K. Peisakhov, Tula - Kiddush cup (2) - Silver

These fine kiddush cups are an authentic piece of Russian silver, made in Tula between 1882 and 1898. The cups bear the maker’s mark ХП, belonging to Khaim Peisakhov, owner of a silver workshop known for its solid craftsmanship.

The combination of place, period, and maker makes these kiddush cups a particularly notable collectible. The cups reflect both the religious tradition of kiddush and the rich history of Jewish silverware in the Russian Empire at the end of the 19th century.

A beautiful and meaningful kiddush cup suitable for use during Shabbat and holidays, but also highly attractive to Judaica and antique silver collectors. A tangible and atmospheric object with historical depth.

Because both cups belong together, we wish to sell the two cups as a set.

Height: 4.8 cm. Diameter: 4 cm.

Total weight: 42.7 grams.

Provenance: From the Devotionalia collection.

What is Kiddush?

Kiddush ("sanctification") is a short ceremony in the evening, at the beginning of Shabbat and other holidays, in which a prayer is recited over a cup of wine. The prayer is recited by the head of the household in the presence of the entire family, directly after returning from the synagogue, before the evening meal, and is repeated the following morning. The prayer consists of two blessings: one over the wine and one over the Sabbath or another holiday. The father uses the Kiddush cup with the appropriate content, and all family members have their own smaller Kiddush cups. This is considered healthier than drinking directly from the same large, shared Kiddush cup.

The Aish Rabbi answers: The reason for sharing the wine (or grape juice) is that the Wise men recommended taking part in a "cup of blessing" (kos shel bracha) – that is, a cup that has been used for a mitzvah ("commandment"). In this way the "blessing" is shared with the other participants. Therefore, after reciting Kiddush, someone typically pours a little wine from his own cup, which is then poured into smaller cups for the participants.

It is important to share the wine in the correct way. The host should pour some wine from his own cup before he himself starts to drink. Not only is drinking from someone else’s cup considered off-putting by many, but only pure wine may be shared. Once someone has drunk from it, the wine is considered pagum (literally: "defective") and is no longer valid for Kiddush – and only valid wine earns a blessing when shared. Alternatively, the person reciting Kiddush may pass his own cup after drinking. Although some wine has been drunk from it, because it remains in the original cup it is not pagum and may be shared.

If the host pours wine from his own cup before he begins to drink, he should ensure that he pours only a small amount – so that he still has the full required quantity of a revi’it in his cup after pouring. (See the earlier answer about the required amount of wine.) If his cup is small and there are many guests, a common solution is to pre-pour a quantity of wine from the bottle into a separate cup and then pour a little Kiddush wine into that cup before sharing it with others.

Finally, the participants should wait to drink the wine they have received until the host himself begins to drink. Indeed, after the host has poured some wine from his cup into a second cup, he should drink that immediately before sharing the poured wine with others.