The enjoyment of wine has always played an important, ritual role in Jewish life at all festivals, with many examples in the Old Testament of the Bible. Moderate consumption is recommended to the faithful as beneficial to health. On the Sabbath, wine is drunk at the beginning (Kiddush) and at the end (Havdala). At the beginning of the Sabbath (Friday evening) a cup of wine (Kiddush cup) is filled four times during the celebration. First the Father gives the blessing on the wine: Blessed art thou, O Lord God, Lord of heaven and earth, to whom thou hast created the fruit of the vine. Then he takes a sip and passes it on to everyone. The wine is a symbol of the joy that God has given the Jewish people the Sabbath.
At the end of the Sabbath (Saturday evening), as a ritual, a cup of wine is poured so full that it overflows. This is to symbolize or make clear the overflowing blessing of God for the Sabbath and the coming week. In this context the term "Kiddush wine" (blessing wine) is often used. Kosher wine also has a very special meaning at the Passover celebrated from the 15th to the 21st Nisan (first month according to the "religious" calendar), which is celebrated in memory of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and thus liberation from slavery.
Laws for food and wine
The Jewish laws for the preparation of food and drink (Hebrew kashrut) are laid down in the Tanach (normative biblical texts, part of which is the Torah), the Talmud (interpretation of rules in everyday life) and rabbinical scripture. Food and the dishes made from it are either "kosher" (Hebrew for "pure", "fit" or "suitable") and thus edible or "trefe" (also "tame") and thus unclean and therefore not allowed. The production of "Jájin...
