)
Women and men are equally obligated in all of the mitzvot of Shabbat. Therefore, a woman may recite Kiddush and Havdala for the entire household. Nevertheless, the widespread custom is for the man of the house to recite Kiddush and Havdala. Whoever recites Kiddush should drink most of the wine in the cup, which should hold at least 2.5 ounces (75 ml.). The cup should be attractive, elegant, and clean. Ideally, each person listening should drink from the Kiddush wine, although this is not mandatory. (Since the person reciting Kiddush drinks, everyone listening fulfills their obligation as well.) The listeners should not speak until after they drink. Someone who is not planning to drink any wine should stay silent until the person reciting Kiddush has finished drinking.
On Friday night, the mitzva is to recite Kiddush immediately after returning home from Ma’ariv. Once Shabbat has begun, one should not eat or drink until after Kiddush. However, rinsing one’s mouth with water or taking medicine is permissible. After Shaĥarit on Shabbat morning as well, one may not eat or drink before Kiddush.
Ideally, Kiddush should be recited where the Shabbat meal will be eaten. If not, it must be where one eats some food whose blessing is Mezonot (23:10 above). Since, as we mentioned, sanctity and enjoyment should be connected, when the sanctity of Shabbat is mentioned in Kiddush it should be in the context of enjoying food.
It is customary to cover the challahs when reciting Kiddush. Whether to sit or stand is a matter of custom, but most people stand up for Kiddush on Friday night, and sit on Shabbat day.
