THE HALACHOS OF EREV PESACH WHICH OCCURS ON SHABBOS Erev Pesach which occurs on Shabbos, involves several key areas of Halachos of Pesach and poses other issues in areas related to Shabbos. The purpose of this essay is to attempt to clarify the issues created by this event and to suggest how one should act (“Halacha L’maseh”). These issues will be discussed in chronological order: THURSDAY: • Fast of the Firstborn (Mukdam) • The search for chometz (“Bedikat Chometz”) FRIDAY: • Destruction of the chometz (“Bi’ur Chometz”) • Food for Shabbos • Cooking for Shabbos. A candle should be lit to last through Shabbos, as it will be needed when Shabbos is over, to light Yom Tov candles • Preparation of “Matzat Mitzvah” that will be used at the Seder • Preparations for the “Seder”; the Z’roah should be roasted, the romaine lettuce should be checked for insects, prepare the salt water, grate the Maror, prepare the Charoses, prepare the egg for the Seder plate. SATURDAY – SHABBOS • The Shabbos meals and the “two loaves” (“Lechem Mishna”) • Destruction (“Bi’ur”) and voiding (“Bitul”) the chometz • Washing the dishes and other food utensils THURSDAY FAST OF THE FIRSTBORN MALES 1. Since one is prohibited to fast on Shabbos, the firstborn should fast on Thursday, the 12th of Nissan. The fast is not held on Friday to avoid entering Shabbos feeling uncomfortable because of the fast. The custom is to participate in a “Siyum” and “Seudot Mitzvah” and thus exempting himself from the obligation to fast. THE SEARCH FOR CHOMETZ (“BEDIKAT CHOMETZ”) 1. The search for chometz takes place on Thursday night (the eve of the 13th of Nissan) at the exact time and under the exact same circumstances it normally takes place on the eve of the 14th of Nissan in other years. The search is not made on Friday night because the candle used in the search cannot be moved (“Muktzah”). Nor is the search made Friday during the day because the search for chometz should not take place during the daytime. 2. One starts the search towards the arrival of nightfall on Thursday night after 7:30 PM. The Bracha for the search is recited “Al Biur Chometz”, as well as the text for voiding the chometz (“Bitul Chometz”) at the conclusion of the search. The chometz should then be placed in a safe place until the appropriate time for burning it the next day. FRIDAY DESTRUCTION OF THE CHOMETZ (BI’UR CHOMETZ”) 1. It is preferred that one burn the chometz on Friday at the end of the fifth hour (11:47 AM) as one normally does on Erev Pesach in other years. (Others opine that it is sufficient to burn the chometz by chatzot (1:02 PM).) 2. One should not void the chometz after the destruction of the chometz since one will still be eating chometz for the rest of Friday and during part of Shabbos. The final voiding of chometz (Bitul) should take place on Shabbos morning, Erev Pesach, before 11:47 AM. Please do not forget this second Bitul! FOOD FOR SHABBOS 1. One should leave enough bread for two meals on Shabbat. Those who wish to follow the opinion that states that if necessary (Bedi’avad”) one can eat the third Shabbat meal before midday (“Chatzot” 1:02 PM), should leave enough bread for three meals. However, the bread (chometz) must be eaten before 10:32 AM. The amount of bread to be left, should be judged by the family and its normal consumption. Of course, there should be enough whole loaves or rolls to have “Lechem Mishna” for two or three meals. Please try to only leave over bread which will be eaten. Leftover bread is problematic! Care should be given to eat the bread over a napkin or disposable tablecloth. The crumbs should be flushed down the toilet. (One may leave bread for eating on Friday after the time of “Bi’ur Chometz”). 2. If desired, one may burn all the bread on Friday to avoid possible errors on Shabbos. In that case, one should prepare egg Matzah (“Matzah Ashirah”) for the “Lechem Mishna” to be eaten at the Shabbos meals which take place before the time when chometz becomes prohibited. One does not eat regular matzah – hand or machine on Erev Pesach. The egg Matzah should be Kosher for Pesach. COOKING FOR SHABBAT 1. One may prepare food for Shabbat in pots used for chometz. One should be careful, however, not to prepare chometz foods which will be hard to remove without scrubbing on Shabbos. Also, the chometz leftovers need to be disposed of properly. 2. It is therefore advisable to prepare non-chometz food in pots used for Pesach. One should remove this food with a new serving utensil and then transfer the food to a chometz pot for serving. 3. Some authorities are strict in their application of the law (“Machmir”) and say that one should be careful not to pour hot liquids from a Pesach pot (“Kli Rishon”) directly into a chometz pot. 4. If one wishes to follow the opinion stated above, regarding the total removal of all chometz on Friday, then one should cook all the meals in Pesach pots and use only Pesach dishes since there is no longer any chometz left in the house. The only Chometz in the house should be what is eaten as “Lechem Mishna”. This method is the easiest and the best practice. SATURDAY - SHABBOS THE SHABBOS MEALS AND THE “TWO LOAVES” (“LECHEM MISHNA”) 1. Each of the three meals that one is required to eat on Shabbat should begin with two whole loaves of bread (“Lechem Mishna”). The third meal cannot be eaten before the time for “mincha gedolah” - 6 ½ hours (“Sha’ot Zemaniyot”) into the day, which this year is 1:34 PM. This poses the following issues: a. What does one use for “Lechem Mishna” for the first two meals? b. How does one fulfill the mitzvah of eating the third Shabbat meal without bread for it is forbidden to eat chometz after four hours (“sha’ot zemaniyot” 10:32 AM) on erev Pesach? 2. One may use bread for “Lechem Mishna” and general consumption on Friday night and Shabbat morning provided that the morning meal is finished before the end of the first four hours of the day (“sha’ot zemaniot” - 10:32 AM). At this point, all the bread and crumbs must be cleaned and flushed down the toilet. Therefore, one should rise early and Daven with an early minyan. The Davening should be conducted with dignity but without the usual embellishments such as communal singing and speeches, so as to have enough time to eat the second Shabbat meal before the time when Chometz is prohibited. 3. If one does not wish to use bread on Shabbat and has removed all chometz from the house before Shabbat, then he can use egg matzah (“Matzah Ashira”) for the first two shabbos meals provided that the second meal is finished before the time when chometz becomes prohibited. Although “Matzah Ashira” is not chometz, it is our custom not to eat it during that time period when we may not eat chometz. If one uses egg matzah for “Lechem Mishna”, they should eat the equivalent of two whole Matzot, in order to be “Koveah Seuda” on it. 4. It is forbidden to eat regular matzah on erev Pesach. Therefore, matzah cannot be eaten at the Shabbat meals. On Friday night, it is conceivable that one may use matzah since according to some opinions the prohibition against eating matzah is probably dependent on daytime and not a 24-hour period (May’ais L’ais). Yet, we are strict (“Machmir”) and include Friday night in the prohibition. 5. There are several opinions as to what one may do for the third Shabbat meal: a. Those whose custom it is to eat “Matzah Ashirah” on Pesach according to the opinion of the Mechaber and (contrary to the opinion of the Ramah) may use “Matzah Ashirah” for the “Lechem Mishna” of the third meal provided that they conclude the meal before the end of 9 hours into the day, which this year is 4:40 PM (“Sha’ot Zemaniyot”). This is not our custom. b. One may use cooked matzahs i.e., matzah balls for they are not included in the prohibition against eating matzah on erev Pesach. This prohibition encompasses only “Matzah Mitzvah”, baked matzah. One must finish the third meal before the end of 9 hours into the day (“Sha’ot Zemaniyot”). c. Bread or “matzah ashira” (egg matzah) may be used for the third meal in the following manner. Immediately after the morning prayers - wash, recite the “bracha” over the “lechem mishna”, eat the proper “shi’ur” for “birkas hamazon”, then recite the “birkas hamazon”. One has thus eaten the 2nd Shabbos meal. Go on a walk, learn Torah or spend quality time with the family. After a short while, begin the whole procedure again, this time eating a whole meal - the 3rd Shabbos meal. All chometz must be finished by 10:32 AM. In this way, one fulfills the mitzvah of eating 3 Shabbos meals “bedi’ avad”, since only some authorities allow the 3rd meal to be eaten before “chatzos”. d. The third meal may consist of fruit, fish or meat to the exclusion of bread or wheat products, since some authorities state that these foods fulfill the requirements for the third meal. These foods may be eaten in moderation after the beginning of the 10th hour of the day - 4:40 PM.