Grape Juice and Wine
From Halachipedia
Beracha
- The Bracha on wine is HaGefen. [1]
- The Bracha on grape juice is HaGefen. However, pasteurized grape juice made from grape juice is Shehakol and unfit for kiddush.[2]
Mevushal (Cooked Wine)
- There is a debate among the poskim whether pasteurized wine has the status of cooked wine in Halacha.[3]
Sources
- ↑ Mishna Brachot 35a, Shulchan Aruch 202:1, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 49:1
- ↑ Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach in Minchat Shlomo 1:4 explains that really wine is only hagefen if it can be intoxicating as we see by the laws of Nesachim (and is understood from the pasuk Bamidbar 28:7). However, grape juice that was pasteurized and can't be intoxicating is nonetheless hagefen since the cooking is considered a positive change that leaves it as edible and not something that would remove its bracha. However, once the pasteurized grape juice is diluted it can't be hagefen since that’s not wine. The idea that diluted wine is still hagefen (Rama 204:5) only applies to wine which is intoxicating. He explains that the same should be true for kiddush that diluted pasteurized grape juice is unfit since it was changed by cooking and the dilution can’t grant it the status of reconstituted wine since diluting doesn’t make it as good as pure juice. Halichot Shlomo v. 2 p. 218 9:12 writes that Rav Shlomo Zalman had a doubt whether grape juice from concentrate is shehakol.
- ↑ Rav Moshe Feinstein (Sh"T Iggerot Moshe YD 2:52) held that pasteurized wine is considered cooked and therefore is permitted even if it was touched by a non-Jew or a Jew who publicly desecrates Shabbos. However, according to Rav Elyashiv (Kovetz Teshuvos 1:pg. 112) and Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Minchas Shlomo 25) pasteurized wine is not considered cooked in halacha in regards to being touched by a non-Jew. Chacham Ovadia Yosef (Sh"t Yabea Omer YD 8:15) writes that if necessary one can rely on the opinion of Rav Moshe Feinstein
