The Laws of Erev Pesach This Year (When Pesach Begins on Saturday Night)

Work, shaving, cutting nails, laundering, and eating on this Friday

139. This year, when Erev Pesach falls on Shabbat, the special prohibitions of an ordinary Erev Pesach do not apply; rather, its law is like any Erev Shabbat, as follows.

140. Performing work: Work needed for the festival or for Shabbat may be done until Shabbat begins. Work not needed for the festival or Shabbat should preferably be avoided after midday; one who is lenient until minchah ketanah has authorities on whom to rely, as in the laws of Erev Shabbat.

141. Haircuts, shaving, cutting nails, and laundering:
These are permitted until Shabbat begins.

142. Eating: The details of what may be eaten on this Friday are the same as on any Erev Shabbat.

143. Those whose custom is to refrain from eating matzah, and similarly kneidlach and the like, only on Erev Pesach, may eat them on this Friday and on Friday night. The time of the prohibition this year is discussed below.

144. This year, one may kasher utensils from chametz for Pesach until Shabbat begins. Nevertheless, one must be careful regarding doing work, as on every Erev Shabbat.

Immersion before the festival

145. One should immerse on Erev Pesach after midday, and it may be done even one hour before midday. This year, immersion on Friday is also effective for Yom Tov. One who immerses on Shabbat afternoon is not considered to be preparing from Shabbat for Yom Tov.

Preparations for the Seder night that should be done this year on Friday
146. Roasting the zeroa: The zeroa for the Seder night should be roasted on Friday. If one forgot, it may be roasted on Yom Tov night, provided that it will be eaten the next day, on Yom Tov. It should not be eaten on the Seder night, because roasted meat is not eaten then.

147. Cooking and roasting the egg: The egg should be cooked and roasted on Friday, and left in its shell. If one forgot, it may be cooked and roasted on Yom Tov night and eaten at the Seder, since the prohibition of eating roasted food at the Seder applies only to meat, or it may be eaten the next day on Yom Tov.

148. Preparing the maror and karpas: Lettuce leaves should be checked for insects on Friday. To prevent wilting, they should be kept in a wet towel or in the refrigerator, but not in water, so that they not become considered pickled.

149. Preparing the charoset: The charoset should be prepared on Friday, though the wine may be added on Yom Tov night. If one forgot, it may be ground on Yom Tov with a deviation from the normal manner, or cut very finely with a knife.

150. Preparing salt water: Salt water should be prepared on Friday. If one forgot, a small amount may be prepared on Yom Tov, with water as the majority and salt as the minority.

151. Preparing chrein: Horseradish may be grated on Yom Tov night with a grater, but with a deviation, such as over the table, counter, or an inverted plate. Many prepare it on Friday and seal it well in an airtight container so that it not lose its sharpness.

152. Additional preparations: Prepare a candle for Yaknehaz; open before Shabbat all bottles needed for Shabbat and Yom Tov, as well as the matzah packages; separate challah and terumot and maasrot.

153. The Pesach machzor should be brought to the synagogue on Friday or after Shabbat ends.

154. Likewise, as much as possible, everything needed for the Seder night should be prepared already on Friday, because on Shabbat it is forbidden to prepare for Yom Tov, and so as not to delay the beginning of the Seder.

Wearing Yom Tov clothing
155. Yom Tov clothing should be worn already from Friday. If one is concerned that it may become soiled with chametz, it may be put on during Shabbat while it is still clearly daytime.

Lighting Shabbat candles
156. Shabbat candles are lit as on every Shabbat. In addition, a 36-hour memorial candle should be lit, so that fire can be transferred from it to light the Yom Tov candles the next evening.

The laws of Shabbat Erev Pesach

Friday night and Shabbat day meals, and lechem mishneh
157. Many cook for these Shabbat meals only foods that are kosher for Pesach, in utensils kosher for Pesach. Care should be taken not to pour from or into chametz utensils; rather, the food should be eaten with disposable utensils or Pesach utensils. Strictly speaking, certain chametz foods that do not stick to the utensils, and certainly kitniyot even for Ashkenazim, may be cooked in chametz utensils, but preferably one should follow the practice stated above.

158. Many use pitas for hamotzi at the Friday night and Shabbat day meals, because they do not crumble like challah. They are eaten on a disposable tablecloth; afterward, the crumbs are shaken into the toilet or bathtub, and the meal continues with disposable utensils or Pesach utensils.

159. Matzah may be used for lechem mishneh, although it may not be eaten on Erev Pesach; care should be taken that it not touch chametz, and it may be wrapped in a bag. If the matzot are designated for the Seder night, there is concern that they may be muktzeh due to potential loss.

How to dispose of chametz remaining on Shabbat, and nullifying chametz
160. If chametz remains on plates, the tablecloth, and the like, it should be disposed of as follows.

161. Crumbs that can be shaken into the toilet or bathtub should be disposed of that way; since they are completely flushed away, this is considered destruction according to all opinions. One may also throw them into a public garbage bin where there is a reliable eruv, but not simply into the building’s garbage bin.

162. If each crumb is smaller than a kezayit, it is sufficient to pour a cleaning agent on them so that they become somewhat soiled. If each crumb contains a kezayit, one should spray on a substance that renders them unfit even for a dog, such as bleach, acetone, or thinner. Afterward they may be placed in the household or building garbage.

163. If one moves chametz by hand, it should be done before the end of the time for eating chametz, for afterward it is muktzeh. Crumbs on a tablecloth may be shaken off even after that time, since this is indirect moving for a permitted need.

164. Crumbs on the floor: Strictly speaking, they are nullified and need not be cleaned or destroyed, but it is good to clean them with a rubber squeegee or broom and dustpan; washing the floor is forbidden. They should then be placed in the area sold to a non-Jew.
165. The formula of nullification should be recited before the end of the time for destroying chametz, and it is good for one’s wife and household members to recite it as well.

Brushing teeth and rinsing the mouth
166. It is forbidden to use a wet toothbrush on Shabbat. A silicone toothbrush has no prohibition of squeezing, provided that it is designated only for Shabbat, the bristles are separate and wide, and it is used without toothpaste. If brushing will inevitably cause bleeding, it is forbidden in any case.

167. One may rinse the mouth with mouthwash. If it must be diluted with water, preferably this should be done before Shabbat.

Seudah shlishit
168. Most Rishonim hold that seudah shlishit, throughout the year, must be eaten after minchah gedolah, and so rules the Shulchan Aruch; others hold that it may be fulfilled in the morning. Preferably, throughout the year, it should be eaten with bread, though in pressing circumstances it may be fulfilled with meat and fish, or at least with fruit.

169. On this Shabbat, both requirements cannot be fulfilled together, since after midday one cannot eat seudah shlishit with bread: not chametz bread, because the time for eating chametz has passed, and not matzah, because matzah may not be eaten on Erev Pesach. Therefore, for Ashkenazim it is proper to divide the Shabbat day meal into two.

170. One should pray Shacharit early and eat the Shabbat meal early, recite Birkat Hamazon, then study or walk for about half an hour, wash hands again, and eat another meal with bread, finishing the chametz before the end of the time for eating chametz.

171. The cholent may be eaten at whichever meal one wishes, in disposable or Pesach utensils. Birkat Hamazon may be recited even after the end of the time for eating chametz.

172. Even one who does this and eats two meals in the morning must eat an additional meal without bread after minchah gedolah, to fulfill seudah shlishit according to the opinions that its time is only then.

173. Sephardim did not customarily divide the meal in this way, and Ashkenazim for whom it is difficult may eat one regular meal in the morning, finish eating chametz on time, destroy it and recite the nullification before the proper time, pray Minchah after minchah gedolah, and eat seudah shlishit with meat and fish until the tenth halachic hour. If one has no meat or fish, one should eat fruit until the tenth hour.

174. If one did not manage to eat before the tenth hour, one may eat a little meat, fish, or fruit, but not fill oneself.

Eating on Erev Pesach after the tenth hour
175. 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. One may eat a little fruit, vegetables, potatoes, meat, fish, or eggs, taking care not to become full.

Eating matzah dishes on Erev Pesach
176. Strictly speaking, one may eat cooked matzah, kneidlach, or cookies made with matzah meal until the tenth hour, though some are stringent.

177. Those following the basic law may fulfill seudah shlishit with cooked matzah and the like until the tenth hour.

178. A child who does not yet understand the story of the Exodus told at night, approximately until age five, may be fed matzah all day.

The laws of Yom Tov that begins on Saturday night

179. As stated, Yom Tov clothing should be worn from Friday; if one is concerned about chametz, it may be put on during Shabbat while it is still daytime.

180. There is room to question whether one may say on Shabbat that one is going to sleep in order to have strength to remain awake at night.

181. It is forbidden to prepare from Shabbat for Yom Tov until nightfall after Shabbat, and only after Maariv and saying “Vatodi’enu”; if one did not pray Maariv, then only after saying “Baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lekodesh.”

182. Even exertion on Shabbat for Yom Tov is forbidden. Therefore, one may not take cooked food out of the freezer for Yom Tov before nightfall, nor place drinks in the refrigerator. Returning food to the refrigerator or freezer is permitted, since returning something to its place is not preparation.

183. Sweeping and arranging the house, and washing dishes in a permitted manner for the night, are also forbidden until nightfall. If the disorder or dirty dishes disturb one now, it is permitted, since it is for the needs of this day.

184. In pressing circumstances, if these preparations cannot be done after nightfall and the Yom Tov meal would be very delayed, acts that are merely exertion are permitted, provided they are done while it is still daytime and are also usable on Shabbat.

185. One may not arrange the table and reclining chairs on Shabbat for the Seder night; all preparations should be done only after nightfall and after saying “Baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lekodesh.”

186. The Pesach machzor should be brought to the synagogue on Friday or after nightfall on Saturday night, but not during Shabbat itself unless it will also be used then, and there is a reliable eruv.

187. One who is a guest for the Seder may bring what is needed—matzot, pillows, Haggadot, and the like—only after nightfall on Saturday night and after “Vatodi’enu” or “Baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lekodesh.”

Lighting Yom Tov candles
188. Yom Tov candles are lit only after nightfall and after saying “Baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lekodesh.”

189. They should be lit by transferring fire from one flame to another. If this is difficult, one may use a match or intermediate candle and leave it to go out on its own.

190. Blessing before or after lighting: The later authorities debate the matter; in practice it appears that the blessing should be recited before lighting on Yom Tov.

191. Shehecheyanu: Some women recite Shehecheyanu when lighting candles, while others hear it, or recite it themselves, at kiddush. One with no established custom should hear or recite Shehecheyanu at kiddush.

192. Women who recite Shehecheyanu at candle lighting do not repeat it if they make kiddush. If they hear kiddush from their husband or others, in practice they should answer amen to Shehecheyanu, and this is not considered an interruption.

193. If wicks, metal disks, candle remnants, and the like remain, strictly speaking they may be removed even by hand for the sake of lighting Yom Tov candles. Since today electric light is available, it is preferable initially to remove the wick with a spoon or fork, or simply add oil and a new wick without removing the old one.

194. Some are careful to set the Shabbat clock so that the electric lights will be off when the Yom Tov candles are lit, or during another time when the candles are used, so that the candles provide benefit. The common custom is not to be concerned.

Work and eating on Saturday night, Yom Tov night
195. Permitted Yom Tov labors may be done only after nightfall and after saying “Baruch hamavdil bein kodesh lekodesh.” Eating, however, is forbidden until after kiddush.

Maariv on Yom Tov night
196. “Vatodi’enu” is recited instead of “Atah chonantanu.” If one forgot it and already mentioned God’s Name at the end of the blessing, one does not go back.

197. On this Saturday night, “Veyiten lecha” is not recited.

Yaknehaz

198. When Yom Tov falls on Saturday night, kiddush and havdalah are recited over one cup. The order is Yaknehaz: wine—“Borei peri hagafen”; kiddush; candle—“Borei me’orei ha’esh”; havdalah; time—Shehecheyanu.

199. In practice, Yaknehaz is treated as kiddush: those who sit for kiddush and stand for havdalah say it seated; women drink from the cup; the cup is filled as for kiddush, not to overflow as for havdalah; and when necessary it may be recited over bread, because its primary character is kiddush.

A torch for havdalah in Yaknehaz
200. The preferred mitzvah is to recite “Borei me’orei ha’esh” over a torch. On Yom Tov following Shabbat, joining two candles or matches raises concerns: melting wax and causing extinguishing, adding fire unnecessarily, and diminishing the flame when separating them.

201. Therefore, to fulfill the preferred mitzvah of a torch, one should prepare a small havdalah candle or insert an additional wick into a small candle near the existing wick before Shabbat, in a separate hole, so that it is considered a torch.

202. If no torch is prepared, one should light one candle specifically for havdalah and bless over it, leaving it burning. Many bless over the festival candles without a torch. One who is lenient to join two candles and separate them has on whom to rely.

Melaveh Malkah
203. Some say that one should add somewhat to the Seder night meal for the sake of Melaveh Malkah, but this is not the custom.