-Q. Estimado Rabino, larga vida. In our shul in Mexico City when we end the fasting of Tisha Beav tonight, when still in shul people are thirsty and they usually want to drink some water before going home.
Due to local circumstances we don’t keep wine or liquors in shul. I have a number of questions that need immediate answer. First, can one drink water tonight before Havdala is recited on wine?
A. On question 3832 we wrote:
“At the end of the fast of Tisha Beav that this year will be delayed until Sunday, before one makes Havdala can one drink some soda water when very thirsty, if that is all what is available in Shul?
A. Shulchan Aruch (299: 1) rules that one may drink water before reciting Havdalah at the end of Shabbos. However, Poskim debate if that permission applies also to sparkling soda water that one drinks reciting a brocho, even when not thirsty, because of the pleasantness and good flavor it has. (Shevet Hakehosi 2: 124).
Other Poskim are lenient (See Piskei Teshuvos ibid. quoting Shalmas Chaim 273). Horav Dovid Pam and Horav Aharon Miller Shlit’a maintain that when possible one should be stringent, and just drink tap water.”
In your case, if you have, just drink plane bottled water. If not, then shake forcefully the container to convert it as much as possible into plain water, and then drink before Havdala is needed.
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