Can One Make An ‘Early Yom Tov’?

April, 2022

 Yomim tovim carry many misconceptions.

       For instance, people often declare “It’s yom tov, one is allowed to carry!”.

Not quite.

Without an eruv, an unneeded tissue in one’s pocket, for example, would be a biblical violation of hotazah on yom tov (see siman 518)! (see post on the topic of carrying on yom tov)

     Another popular misconception – hopefully by now largely busted -is regarding lowering flames. The Shulchan Aruch rules that kibuy -the melacha of putting out a fire -is not one of the few allowed on yom tov. In fact, he states there, that even if one’s house is burning one is not allowed to put out the fire if no one is at risk (see siman 514)! Of course, that case is academic in nature because there is always a fear today of spread and danger to life, but the point is made. While the Rema does offer some allowance when it comes to burning food, this is complex and a rav should be consulted (especialy regarding gas stovetops where some are more permissive in certain cases).

     But the misconception that I hear most often relates to yom tov starting times. “One can’t make an early yom tov” is a common refrain.

Is that true?

While it may be true that in practice people do not make early yomim tovim, is this due to halacha or convenience?   

I. Early Shabbos vs. EARLY Shabbos   

      The reader should first understand that taking on Shabbos early is not simply an expedient tool, it is a requirement, as the Gemara teaches us by Yom Kippur (from vayikra 23:32) that one must except Yom Kippur early, i.e. tosefes yom hakippurim.

In fact, many rule that just like the demand to take on an early Yom Kippur, the demand that we take on Shabbos early is also a biblical obligation (Shulchan Aruch sima 261 with Magen Avraham)!

The earliest one may accept Shabbos/Yom Kippur is from plag hamincha. Depending on the season, this can be anywhere from forty minutes before shekia to two hours.  (For simplicity, ‘shekia’ refers to the moment the entire ball of the sun falls completely below the horizon; how perspective/altitude effects this is beyond our discussion.)

This halacha may seem confusing at first, causing some to wonder, “What then is “An Early Shabbos?”

What we colloquially title “An Early Shabbos” is simply fulfilling this early Shabbos requirement, and doing so as early as halachicly feasable (This way, especially in the summertime, not only does one thereby fulfill their obligation of accepting Shabbos early, but they can also keep the kids up for the seudah!

Ia. 18 Minutes

The minhag of lighting Shabbos candles eighteen-to-twenty minutes before shekia (in America) was largely created so as to be as an easy method to fulfill this ‘early acceptance halacha‘ each week.

   

III. To Review Thus Far

• Before every Shabbos (and Yom Kippur,) halacha demands an ‘early’ acceptance of at least a couple of minutes before shekiah)
• If a woman misses the listed ‘lighting time’ (if that time is indeed eighteen-minutes before shekiah), she still can/must light until shekiah
• In such a case, she should light up until about two minutes before shekiah
• If it’s too close to shekia, she may have missed the mitzvah of an early acceptance for that Shabbos
• In such a case, she should use the last remaining minute or two before shekia to light just one candle. For, in a minute or so, shekiah will ‘force’ the start of Shabbos upon her -whether she accepted it or not -and she therefore must minimize the risk of performing the melacha of havara after shekia .
• This latter case is a reminder that in cases of great need ONE CANDLE is enough for hadlaka (Note how the beracha is always in the singular: “…ner shel shabbos“)

IV. Early Yom Tov?

What about Yom Tov? Does halacha demand its early acceptance as well?

Yes!

Even before seeing sources, logic would dictate that it would.

For example, some beautifully explain that the reason we are to take on Shabbos early is because Shabbos is “zecher l’yitzias mitzraim” (luchos shniyos), therfore, just as Hashem took us out of slavery early so too do we accept this day’s kedusha early [instead the four-hundred years told to Avraham, He took us out of Mitzraim after only two-hundred-and-ten years] (see Yiyteiv Panim vol. 2, Shabbos hagadol, os 2; cf. Rambam 30:2).

   Wouldn’t this logic doubly apply to Pesach -and many other festivals- that come(s) specifically to recall and reanimate that very exodus event?

    And indeed such is the halacha: just like Shabbos, one must add (tosefes) to yom tov by accepting it early (Yoma 81a).

Chazal further state, “Anytime the Torah demands ‘rest’ [from the melachos] one must add time from the mundane day going into the holy day” (Rosh Hashana 9b).

     In fact, some sefarim lament how this halacha remains unknown to many.

The sefer Lechem Hapanim writes how so many are seen shopping in frum stores right up to mere minutes before shekia, thinking that yom tov is different than Shabbos in this regard, concluding, “…may Hashem atone for them and may they be careful going forward” (siman 103:1).

V. An early EARLY Yom Tov?

     But what about a true Early Yom Tov, an hour-and-a-half before sundown, like we often do for summer Shabbosim? Why don’t we do that for yomim tovim?

      Interestingly, the Shulchan Aruch HaRav and the Mishneh Berrura both allude to the fact that for many years we would indeed make yom tov during the daytime -like a Summer Shabbos – (494:2 and 472:4, respectively). However, in our time we tend not to.

Let’s go through each yom tov and explain why.

• Rosh Hashana: While one must accept it early like all yomim tovim (Magen Avraham 581:10), there is a debate just how early this can be. Many poskim urge to only add a little (20-30 minutes) to be yozei tosefes, but not to make what we would call an early Rosh Hashana. This is so as not to add time to our din (Maharil, siman 33)! And even the little time we must take on, it should only be regarding the prohibition of melacha, and not the full kedushas hayom (Moadim V’zmanaim 7:233; cf. Tosfos to Kesubos 47a with Rav Elchanan in Kovetz Shiurim to Pesachim 99b). Some disagree, arguing that Rosh Hashana is a day when the imahos and Yosef were remembered, etc. we therefore should make an early yom tov, especially when the first day is a Shabbos (Shu’t Shoel U’Meishiv 4:3;125). The minhag is to follow the first view.
• Yom Kippur: As mentioned, making Yom Kippur early is a requirement. Indeed, kol nidrei always starts before sundown. Why then don’t we make a truly ‘early’ Yom Kippur, say seventy minutes before sundown? Well, in fact, the Mateh Efraim mentions those that made Yom Kippur at plag (about an hour and a half early!), but says we no longer do this. The reason we do not make it too early is obvious: it will extend a fast on people thereby potentially effecting their teshuva. Some point to the concern of eliminating the mitzvah of eating on the ninth! The Chofetz Chaim, however, says that this is of no concern and one can indeed make it as early as an early Shabbos (siman 608:2).
• Sukkos: Rav Yosef Karo in his Beis Yosef teaches us that while one can technically make an ‘early Sukkos’, one should at least not perform kiddush/eat until it is night. Some posit that the reason for this is due to the language of the pasuk regarding Pesach -from which many of Sukkos’ laws are derived -where it says ‘evening’ (Mishneh Berrura 639:25; cf. Rav Chaim Soloveitchik in Divrei Yechezkal 45:5). While some poskim still allow for an early maariv like we do on a Summer Shabbos -and some even allow kiddush to also be made during daylight, so long as the bread itself waits till night (Magen Avraham 639:11) -because of the complications of waiting, it’s just not worth it to many.
• Shemini Atzeres: While the standard tosefes is required (e.g., 18 minutes) making it too early can cause problems. By eating early on Shemini Atzeres one is thereby ending their mitzvah of sukkah! Not only should one wish to extend this mitzvah (see Derashos Chasam Sofer, sukkos, 48b in old editions), but one will also run into the problem of a beracha. For, but because it’s still light outside, should one make the beracha of leishiev because it’s still technically the last day of Sukkos, or, should they omit it because they already accepted Shemini Atzeres (see, e.g. Mishneh Berrura 688:7)? So, while one can theoretically make an early Shemini Atzeres and then wait till it’s dark to eat their seudah (Shu’t Rivevos Efraim, et al), this would be confusing and inconvenient to many.
• Shavuos: Famously, the Shlah records an ancient tradition not to eat before nighttime on Shavuos. This is because the Torah never records the date of this yom tov, rather we are to count seven complete (temimos) weeks, and until nighttime it’s not the completion of the forty-nine days (Shlah, beg, of mesechta shavuos). The Taz and many others add to this to not even daven maariv before nighttime (see also Mishneh Berrura 494:1). Nevertheless, one would still need the tosefes of eighteen minutes or so.
•   Pesach: The halacha is that one can’t make kiddush on Pesach until it is dark. This is because the korban was only eaten at night, and the matzah need be eaten at a time that would have been appropriate for the korban, and kiddush must be at a time for matzah -talk about a chad gadya (we emulated the wording found in the Mishneh Berrura 472:4)! Furthermore, for those that say hallel in shul, many posit that they couldn’t say it if taken on early and still light outside (Dayan Weiss, as brought in Kovetz Zichron Yehoshua 2:p.191; cf. the Klausenberger rebbe in Shu’t Divrei Yatziv 2:207 who allowed such hallel to be said early). For these reasons -unless in cases of great need -we do not make a truly early Pesach. But, once again, the eighteen minutes early would still be required.
• Last Days of Pesach: Finally – a yom tov for which there is no source or reason not to make a truly early yom tov, where we could eat the first meal in daylight! So why don’t shuls take advantage of this?

     I’m not sure. I would surmise it’s because one would risk confusing this specific set of yom tov days with allowing it also for others.

      I hope this helps unravel an often misunderstood and unappreciated part of our year-to-year halachos.

     Wishing everyone a chag kosher v’sameach!