Updated January 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A printer-friendly version of this article can be found <\/strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of us are quite familiar with the regular Erev Pesach routine: The bechorim<\/i> go to a siyum<\/i>, the chometz is burned, and we prepare for the Seder. However, every so often,1<\/a><\/sup> Erev Pesach occurs on Shabbos and we must modify our routine. Let us review the halachos<\/i> of Shabbos Erev Pesach. (After this year, it will not occur for another twenty years. The next occurrences will be in 2045, 2048, 2052, and then not again until 2072.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n On a regular Erev Pesach the first-born males (bechorim<\/i>) are obligated to fast. This year the fast is pushed back to Thursday. Those bechorim<\/i> who do not wish to fast should attend a siyum<\/i>. Thursday night after tzeis hakochavim<\/i> (when it gets dark), one should immediately perform bedikas chometz<\/i>. A bracha<\/i> and <\/a>Kol Chamira<\/i> (same as usual) are recited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chometz which is necessary for Friday night and Shabbos morning meals should be placed in a disposable container away from all Pesach food. Although chometz may be purchased and eaten all day Friday, the custom is to sell and burn the chometz before the sof zman biur chometz <\/i>(i.e., end of the 5th halachic <\/em>hour of the day) corresponding to when that time occurs on the actual day of Erev Pesach.2<\/a><\/sup> Burning it later could lead to confusion in subsequent years. Kol Chamira<\/i> is not recited at the time of burning. All keilim<\/i> should l\u2019chatchila<\/i> be kashered<\/i> by this time. Bedi\u2019eved<\/i> one could kasher keilim<\/i> until candle lighting on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following preparations for the Seder should be made on Erev Shabbos: Roast the egg and z\u2019roa<\/i>, check and clean lettuce leaves, chop the nuts for the charoses<\/i>, and grate the horseradish. Food cooked for Shabbos and Yom Tov should be kosher<\/i> l\u2019Pesach<\/i> and cooked in Pesach pots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After chatzos<\/i> (midday) on a regular Erev Pesach, one may not perform various melachos<\/i> (e.g., shaving, doing laundry).3<\/a><\/sup> These halachos<\/i> do not apply this year since Erev Shabbos is not actually Erev Pesach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Except for Hamotzi<\/i>, all meals should be eaten on Pesachdig<\/i> utensils. These utensils should not be brought to the table until after all crumbs have been cleared away. Alternatively, one may use disposable utensils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The procedure for Hamotzi<\/i> for all Shabbos meals is as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If one is concerned with eating any bread indoors, one may eat outdoors on the porch or in the backyard (if it is permissible to carry \u2013 i.e., within a reshus hayachid<\/i>). Recite Hamotzi<\/i>, eat the rolls, then sweep the crumbs off the table and off the porch. One may not sweep the crumbs into the wind or out of an eruv<\/i>. Alternatively, eat over tissues or napkins and flush as above. One may finish the meal inside. Birchas Hamazon<\/i> should l\u2019chatchila<\/i> be recited where the bread was eaten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shacharis<\/i> on Shabbos morning should be scheduled earlier than usual because one must recite Hamotzi<\/i> on lechem mishneh<\/i> and finish all bread before the sof zman achilas chometz<\/i> (i.e., end of the 4th halachic<\/i> hour of the day).<\/p>\n\n\n\n After disposing of all chometz, one must recite the same Kol Chamira<\/i> that is usually said when burning the chometz. This must be done before the sof zman biur chometz<\/i> (end of the 5th halachic<\/i> hour). It is recited even if it was already recited by mistake on Friday at the time of biur chometz<\/i>. During Seuda Shlishis on an ordinary Shabbos, one must have lechem mishneh<\/i> and l\u2019chatchila<\/i> eat more than a kebei\u2019a<\/i> (i.e., more than two kezeisim<\/i>) of bread after the time of Mincha Gedola<\/i> (1\/2 halachic<\/i> hour after chatzos<\/em>\/midday). On this Shabbos, one may not eat bread or matzah at this time. What is the solution?<\/p>\n\n\n\n One should eat \u201cother foods\u201d during the afternoon meal, such as fish, fruits or Shehakol<\/i> cakes (cakes made only from potato starch) any time between Mincha Gedola<\/i> and sunset. However, if one eats these foods after<\/i> the beginning of the tenth hour, one should be especially careful not eat too much thereby diminishing his appetite for the Seder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For those who follow the custom of eating <\/a>gebrokts<\/i> on Pesach, cooked products containing matzah meal (e.g., kneidlach<\/i>) may be eaten if they are consumed before<\/i> the 10th hour of the day. Baked matzah meal products, including cake, may not be eaten anytime during the day.4<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n If time permits, it is preferable to \u201csplit the morning meal\u201d by doing the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If one \u201csplits\u201d the morning meal in this way, one must still eat something after Mincha Gedola<\/i> as described above to fulfill the mitzvah of Seuda Shlishis<\/i> in the prescribed time according to most opinions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All preparation for Yom Tov and the seder may not begin until Shabbos is over (tzeis hakochavim<\/i>). As previously indicated, some preparations should be done before Shabbos. One may also wish to set the Seder table before Shabbos and eat in the kitchen on Shabbos to allow the Seder to begin as early as possible after Shabbos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kiddush<\/i> and Havdalah<\/i> (yaknahaz<\/i>)6<\/a><\/sup> are recited together at the Seder as printed in the Haggadah<\/i>. One should recite Borei Me\u2019orei Ha\u2019aish<\/i> using the Yom Tov candles, putting them together side by side while upright. They should not be tilted to touch each other. Alternatively, one may recite the bracha<\/i> using a non-frosted incandescent light bulb which was turned on before Shabbos (or was turned on by a timer that was set before Shabbos).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Besides yaknahaz<\/i>, there is one additional change to the Haggadah<\/i>: In the bracha<\/i> of Asher G\u2019alanu<\/i> prior to drinking the second cup of wine, we reverse the order and say min hapesachim u\u2019min hazevachim<\/i> (instead of the opposite order). This is due to the change in the order of korbanos<\/i> when Pesach occurs on Motzei Shabbos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When Erev Pesach occurs on Shabbos, it affords a rare opportunity to rest on Erev Pesach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I was a student in yeshiva, I once commented to Mr. Hyman Flaks z\u201dl<\/i>, the Executive Director of the Vaad Hoeir of St. Louis, that when Erev Pesach occurs on Shabbos, preparations are so difficult. He answered, \u201cThis type of year is my favorite year. My work in the field of kashrus is so hectic before Pesach. With a Shabbos to rest, I can come to the Seder feeling like a mentch!\u201d7<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, I understand exactly what he meant. As we all prepare for Pesach, amidst the hectic frenzy, we can look forward to the rare8<\/a><\/sup> Erev Pesach which affords us an extra special Yom Menucha<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. This occurs on average once every nine years, as frequently as every three years (e.g., 2005 and 2008), and as infrequently as every 20 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. Bedi\u2019eved<\/em>, it can be burned or sold all day Friday until Shabbos begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. For a complete discussion, see \u201cThe Busiest Day of the Year: The Laws of Erev Pesach.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. Whether or not one eats gebrokts<\/em>, baked (and certainly cooked) matzah meal products may be eaten on Friday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. This fulfills the obligation according to additional opinions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. Yaknahaz <\/em>is a well-known acronym for Kiddush and Havdala on Motzei Shabbos. It stands for Yayin, Kiddush, Ner, Havdala<\/em> and Zman <\/em>(i.e., Shehecheyanu<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. On that Shabbos, one should be careful not to say something like, \u201cI am taking a nap this afternoon to be rested for the Seder.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 8. All the following events are unique to the rare year when Erev Pesach is Shabbos:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Updated January 2025<\/p>\n A printer-friendly version of this article can be found <\/strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Many of us are quite familiar with the regular Erev Pesach routine: The bechorim<\/i> go to a siyum<\/i>, the chometz is burned, and we prepare for the Seder. However, every so often,1<\/a> Erev Pesach occurs on Shabbos and we must modify our routine. Let us review the halachos<\/i> of Shabbos Erev Pesach. (After this year, it will not occur for another twenty years. The next occurrences will be in 2045, 2048, 2052, and then not again until 2072.)<\/p>\n Thursday \u2013 Taanis Bechorim\/Bedikas Chometz<\/i><\/p>\nThursday \u2013 Taanis Bechorim\/Bedikas Chometz<\/i><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Friday \u2013 Erev Shabbos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Friday Evening and Shabbos Day<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Shabbos Morning Meal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
One may continue his Kosher l\u2019Pesach<\/i> meal and recite Birchas Hamazon<\/i> after these times.<\/p>\n\n\n\nShabbos Afternoon Meal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Splitting the Morning Meal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Motzei Shabbos and the Seder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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