Chapter 77:4
Kiddush and the Shabbos Meals
4. Women are also [Biblically] obligated to recite Kiddush. Accordingly,
[to fulfill this obligation,] they should listen carefully to the Kiddush,
and answer Amen. They should not recite "Boruch Hu uvoruch sh'mo" (1) (See
Chapter 6:9).
A minor who is already thirteen years old, but it is not certain that he
has at least two pubic hairs (2), cannot enable a woman to fulfill her
Kiddush obligation by reciting it for her (3). [Therefore, in these
circumstances,] the woman should say Kiddush herself. If she does not know
how, she should recite it word for word together with the child (4).
[Indeed,] even when she hears Kiddush from her husband or from another man
(and doesn't understand the Hebrew words), it is preferable that she
[quietly] recite the Kiddush together with him, word for word (5).
(Note the Dogul Merevovoh and Shulchon Oruch HoRav [271:7] with regard to
the procedure a woman should follow. See Chapter 135, Law 6, regarding the
recitation of Kiddush when several adult men are dining together.)
FOOTNOTES:
(1) According to many authorities, saying "Boruch Hu uvoruch sh'mo" after
hearing Hashem's Name in the middle of a Blessing, is considered an
interruption. Others maintain that it is permitted to say it. Our custom is
not to say it, but one need not protest if others do so.
(2) Becoming a legal adult ("Gadol") in Jewish law is dependent on both age
and physical signs of maturity. When a boy reaches the age of thirteen, and
when a girl turns twelve, they both become fully obligated to abide by the
commandments of the Torah, as long as two pubic hairs are present.
(3) One can only perform a mitzvah on behalf of someone else, if he himself
is obligated to perform that act on the same level as the person for whom
he is performing it. A minor is not Biblically obligated to perform any of
the commandments, and therefore cannot recite Kiddush on behalf of an adult
woman who is Biblically obligated. When dealing with Rabbinical law, one is
allowed to rely on the general assumption that a thirteen year old boy
already has at least two pubic hairs. However, in cases of Biblical
obligation, such as Kiddush, one may not rely on that assumption unless the
boy already has a significant amount of facial hair.
(4) When a woman is reciting Kiddush along with a child, she should have
her own wine and bread in front of her (Mishna Berura 271:3).
(5) According to the Aruch HaShulchan 271:8, our custom is that even women
(or men) who do not understand Hebrew, can fulfill their obligation by
simply listening to the Kiddush, and do not have to recite it word for word
with the person saying it. This is following the opinion of those
authorities who rule that if the Mitzvah is being recited in another
language (i.e. other than Hebrew) then one must understand that language in
order to fulfill one's obligation by listening to someone else; however, if
the language is Hebrew, the listener does not have to understand it in
order to fulfill his obligation.
