Vizhnitz Rebbe Asks Chasidim To Make Kiddush This Shabbos Between 6 And 7
BNEI BRAK (VINnews) — The Vizhnitz Rebbe, Rabbi Yisrael Hager, presented an unusual request to his chasidim during a sermon he gave during the final Shabbos meal. It is the custom in many chasidic groups not to make Kiddush on Friday nights during the winter between 6 PM and 7 PM. Others try not to make Kiddush during the first hour of the night. The reason for this is that this is a time when Mars is the astrological sign controlling the world and this is not an auspicious time to be making Kiddush.
The rebbe however requested that on the forthcoming Shabbos, Parshas Vayigash, people should not maintain this stringency and should make Kiddush between 6 and 7. The reason for this is that this coming Friday marks the fast of the Tenth of Teves, which is the only fast which can fall on a Friday and even this is a very unusual occurrence (the last time was in 2013). The rebbe was concerned that women and children will be fasting and tired after the Shabbos enters and will not be able to wait until 7 PM before they eat.
The rebbe said that people should “have mercy on their household and not maintain this stringency while the rest of the household is famished from the fast.
“Those who are accustomed to this should say a chapter of Tehillim instead”, the rebbe concluded, adding that the custom was originally only that of Admorim and not of the chasidim and those who are usually stringent should not do so on this coming Shabbos.”
