Eruv Tavshilin requirements for hotel guests

Hi, we plan to stay in a hotel over Rosh Hashanah this year, which falls on Thursday and Friday, so we will be extending our stay through Shabbat. Typically, I prepare Eiruv tavshilin when Shabbat follows a Yom Tov to allow for food preparation on Yom Tov for Shabbat. Since I will be a guest at a hotel and won't need to prepare any food, does this mean I am exempt from preparing an Eiruv Tavshilin?

Thank you for your question.

The answer :

If you are planning not to do any type of cooking not even preparing tea essence for Shabbos (in a kli rishon), then you still need to do Eiruv Tavshilin and recite the nusach without reciting the blessing, and then take the Eiruv Tavshilin with you to the hotel. However, you can also be exempt by the Mashgiach of the hotel who will be doing it on behalf of all the guests.

The answer in depth :

The reason we prepare an Eruv Tavshilin before Yom Tov is to allow us to prepare food on Yom Tov for Shabbos. Rashi in Tractate Beitzah, page 15b, explains that one may not start cooking for Shabbos on Yom Tov. However, since one started to cook food for Shabbos before Yom Tov (by preparing the Eruv Tavshilin), then the food one cooks on Yom Tov for Shabbos is only to finish a process that already started. This explanation is brought by the Rema in siman 527.

The Mishnah Berurah (Se’if Katan 25) adds another explanation from the Rambam, (Hilchos Yom Tov Perek 6 Halacha 2). That the Eiruv is to teach us that it is only permitted to prepare on Yomtov for Shabbos and not for the weekdays.

Anyone who intends to prepare food on Yom Tov for Shabbos would need to prepare an Eruv Tavshilin and recite the blessing. This includes:

1. Cooking or heating uncooked food or uncooked liquid on a hot plate or the gas stove (on a covered or not covered fire).

2. heating cooked food on the stove (not the hot plate)

3. Preparing tea essence for Shabbos in a Kli Rishon.

So, in your case since you are not planning to do any of these types of cooking you would be exempt from Eiruv Tavshilin.

However, there is one melacha that you are planning to do on Yom Tov for Shabbos, which is lighting the Shabbos candles. The question then arises: Does preparing the Eruv Tavshilin help for a melacha that seems to have nothing to do with preparing food on Yom Tov for Shabbos? There seems to be a contradiction in Halacha with regard to this question.

The Mishnah Berurah writes (Siman 528 seif 3) as follows:

משנה ברורה סימן תקכח ס"ק ג

דעירובי תבשילין אינו מתיר אלא לתקן צרכי סעודה לצורך מחר

That Eiruv Tavshilin only helps for the preparation one does in for the Shabbos meals.

Yet we find what seems a contradiction in the Mishnah Berurah from Siman 527 seif katan 55, that by preparing the Eiruv Tavshilin one may then light the candles on Yom Tov for Shabbos This is the quote:

משנה ברורה סימן תקכז ס"ק נה

ולכך אנו אומרין בנוסח בהדין עירובא גם לאדלוקי שרגא דגם זה ניתר על ידי העירוב

Therefore, we recite “that this Eiruv is also for the lighting of the candle”, that this too is permitted through the Eiruv.

The poskim ask, aren't these two halachot a contradiction as to whether the Eruv helps even for lighting a candle, which seemingly has nothing to do with the preparation of food?

The Le’vush (Siman 528 seif 2) explains the reason why Eiruv Tavshilin helps to be able to light the Shabbos candles is, since lighting a candle is also for the benefit of eating, As it is written in Tractate Yumah page 85b that when one sees what he is eating it causes him to be more satisfied, therefore, lighting a candle is related to meal preparation and therefore by preparing the Eiruv Tavshilin before Yom tov, one will be permitted to light the Shabbos candles on Yom Tov for Shabbos.

However, since lighting the candles does not directly involve preparation for the Shabbos meals, one should prepare the Eruv Tavshilin and to say the nusach, that this Eiruv Tavshilin is to allow lighting a candle on Yom Tov for Shabbos. However, one does not recite the Beracha of Eruv Tavshilin.

Wishing you a Ke’sivah ve’chasimah Tova.

Tractate Beitzah, 15b

Rema, Siman 527

Mishnah Berurah, Siman 527, Seif Katan 55

Mishnah Berurah, Siman 528, Seif Katan 3

Rambam, Hilchos Yom Tov, Perek 6, Halacha 2

Levush, Siman 528, Seif 2

Tractate Yoma, 85b