Kiddush before coffee?

Question

Commenting on the Shulchan Aruch in siman 289 which states that one may not taste anything before kiddush shabbos morning, except water, the Biur Halacha s.v. Chovas Kiddush writes that that it is simple that whoever has a hetter to eat before prayers, such as one who is eating for refuah, such as mentioned in siman 89 siff 3, must make kidush first.

In siman 89 #22 brings various circumstances and details whether one can drink coffee before prayers are brought up. The Mishna Berurah ends the discussion by giving his hetter for someone to coffee for refuah. This is obviously not using a 'coffee is only water' hetter as the Shulchan Aruch there allowed water as well. The hetter for water is that it is not haughty to drink it before praying. Coffee, as mentioned, needed the logic of refuah to be allowed.

So, does this person need to make kiddush before he drinks his coffee? It would seem he does, but as far as I know, nobody makes kiddush before having a cup of coffee shabbos morning before shul.

Answer 1

According to Igros Moshe in Orach Chaim chelek 2 siman 26 one would not make kiddush to drink coffee.

He says he only rules with that Biur Halacha when one needs to eat real bread or pas habaa bikisnin which is real bread if someone is kovea seuda on it. As opposed to cooked grains which are never considered bread, when eating these for refuah, one would not need to make kiddush first.

He adds that according to the opinion of Magen Avraham which states a person fulfills his obligation of kiddush bimakom seuda with minei targima, this is not so simple, but there are those that argue on him, so we can make a sfek sfeika to say this person does not need to make kiddush. Being so, why would we tell him to drink something for kidush which is assur for him to drink being that it is not for refuah. He ends off saying it seems more likely to him that this person would not need to make kiddush as he mentioned in his first letter. (I'm not sure if that letter is available).

Getting back to our coffee, Reb Moshe's svara would definitely help to say one does not and should not make kiddush in order to drink coffee. Even more so because nobody would say you can use coffee in place of real bread for kiddush bimakom seuda.

Answer 2

No, he does not have to make the Kidush before the Coffee. There is the rule of Kidush Bimkom Se'uda (to make the kidush in the place where you are about to dine), which originates from the words of the Rashbam on Bavli, Psachim, page 100 ("רב הונא ורבה ואביי כולהו סברי בסמוך אין קידוש אלא במקום סעודה וכן פסק במגילת סתרים"), and therefore it is not even a Machloikes (meaning all poiskim agree on that one).

Further more, that din would also apply in the event of eating before the Prayer. In that event it is a bit more complicated since there are opinions that he should perform the Kidush before eating, even before the Tefila, such is the opinion of the Mishna Berura, but "LaHalacha", you should not perform Kidush because of the opinions that you do not perform the Kidush before the Tefila.