is stated in Pesachim (107a), it follows that every cup of blessing is so. And in this no man has ever disagreed. And "melo lugma" is less than a revit, for this is a melo lugma: whenever he moves it to one side and it appears like a melo lugma, as in the matter of Yom Kippur. And if so, it follows according to this that when he drinks a melo lugma—he does not require a concluding blessing.

But our teachers the Tosafot in Yoma (79a) and in Sukkah (26b), and the Rosh in the chapter "Three Who Ate" (siman 24), were in doubt regarding the obligation of the final berakhah: for perhaps a kezayit is sufficient, like eating. And this is less than a melo lugmav, for a melo lugma is the majority of a revit, and a kezayit is much less than this; for a kezayit is half an egg, and a revit is an egg and a half. If so, a melo lugma is close to an egg. And even though a congealed kezayit is a revit in liquid form, as is found at the beginning of the eighth chapter of Shabbat, see there, nevertheless we are in doubt that perhaps a liquid kezayit is sufficient. And this is what the Tur and the Shulchan Arukh wrote, that in all drinking a person should be careful to drink either less than a kezayit or a revit, so that he does not come to a doubtful berakhah. And according to this, regarding a cup of berakhah where one is forced to drink a melo lugma, he should automatically drink a full revit. (The Taz, subsection 3, wanted to innovate that even on the majority of a revit one recites a final berakhah, see there. And the Eliyah Rabbah, subsection 5, already refuted him. And his proof from siman 480 is no proof, for that is when he drank the entire revit. And the Rashba in a responsum, siman 625, wrote that one should drink the entire revit of the cup of Birkat HaMazon, and this is because of the final berakhah. And what he said that "and you shall bless" refers to the cup of Birkat HaMazon, this is not found anywhere; and how can he decide the doubt of the Tosafot against the certainty of the Rambam? And the Tosafot themselves wrote that it is a doubt, and a doubt regarding berakhot is ruled leniently. And the Beit Yosef himself in siman 210 wrote the opinion of the Rambam as the primary view, see there. And also what the Taz wanted to innovate there, that for brandy one does not need a revit because it is sharp—the Magen Avraham in this siman, subsection 4, already refuted him, see there. And the sages did not differentiate in measurements, and one who drinks less than a revit does not need a final berakhah. And among us, the custom regarding every cup of berakhah is to drink the majority of a revit, for this is like a melo lugma as I have written, because we hold the words of the Rambam as the primary view. And wine is expensive among us, but a person whose mouth is very large, such that his melo lugmav is more than the majority of a revit—he must drink a revit, as the Magen Avraham wrote in subsection 5, see there. Examine it and you will find it simple.)

Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 4: If the one who recites the blessing does not wish to taste—one of the participants should taste the required amount. And the drinking of two does not combine. Nevertheless, the choice way to perform the mitzvah is for everyone to taste. Thus far his words. And later in siman 271 regarding kiddush, the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch brought the opinion of the Geonim, that specifically the one who recites kiddush must drink. And the Tur wrote there that regarding the cup of birkat hamazon the Geonim agree, see there. Therefore, he did not bring their opinion here, because here they agree that it is sufficient for another to drink. And conversely, I wonder about our teacher, the Beit Yosef, for there he brought the opinion of "some say" that we do not require that one person drink a mulo lugmav, and it is sufficient when each one drinks a little, see there. And this is the opinion of the Ritva in the name of the Tosafot, see there. And since regarding kiddush he brought his opinion, all the more so he should have brought this opinion here, for kiddush is more stringent than birkat hamazon, as is proven from the Geonim. And it requires further study. (And besides this, behold there in his great book he brought the opinion of the Raviah that one does not need a mulo lugmav at all for a cup of blessing. And he infers from the Shas in Pesachim there, which says: One who recites kiddush, if he tasted a mulo..., and the language of "tasting" implies a small amount. And in my humble opinion, a more compelling proof appears from Berakhot 52a, which says: The one who recites the blessing must taste..., if he tasted it, he has rendered it flawed, see there, for it is explicitly explained that it is a mere tasting. However, since most of the poskim do not hold so, we must perforce bow our heads. Nevertheless, regarding combining, it requires further study. And I saw the HaGarz in his Shulchan Aruch, who compared this to the libation on the altar, see there. And I do not understand: what is the connection between this and that? Furthermore: if so, let it require all of it as on the altar. And for us, since wine is expensive, and likewise all beverages, it appears in my humble opinion that at any rate one may rely on the opinion of "some say" in siman 271 regarding combining. And examine carefully and you will find it easy.)

He further wrote: When reclining at a large meal, and they do not know how far the cup of Birkat HaMazon will reach—each of those who are in doubt if it will reach him must recite the blessing "borei peri ha-gafen." Thus far his words. However, if the one reciting the blessing intended for all those reclining, and they also intended that if the cup reaches them they would fulfill their obligation with his blessing—they do not need to recite the blessing (Magen Avraham subsection 7). And such is the common custom. And above in siman 174, section 10, we explained that this is not only at a wedding feast; see there that regarding Kiddush and Havdalah and Birkat HaMazon, in which everyone needs to fulfill their obligation—it is obvious that they do not recite a blessing for themselves.

The one who recites the blessing over the cup must hold the cup in his hand during the time of Birkat HaMazon. And we are accustomed to hold it until "HaRachaman," and afterward he places it on the table, and when he finishes "HaRachaman" he takes it in his hand and recites the blessing. And there are those who require holding it in his hand until the drinking (Sha'arei Teshuva in the name of the Chacham Tzvi). However, if he did not hold the cup in his hand at all – it does not invalidate ex post facto (the Gra"z in section 2). But at the end of the chapter "Shlosha She'achalu" it implies somewhat that this is indispensable, and they relied on the verse "I will lift the cup of salvations," and he raises it a handbreadth, see there. And it requires further study as to the law.