Sharing Cups

Is it permissible for two people to share cups?

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

Indeed, one should not share cups at meals.

In the event that two (or more) people are forced to share the same cup, the cup should at least be cleaned at the place where contact with the mouth was made before it is passed on to the next person. One should also make an effort to determine whether those one is sharing a cup with might be ill in some way. It is noted that sharing cups is considered to be something intimate, reserved for husband and wife, while sharing most other types of solid food is commonplace and acceptable.

The Talmud teaches that we are to be careful about spreading our germs. It is related that Rav Yossi and Rav Yehuda were once eating porridge out of the same bowl, one with his dirty hands and the other with a utensil. The one eating with the utensil said to the one eating with his hands, “How long will you keep feeding me your excrement?” The one eating with his hands said to the one eating with the utensil, “How long will you keep feeding me your saliva?” We see from here that sharing food in an unsanitary manner is unbecoming and spreads germs and sickness.

SOURCES: Tamid 27b; Nedarim 49b; OC 170:15,22; Sefer Chassidim 111; Kaf Hachaim (Palagi) 24:63.