QUESTION

Washington, DC

R’ Melamed (Peninei Halacha Shabbat 1:6:3, Shabbat 1:6:6) writes that kiddush ideally should be made with wine and that it is a mitzvah to share from the same cup with one’s wife. How should one balance those two values/mitzvot if one’s wife either doesn’t care for wine or doesn’t drink wine? Specifically, this arises when one’s wife is pregnant and not drinking alcohol.

ANSWER

Personally, I am makpid to use wine, particularly on Friday night. There is a real question, if we are talking objectively and setting aside