There was a great person who invested extensive preparation into reciting Hallel at the seder and properly fulfilling the mitzvah of matzah, thereby finding himself unable to eat the afikoman before chatzos. He asked R' Yaakov Meshulam Ornstein (1775-1839), known as the Yeshuos Yaakov, in a situation where, due to necessary preparation for the mitzvos, it is not feasible to eat the afikoman before chatzos— must he interrupt those preparations in order to fulfill the afikoman beforehand? Or is eating it before chatzos a matter of caution rather than strict obligation?
In his lengthy response, the Yeshuos Yaakov concludes that, ideally, one should eat the afikoman before chatzos. However, for someone who requires additional preparation, he can eat it after chatzos.
Who was the questioner? R' Chaim Elazar Vakst (1822-1889) reveals the identity of the person as it was none other than the great R' Moshe Leib of Sassov.
Yeshuos Yaakov, 477:1.
Shu”t Shearis Lnefesh Chaya, Siman 1.
