Towards the end of this week’s parsha we learn about the various korbonos that were offered in the Beis HaMikdosh. Regarding the korbonos of Shabbos the Torah writes (Bamidbar 28:9-10):וביום השבת שני כבשים בני שנה תמימים ושני עשרנים סלת מנחה בלולה בשמן ונסכו. עלת שבת בשבתו על עלת התמיד ונסכה. – “On the day of Shabbos, two unblemished sheep a year old, and two tenths of fine flour as a mincha offering, mixed with oil, and its libation. The korban olah of Shabbos on Shabbos, in addition to the regular korban tomid and its libations.” Below we will see that Rav Hai Gaon understands from these pasukim that one should daven Shacharis on Shabbos later than during the week, therefore, we will take this week’s opportunity to discuss the widespread custom of davening Shacharis late on Shabbos morning.
Rav Hai Gaon Encourages Sleeping In
The Mordechai in Perek Kol Kisvei (Shabbos, siman 298) writes: על מה שנהגו העולם שכל ימי השבוע מתעוררין בבקר לבית הכנסת להתפלל או ללמוד ובשבת ישנים יותר בשחרית זהו טעמו של דבר שבכל ימי השבוע נאמר בתמיד של שחר בבקר בבקר ובתמיד של שחר דשבת לא בבקר אלא וביום השבת ולשון זה משמע איחור כדמשמע ביומא [לג:] וטעם זה שמע ר''י בר' יהודה בעיר רומא מפי רב האי גאון – “The widespread custom amongst yidden is that during the week they get up early to go to shul to daven or to learn and on Shabbos they sleep more and go to Shacharis later. This is because (in this week’s parsha) when it talks about the tomid shel shachar [the morning sacrifice] offered during the week it writes “in the morning, in the morning”, and when it talks about the korban tomid offered on Shabbos it doesn’t mention “morning”, rather it says, “on the day of Shabbos”. The expression “on the day of Shabbos” implies late in the day, as we see in Yoma (33b). (Therefore, it is sacrificed later in the day and as a result people wake up and daven later on Shabbos). This reason I heard from the Ri the son of R’ Yehudah in the city of Roma, in the name of Rav Hai Gaon”.
After seeing the above, we see that there is a mekor [source] for davening late on Shabbos, which has been around already from the times of the Geonim. This may well be the source for many kehillos [communities] who start Shacharis on Shabbos considerably later than they do during the week.
The Rema Agrees
Based on the aforementioned Mordechai, the Rema (Orach Chaim 281) rules:ונוהגים שבשבת מאחרין יותר לבא לבית הכנסת מבחול משום דבתמיד של ימות החול נאמר בבקר ואצל שבת נאמר וביום השבת דמשמע איחור – “The custom is, that on Shabbos people come later to shul than they do during the week. The reason for this is, by the korban tomid offered up in the week it says, ‘in the morning’, whereas by Shabbos it says, ‘on the day of Shabbos’, which implies late in the day.”
Pliah Atzumah [Incredibly Difficult]
What the Mordechai quotes from Rav Hai Gaon is exceedingly difficult, and there are two obvious questions that must be asked: 1) The Mordechai writes that it says by the korban tomid of the week בבקר בבקר – “in the morning, in the morning” (implying early in the morning). If one opens a Chumash and checks the pasuk (28:4), he will notice it says, את הכבש אחד תעשה בבקר – “one sheep in the morning”, mentioning “in the morning” just once? 2) The pasuk וביום השבת – “on the day of Shabbos”, implying late in the day, from which the Mordechai derives that the korban tomid of Shabbos is brought late into the day, isn’t actually written by the korban tomid. In fact, the pasuk is talking about the korban Mussaf, the pasuk וביום השבת שני כבשים בני שנה תמימים, teaches us that for the korban Mussaf of Shabbos one should bring “two unblemished sheep a year old”. So, how can we prove from here that the korban tomid should be brought later on Shabbos than during the week, the pasuk is talking about the korban Mussaf? (The Bigdei Yesha, a commentary on the Mordechai already asks this second question).
The Bach (Orach Chaim 281) writes: ותימה דהלא פסוק וביום השבת אינו נאמר על התמיד אלא על המוסף של שבת – “It’s difficult, as the pasuk of ‘on the day of Shabbos’ isn’t written by the korban tomid, rather, it’s written by the korban Mussaf?”
The Bach answers: It’s true that the pasuk “on the day of Shabbos” is written by the korban Mussaf, however, the Gemara in Yoma (33a) teaches the order of the avodah and it says that the korban Mussaf is brought immediately after the morning tomid. If the korban tomid would be brought early in the morning the same time as during the week, then it would come out that the korban Mussaf will also have to be brought early in the day, as they are supposed to be offered up one after the other. However, being that it says “on the day of Shabbos” by the korban Mussaf, the korban Mussaf must be brought later in the day. The only way to ensure this happens is by bringing the korban tomid late. Consequently, although it doesn’t directly say “on the day of Shabbos” by the korban tomid, we still learn from here that the korban tomid must be offered up later on Shabbos than it is during the week.
Now we can understand the Mordechai and Rav Hai Gaon. It’s true “on the day of Shabbos” is written by the korban tomid, however, because of “on the day of Shabbos”, it comes out that the korban tomid is offered up on Shabbos, later than it is on a normal day.
Although the Bach answers up the Mordechai, he quotes the Maharil who offers another reason for getting up late on Shabbos morning. He says very simply, “sleeping on Shabbos is considered enjoyment”, therefore, to make the most of sleeping on Shabbos, people wake up late.
A Mind-Boggling Yad Ephraim
Based on the above chiddush [novel teaching] there is a mind-boggling chiddush from the Yad Ephraim. The Gemara in Berachos cites a machlokes [dispute] regarding when the deadline for bringing the korban tomid is (this machlokes also effects when the deadline for davening Shacharis is). R’ Yehudah holds that it can be brought until four hours into the day, whereas the Chachomim hold until chatzos [midday]. This means that according to R’ Yehudah Shacharis can be davened until four hours into the day, whereas according to the Chachomim one has until chatzos. The korban Mussaf was brought in the sixth hour of the day.
The Yad Ephraim says: Since on Shabbos the korban tomid needs to be brought together with the korban Mussaf, and the korban Mussaf can only be brought in the sixth hour of the day, even though normally we rule like R’ Yehudah that the korban tomid must be brought within the first four hours of the day, on Shabbos one has until later on in the day to bring the korban tomid. Being that the final time for Shacharis is based on the when the final time for bringing the korban tomid is, on Shabbos one can daven Shacharis even after soif zeman tefillah [the final deadline for davening].
In short: The Yad Ephraim is saying that on Shabbos one has until six hours into the day to daven Shacharis. A tremendous chiddush!
This would be a mekor for those shuls that only start davening 9:30/10:00 on Shabbos morning, even during the winter when they miss soif zeman tefillah. The Yad Ephraim doesn’t say this explicitly, but implicitly this is what comes out.
Understandably, Not Everyone Agrees
However, R’ Wosner in Shevet HaLevi (5:35) writes: אינני מסכים לזה כלל דגם בשבת סוף זמן תפלה בד' שעות ועצם דבר זה כ' גם בצל''ח ברכות כ''ח וכ' דלדרך זה היו שוחטים את התמיד בשבת בסוף ד' שעות ונמשך בעשייתו עד סוף ה' שעות ואז מקריבים המוסף בתחילת שש א''כ אין זכר לשנות עיקר זמן תפלה בשבת – “I don’t agree with this at all, and on Shabbos as well, soif zeman tefillah is four hours into the day. (In regard to the issue of the tomid and Mussaf being brought together), the Tzlach in Berachos already writes, that they would shect [slaughter] the tomid at the end of the fourth hour (slightly later than a regular day) and would be busy with it for an hour, until the end of the fifth hour, and then they would start the Mussaf at the beginning of the sixth. Therefore, there is no reason to say soif zeman tefillah on Shabbos is different.”
(The Shevet HaLevi writes, that he doesn’t like the Tzlach either and that he speaks at length about this in 1:55).
Radbaz
The Shu”t Radbaz (2:614) has a Teshuvah where he discusses the aforementioned Mordechai. The sho’el [asker] asks the second question we mentioned above – thatוביום השבת – “on the day of Shabbos”, is written by the korban Mussaf and not by the korban tomid.
The Radbaz writes: גברא רבא אמר מילתא לא תחיכו עלה וזיל קרי ביה רב הוא דהך קרא איירי בקרבן מוסף – “A great person said the above, and we mustn’t laugh at it, although it seems that he is making a mistake in the simple reading of the pasuk, it simply can’t be”.
The Radbaz then goes on to explain what the Mordechai quotes from Rav Hai Gaon. He explains that the pasuk says: עלת שבת בשבתו על עלת התמיד – “The korban olah of Shabbos on Shabbos, in addition to the regular korban tomid”. I.e. besides for the korbonos of Shabbos, the regular tomid is also brought. From the fact that the pasuk mentions the korban tomid when talking about the korbonos of Shabbos, it connects the korbonos together, and by the korban Mussaf of Shabbos it writes, וביום השבת, therefore, it’s as if it says וביום השבת by the korban tomid as well.
The Radbaz also deals with the first question we mentioned above – that it doesn’t actually say בבקר בבקר – “in the morning, in the morning” by the korban tomid. The Radbaz explains: The Mordechai means that the Torah talks about the korban tomid twice, once in Tetzavah and once in Pinchos. Although each time it mentions בבקר just once, in both parshiyos together it’s mentioned twice.
Then he says, the above is a bit of stretch as the parshiyos are far apart, and perhaps what the Mordechai means is the pasuk: צו את אהרן ובער עליה הכהן עצים בבקר בבקר וערך עליה העולה.
Although the Radbaz goes out of his way to answer up the Mordechai and Rav Hai Gaon, he concludes: “Although I have justified what the Mordechai writes, and what Rav Hai Gaon whose words are kabbalistic, don’t think that I hold that doing this is justified. In fact, I hold that such a custom is incorrect, and one should get up early to daven on Shabbos just like during the week. Although וביום השבת – “on the day of Shabbos” would seem to imply that one should wake up late, nonetheless, zerizin makdimin lemitzvos, one should carry out mitzvos as speedily as possible.”
So far, we have shown, that there seems to be a machlokes if one should daven later on Shabbos than he does during the week. The Mordechai, quoting Rav Hai Gaon and ruled by the Rema maintains that there is, whereas, the Radbaz maintains that there isn’t.
What If We Have a Clear Gemara Supporting One Side of the Dispute
There is a Gemara in Megillah (23a) which seems to say very explicitly that one should daven early on Shabbos, just like during the week.
The Gemara cites a beraisa:ביו ״ ט מאחרין לבא וממהרין לצאת ביום הכפורים ממהרין לבוא ומאחרין לצאת ובשבת ממהרין לבא וממהרין לצאת – “On Yom Tov, people come late to shul and leave quickly; on Yom Kippur people come early and leave late; on Shabbos people come early and leave late.” Rashi explains: On Yom Tov people come late as they are preparing the Yom Tov meal, and they leave early because of simchas Yom Tov. On Shabbos people come early, as everything is already prepared on erev Shabbos, and יפה למהר ביאתן לקרות שמע כוותיקין – “it’s good to come early, so krias shema can be read by vosikin”.
In light of the above Gemara, the Shu”t Chikrei Lev (Yoreh De’ah, Vol. 2, Hashmotos to Orach Chaim 13) asks: “There is a clear Gemara in Megillah, which says that one should daven early on Shabbos. Perhaps one would suggest, that when the Gemara says one should daven early on Shabbos it simply means relative to Yom Tov, however, one should still daven later on Shabbos than during the week. However, from Rashi it’s clear, that one should be up in time for vasikin, tzorich iyun.”
The Prisha raises the above difficulty and answers: “The Gemara in Megillah doesn’t contradict the Rema (that says one should sleep in on Shabbos). What the Gemara in Megillah means is, that as soon as one gets up on Shabbos he should go to shul, however, on Yom Tov one needs to prepare for the meal first”. I.e. one should sleep in on Shabbos, but as soon as he wakes up he should go straight to shul.
The peshat of the Prisha is a nice peshat in the Gemara, but Rashi is unequivocal, and doesn’t leave any room for allowing one to sleep in, Rashi says, “one should go to shul early to daven with vosikin”. One may be inclined to say, that it’s true that according to Rashi there seems to be a clear Gemara that one should wake up early on Shabbos, however, the Prisha learns a different peshat in the Gemara, and according to the Prisha there is no clear Gemara which seems to argue with the Mordechai, Rav Hai Gaon and Rema, who all say that one should wake up late. However, the beraisa which the Gemara quotes comes from Maseches Sofrim (18:4) and there it says clearly like Rashi: מקדימין לבא כדי לקרות קריאת שמע כותיקין עם הנץ החמה – “People come early, so that they can read krias shema with vasikin, at the time the sun begins to rise.” Therefore, it seems that we have a clear Gemara, that on Shabbos as well, one should wake up early.
Teshuvas HaRambam
The Shu”t Sha’arei Ezra (R’ Ezra Basri) has a Teshuvah in which he discusses about waking up late on Shabbos, and if there is anything to rely on. He quotes a large amount of what we mentioned above, then he quotes Teshuvas HaRambam (118).
The Rambam writes: “It’s fitting and better to have one minyan be’hashkomah [early], and it’s ok to obligate everyone to get up early. If for some reason one doesn’t make it one week due to some valid excuse, he shouldn’t be lazy the next week and miss the early minyan again. If the majority can make it to the early minyan, the minority who want it later should be ignored”.
The aforementioned Teshuvah quotes a number of sources (mostly Sephardi) that bring various sources and Midrashim which strongly imply that one should wake up early on Shabbos and he concludes: “It comes out from all the above, that the Rambam, Tur, Rashi, Ravyah on the Gemara in Megillah, and the Medrash all maintain that the correct minhag is to wake up early. Like the Radbaz writes: ‘Although I am able to answer the minhag, the correct minhag is to get up early.”
Conclusion
It would seem, if one is Sephardi then he should wake up early on Shabbos. Even if one is Ashkenazi he should try and wake up early on Shabbos, however, if one does end up davening late, there is the Mordechai who quotes Rav Hai Gaon, and is ruled by the Rema to rely on. However, it goes without saying, that even if one does wake up late, he must make sure to say krias shema before soif zeman krias shema and shemonah esrei before soif zeman tefillah.
