Shabbos Erev Pesach

A Most Complex Shabbos!

    If the reader is overwhelmed and confounded regarding this upcoming Shabbos-erev-Pesach, he is not alone. Even the Shulchan Aruch remarks on the confusing nature of these halachos.

   To aid the reader, I will discuss the most commonly vexing issues, opening with a more-detailed discussion about the uniqueness of this year’s taanis bechorim.

1. Taanis Advanced

   Quick Riddle: What are the two occasions where halacha would sanction an official erev Shabbos fast-day? While most would immediately, and correctly, get the first one – ‘asarah b’teves’, the additional erev Shabbos fast may prove more allusive. Some readers, noting my introduction, may be thinking, “It’s a year like this! When the 14^th of nissan falls on Shabbos, we advance the fast to erev Shabbos!” However, this would be incorrect, as we actullay advance the Taanis two days, to Thursday. This confusion is only magnified when we consider the fact that when the 14^th of nissan falls on a Friday, then halacha indeed does affirm an erev Shabbos taanis bechorim. This second case would be the correct answer to our ‘riddle’.

   Why the distinction? Why not have this year’s taanbis also be on a Friday?

    As mentioned in the Purim issue this year, not only may one fast on a erev Shabbos, but the Shulchan Aruch records how some ‘anshei maaseh’ (holy Jews of distinction) would make a point to fast every Friday so as to enter Shabbos in a state of hunger! However, in our generation we are advised against this practice, as fasting all day would cause exhaustion and deleterious dispositions, all leading to a low desire for delighting in the seudah, etc.

   So, while we wouldn’t, dafka, place a taanis on a Friday, should either of these two fast-days naturally arise on an erev Shabbos then we keep it in place.

    As to this year -when the taanis falls on Shabbos-while we advance it to Thursday, the Shulchan Aruch brings an opinion not to fast bechorim bechorim at all this year! This is because, as opposed to asareh b’teves which is predicated on a pasuk in zecharia, taanis bechorim is but a minhag, for which we, perhaps, say by, “Once its missed, its missed”.

       The Rema rules, however, like the first opinion.

     Nevertheless, certain leniences are intoridces this year. Some poskim allow one to rely on the view of attending a siyum wendesday night, therby allowing him to eat on Thiursday, while others allow one who can’t attend a siyum to redeem the Taanis with tzedakah. Of course, these are for cases where one is otherwise stuck, only for this year, and still one should consilt their rav.

   On the other hand, some poskim, like Rav Shternbuch,urge bechorim to make a second siyum of Friday in addition to Thuirsday’s! Other poskim, like Rav Moshe Feinstein, support this chumrah but without recommending it (4:69).

   While this chumrah may seem hard to comprehend on a taanis that is but a minhag- it actualy has strong support that begs a larger quarrion: By our one other taanis that is a minhag–taanis esther- the Rema rules that should it fall on a Shabbos we similarly advance it to the Thurday before. He then adds that if one had a bris on that Thursday, allowing him to eat, he must make up this fast the next day, erev Shabbos!
     So consider the similarities to our erev Pesach this year, where one makes/attends a siyum which allows him to eat on Thursday…should he not similarly have to make up this fast the next day, erev Shabbos?!

 Rav Karelitz quotes his uncle, the Chazon Ish, who dismisses this concern of needing to make-up taanis bechorim on Friday because this fast is but a minhag. However, can’t one retort that taanis esther is equally a minhag?!

    Nevertheless, as Rav Moshe makes clear, the minhag for a year like this is to fast/attend a siyum for Taanis bechorim only on Thursday, and without making it up, and, for whatever reason, we differentiate from a Thursday taanis esther.

1. Bedika Beracha Memory

Thursday night –the 13^th of Nissan –the bedika will be performed with a beracha and a kol chamira at the end. There are many obvious reasons why this cannot be done on Friday night erev pesach –not the least of which being the impossibility to search with a candle.

   What is unique –and what risks creating a false memory, a concern the Shulchan Aruch will mention below –is the beracha we say on this Thursday bedikah. In a regular year one never makes a beracha when done before the 14^th (say, for one going away Pesach). This year’s night of the 13^th is an exception to that rule.

1. Chometz, Where Art Thou?

   One may keep Chometz needed for the next day’s burning/eating and for Shabbos in a secure location.

While many houses become pesachadik at this point (save for the bedika bread needed for biur the next day), there is no halachic obligation to refrain from eating Chometz until early Shabbos morning (times depend on location).

  The one main action to perform on Friday is biur chametz.

However, we do not say the kol chamira then, rather we say it before the fifth hour on Shabbos.

While an actual burning obvoulsy can’t be performed on Shabbos erev Pesach, why not perform it later in the day on Friday? One can technically eat chametz all day Friday, so one should be able to do the biur up until they accept Shabbos. Why limit its timing?

   The Shulchan Aruch explains that this, too, is so as to avoid creating false memories and confusion in future years.

IV. Eggs Matzah vs. Rolls. Vs. Soaked

   We are confronted with a quagmire on Shabbos erev Pesach–on the one hand we must have lechem mishneh by each of our Shabbos meals, but on the other hand we can’t eat matzah erev Pesach (this is a halachah; not to be confused with the minhag of refraining from rosh chodesh; if this halacha already begins Friday night is beyond the scope of this short treatment).

    The poskim offer three options.

Chametz challah, egg matzah, or soaked matzah.

   Should one’s minhag be to use chometz, I would recommend bagels or pitas as they cause less crumbs. One would make sure to serve these on towels/plastic table cover etc., and each person would eat a kezayis over those towels immediately upon washing. These towels would be discarded down the toilet, or, if there are far too many chometz crumbs to flush, one may pour designated bleach over it in the trash, or, wrap up the tablecloth and place it somewhere hidden and secure and have in mind during the kol chamira, to be dispose of properly (burning, etc.) on chol hamoed.

Some make the hamotzi/eat the chametz in a different room, and after following the steps above, eat the rest of their kosher l’pesach meals in their dining room. If this is followed, it is best if the dining room where the rest of the meal will be eaten can be seen from this other room. It is, however, not recommended that one make the hamotzi on a porch, balcony or the backyard and then return to eat the rest of the meal.

Rav Moshe Feinstein and many others (ashkanazim only) recommend using kosher l’pesach egg matza.

  Care should be taken that it not mix, or crubms fall, with Pesach utensils, food, etc. (although allowed for the sick and infirm on Pesach).

   According to Rav Moshe Feinstein and others, Ashkanazim must cease eating Egg Matzah before same time one must refrain from chametz. Some (e.g. Noda B’Yehudah) allow Egg Matzah to be eaten until chatzos.

   Many sefardim encourage the use of regular kosher l‘Pesach matzah used for these Shabbos meals. In order to get around the prohibition of matzah on erev Pesach, one keeps their matzos soaking (e.g. in soup, but not to the point of breaking apart).

IV. Biur Chometz

Before the fifth hour chamira should be said., with some reecomending to think-but-not-recite the word  ‘hefker’.

V. Shalosh Seudos

    In order to fulfill both the morning meal and seudas Shlishis many break their early morning meal into two, provided they wait several minutes in-between.

   Because seudas shlishis is supposed to be eaten no earlier than half hour after midday (according to many), it is recommended that some fruits or other items be eaten after this time, as well.

   Others avoid splitting their morning meal into two, rather partaking of a non-washing seudas shlishis later in the day, while making sure not to spoil their appetite for the seder.

   May Hashem see His nation’s desire to fulflfil hilchos Shabbos along with hilchos Pesach and bring us a sheffa tova!