I've been to a few shuls on Shabbat morning where the rabbi recites Kiddush in the shul from the bimah. After that, the congregation proceeds to the Kiddush room to eat. Is this halachically permissible?
My understanding of the problems and confusion:
- One should not eat prior to hearing Kiddush
- Kiddush must be made in a makom se'udah (place where you will have the meal)
- The shul is not where people will be eating. It's in a different room.
- My understanding of the term "se'udah" is that it requires a bracha of "hamotzi". In most cases, bread is not served at the Kiddush. However, it seems that people eat a sufficient amount of cake that it may require washing and "hamotzi", though, I haven't seen people following this rule.
- Based on the last item, perhaps, there is no "makom se'udah" involved here. That, may question the effectiveness of the Kiddush in the first place.