Source

Summary

1. Bishul Yisrael (Cooked by Jews)
   • Food cooked by non-Jews is generally restricted (bishul akum).
   • Coffee was debated (served at “royal tables,” not eaten raw).
   • Most rule it exempt: primarily water and not a “food”; some are strict.
2. Blessing Before Coffee
   • Shehakol (not Ha’eitz), since the beans aren’t consumed with the drink.
3. After-Blessing
   • Some: no after-blessing when sipping slowly (requires a quick shiur).
   • Workarounds: drink a final portion quickly.
   • R. Shneur Zalman: beverages share food time-frame → sipping can still allow an after-blessing.
4. Drinking with Non-Jews
   • Alcohol in non-Jewish venues is restricted (social concerns).
   • Many are lenient with coffee (non-intoxicating), but discourage regular visits.
5. Making Coffee on Shabbat
   • Grinding and cooking are prohibited.
   • Method: pour from the kettle into a kli sheni (sometimes kli shlishi) before adding instant or grounds to avoid cooking.
6. Kashrut
   • Black, unflavored coffee is kosher if additive-free and prepared in clean, non-treif utensils.
7. Passover
   • Coffee beans are fruit seeds, not legumes → not kitniyot; some are stringent to avoid confusion.
   • Must be free of chametz; decaf often needs Kosher-for-Passover certification (processing agents).

Open source

• Bishul akum (Cooking by Non-Jews): Foods cooked by non-Jews are prohibited even if all ingredients were kosher—this includes concerns around meals and food preparation.
• Coffee & Staying Awake on Shavuot: Coffee may have facilitated the Shavuot custom of staying awake all night, due to its ability to help people remain alert.
• Permissibility of Coffee on the Road:
  • Rav Hershel Schachter: no concern of marit ayin (appearance of impropriety) for purchasing coffee at places like McDonald’s.
  • Rav Yisroel Belsky: advisable not to sit inside the restaurant to avoid appearances; better to sit outside.
  • Schachter also recommends delaying drinking until reaching your car. If you’re exhausted, drinking to stay alert and avoid violating v’nishmartem me’od l’nafshoteichem (“be very careful for your lives”) outweighs marit ayin concerns.

Open source

• Wearing Tefillin: Permitted to drink coffee while wearing tefillin, even though Shulchan Aruch discouraged meals with them due to fear of drunkenness.
• Before Davening: Simple coffee (with sugar/milk if needed for concentration) is allowed; fancy drinks are not.
• Pas Shacharis (Morning Meal): While ideally one eats bread or mezonos, some poskim say coffee itself can fulfill the practice.
• Berachos & Zimun:
  • Coffee with pastry: both are ikkur, so separate berachos apply.
  • Some allow coffee/tea to count for zimun; others disagree.
  • Debate if coffee at the end of a meal requires its own beracha.
  • Bracha is Shehakol (not Ha’etz). Ground beans alone get no bracha.
  • After-blessing disputed since coffee is sipped slowly. Workarounds: drink a reviis quickly or use a sugar cube.
  • Smelling coffee’s aroma usually gets no bracha, though some dissent.