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In the event that you are in shabbat and there is no kosher wine available - Can you use non kosher wine and make the hagafen bracha on this?

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    There was a scene in Schindler's List where Mr Schindler got them some wine and told them to make Kiddush. You could say however that it was P'kuach Nefesh as if they "upset" Mr Schindler he might change his attitude and not be so protective, so better to just make Kiddush.
    – CashCow
    Feb 27, 2015 at 9:15
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    @CashCow - I recall that scene. Of course, "Hollywood" is not a halachic proof. However, you raise an interesting point, and I suggest that you may wish to research this nuance. I.e. - an assumption that someone is forcing you to make Kiddush. (If Schindler had said outright, "If you don't, things will get worse" it would be a clear(er) case of piku'ach nefesh.)
    – DanF
    Feb 27, 2015 at 15:11
  • Rambam in the first chapter of Hil Brachos says that you don't make a bracha on forbidden food; I'll make that into a proper answer if I can find the precise citation.
    – MTL
    Feb 27, 2015 at 19:17
  • @DanF my suggestion is that if that actual scene really did happen they did the right thing as there clearly is a serious risk of upsetting Mr Schindler and the consequences being dire. In such a situation you have to make an immediate decision. You can't go and seek a Rav.
    – CashCow
    Mar 1, 2015 at 20:03

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Well if you are dying of thirst and the only liquid available is not kosher, I guess you could drink it.

But otherwise -- there are other ways to fulfill your mitzva of kiddush. If you had no food around whatsoever, you'd still get the Biblical mitzva by saying the prayers (and thus "remembering the Sabbath day"). Otherwise: well if you can get to a grocery store, buy some grapes and squeeze them yourself all before sunset on Friday, voila! -- kosher grape juice. (Those who lived in isolated places for longer periods of time often made their own raisin wine.)

If that doesn't work, Kiddush Friday night can also be recited on bread; and Kiddush Shabbat morning can also be recited on coffee, tea, beer, orange juice, and the like -- all of which pose far less of a kosher concern.

So I don't really see a scenario whereby kiddush would allow for consumption of non-kosher.

Sources on the Kiddush material. Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 77:3 and 77:13:

ואם אין לו יין, מקדש על הפת ולא על שאר משקין.

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גם ביום בסעודת שחרית צריך לקדש על הכום... ואם חביב לו ייך שרף ומקדש עליו, גם כן יוצא,

[On Friday night], if one has no wine, he says Kiddush on bread -- not a non-wine beverage. ...

On Shabbat morning one must make Kiddush on a cup ... if one prefers liquor [to wine] and recites Kiddush on it, this also fulfills the obligation.

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  • Although O.P. has not specified, what if there is no other beverage or bread, and non-kosher wine is the only item available?
    – DanF
    Feb 27, 2015 at 15:14
  • @DanF as I'd said, still no. The biblical obligation of kiddush can be fulfilled with prayer; using food is rabbinic.
    – Shalom
    Feb 27, 2015 at 15:31
  • Doesn't the Shulchan Aruch Harav allow kiddush on bread during the day?
    – sam
    Feb 27, 2015 at 15:43

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