Chapter 10. The Laws of Erev Pesach That Falls on Shabbat

[The coming years in which the eve of Pesach will fall on Shabbat: 5785, 5805, 5808, 5812, 5832]. For the laws of Yaknehaz in these years, see the laws of Yaknehaz].

The Shabbat HaGadol sermon

alef The Shabbat HaGadol sermon is delivered on the Shabbat adjacent to Pesach, and in a year when Pesach begins on Saturday night, it is delivered on the preceding Shabbat, which falls on the 7th of Nisan1  .

Advancing the Fast of the Firstborn

bet When the eve of Pesach falls on Shabbat, the fast is advanced and observed on Thursday, the 12th of Nisan2 .

Tasting before the search for chametz

gimel One who finds it difficult to search for chametz on Thursday night (the night of the 13th) without eating may have a small taste before the search3 .

Shacharit on Friday

dalet On Friday, Shacharit is prayed as usual, and «מזמור לתודה» (“A psalm for the thanksgiving offering”) and «למנצח» (“For the conductor”) are recited.  Although in a regular year the Maharil wrote4   that one should pray Shacharit early on the eve of Pesach in order to manage to eat before the end of the time when eating chametz becomes forbidden, when Pesach falls on Saturday night this law applies only on Shabbat and not on Friday, since on Friday  it is permitted to eat chametz throughout the day.

Destroying chametz on Friday 

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Even in a year when the 14th falls on Shabbat, so that the main time of the prohibition of chametz and its destruction is on Shabbat, it is proper to destroy the chametz on Friday before the end of the time for destroying chametz, as in other years, so that people will not err in another year. He should destroy all the chametz in his possession and leave only the chametz he wishes to eat on Shabbat5 .

The text of nullification should not be said at the time of burning, as in every year, but should be said on Shabbat before the end of the time for destroying chametz6 ]. Regarding how to destroy chametz on Shabbat—the day of the 14th—see below. 

Melachot on Friday

vav It is permitted to do work, do laundry, and take a haircut on this Friday, since it is not the actual eve of Pesach; therefore, the law regarding laundry, haircuts, and the prohibition of work is like that of all other Fridays7 .

Eating matzah on Friday

zayin Those who are accustomed to eating matzah each year until the eve of Pesach may, also in a year when Pesach begins on Saturday night, eat matzah on Friday and on Friday night.

Preparing the shank bone before Shabbat

chet The shank bone for the Seder night should be roasted on Friday. If one forgot to roast it on Friday, he may roast it on Seder night only if he will eat it on the day after Seder night [on Yom Tov]; however, on Seder night one should not eat the shank bone, because roasted meat is not eaten on Seder night8 .

Preparing the egg and charoset before Shabbat

tet The egg should be cooked and roasted on Friday, and if one forgot, he should cook and roast it on Seder night; it should be eaten on Seder night or the next day on Yom Tov [for the rule that roasted food is not eaten on Seder night was stated only regarding meat and not other items]. Likewise, the charoset should be prepared on Friday, but the wine may be added on Seder night as well, since kneading was permitted on Yom Tov and there is no prohibition of coloring foods9  .

Wearing festival clothing

yod Festival clothing should be put on on Friday, and one may even put it on during Shabbat itself while it is still well before sunset if he is concerned that wearing it on Friday may cause it to become soiled with chametz. 

Immersion in honor of Shabbat and Yom Tov

yod-alef Immersion on Friday is effective for Yom Tov as well. If one immerses on Shabbat afternoon, this does not involve a prohibition of preparation.

Destroying chametz — the eve of Pesach

yod-bet  Many have the custom, at the night and morning Shabbat meals, to eat pitas that do not leave crumbs, and they eat on a disposable tablecloth; afterward they shake the crumbs from the tablecloth into the toilet or bathtub, and then eat the remaining cooked foods with disposable utensils (or Pesach utensils)10 .

Shabbat meals

yod-gimel Ideally, one should manage to eat two meals on Shabbat morning; therefore, one should pray early, eat the Shabbat meal early, and recite Birkat Hamazon around 8:30, then spend half an hour going to learn or to take a walk, and afterward wash his hands and eat an additional meal [the third], which should end before the deadline for eating chametz.  The communities of Sephardic origin do not follow this practice; rather, they eat one meal. Likewise, one who finds it difficult  to split the meal in two is sufficient with one meal in the morning, and in the afternoon  he should pray Minchah Gedolah and eat an additional meal [the third] of meat, fish, or  fruit until the tenth hour. If he did not manage to eat before the tenth hour, he should eat a little  meat, fish, or fruit after the tenth hour, but should not fill himself with them; similarly,  it is permitted to eat a little vegetables and eggs, but he should not eat grain, such as a cooked matzah dish,  even a little11 .

Destroying chametz on Shabbat in additional ways

yod-dalet Chametz that remains on disposable plates or on a tablecloth and the like: if it consists of crumbs that can be shaken into the toilet or bathtub, one should do so, and since they are completely washed away, this is considered destruction according to all opinions. Similarly, one may throw them [in a place where there is an eruv that may be relied upon] into a public garbage bin, but it is forbidden to throw them into the building’s garbage bin, except in one of the following ways: if there is no kezayit in each piece, it is sufficient to pour a spoiling substance onto the chametz [because for crumbs smaller than a kezayit it is sufficient that they be soiled in order to be considered destroyed12 , and if they contain a kezayit, they must be rendered unfit for a dog’s consumption13 .

Lechem mishneh

tet-vav Matzah may be included for lechem mishneh even though it is forbidden to eat it on the eve of Pesach. However, one who has special matzot for Seder night should be concerned that it is forbidden to move them, because they are muktzeh due to financial loss14 .

The third meal

tet-zayin Ideally, one should eat two meals on Shabbat morning, and in addition eat the third meal after midday with meat and fish; ideally, he should pray Minchah before the meal, and if he has no meat and fish, he should eat fruit15 .

He has no possibility of eating bread

yod-zayin It is not possible to eat the third meal with bread, for eating chametz is forbidden, and it is not possible to eat matzah, for it is forbidden to eat matzah on the eve of Pesach; however, according to the basic law, it is permitted to eat cooked matzah, kneidlach, and cookies kneaded from matzah meal until the tenth hour16 .

A cooked matzah dish

yod-chet From the tenth hour onward, it is forbidden to eat even a small amount of a cooked matzah dish, so that one will eat matzah with appetite; it is permitted to eat a little fruit and vegetables, potatoes, meat, fish, and eggs, but one should not fill himself with them17 .

Lighting Yom Tov candles on Saturday night

yod-tet The Yom Tov candles should be lit only after nightfall, and before lighting the candles the woman must say “ברוך המבדיל בין קודש לקודש” (“Blessed is He Who distinguishes between holy and holy”)18 .

Removing the remaining wick

kaf Regarding removing the wick left from the Shabbat candles in order to prepare candles for Yom Tov: according to the basic law, it is permitted to remove the wick even by hand for the purpose of lighting the Yom Tov candles. The reason is that this does not involve a prohibition of muktzeh, since lighting a candle is considered a food-related need, and moving muktzeh for a food-related need is permitted.  However, nowadays, when electric light is available, it is not entirely clear that this should be considered a food-related need,  and therefore, ideally, it is preferable to remove the wick with a spoon or fork and the like.  It is also possible to add oil and a new wick to the cups without removing the old wick19 .

Melachah on Saturday night — the night of Yom Tov

kaf-alef Even after nightfall at the end of Shabbat, one may not perform melachot that are permitted on  Yom Tov until he says “ברוך המבדיל בין קודש לקודש” (“Blessed is He Who distinguishes between holy and holy”). And eating is forbidden until  after Kiddush20 .

Setting the table

kaf-bet It is forbidden to set the table and the reclining chairs on Shabbat; this may be done only after Shabbat has ended. If they did not pray Arvit and say «ותודיענו» (“And You have made known to us”), after Shabbat has ended one should say «ברוך המבדיל בין קודש לקודש» (“Blessed is He Who distinguishes between holy and holy”), and afterward it is possible to make preparations for Seder night, and to perform permitted food-preparation melachah21 .

Moving the machzor

kaf-gimel  One should not bring the Pesach machzor on Shabbat from home to the synagogue; it should be brought before Shabbat or after Shabbat has ended. If it is brought on Shabbat [in a place where there is an eruv], one must use it and read from it on Shabbat itself22 .

Adding a food to the Seder-night meal

kaf-dalet Some say that one should add a certain food to the Seder-night meal for the sake of the Melaveh Malkah meal23 , but this is not the custom.