As the preparations for Pesach begin to go into full swing, it is certainly not too early to start to discuss the halachos of the Seder, especially if it is regarding how early one can begin the Seder.
The Shulchan Aruch (472:1) tells us that we should have everything ready to start the Seder, but we should not begin to recite kiddush until it is after nightfall. This is based on the Mishna in Pesachim (99b), that one should not eat on the night of the Seder until it is dark.
Tosfos there wonders why this is the case. Why is the night of Pesach different than any other night of yom tov or Shabbos, when many people make an “early Shabbos,” and make kiddush before nightfall?
Tosfos answers that the night of Pesach is, indeed, different. The pasuk states: 'בלילה הזהואכלו את הבשר' – the korban pesach has to be eaten at night. Therefore, even if we are mekabel yom tov early, the fulfillment of the mitzvah of eating the meat of the korban pesach must be after nightfall. Tosfos adds that the same will apply to eating the matza and marror which are interconnected with the eating of the korban pesach. Thus, even if one can be mekabel the yom tov of Pesach early, he can still not fulfill the mitzvah of eating matza until nightfall.
Mitzvah of Sippur
However, this only explains why we cannot eat the matza early, but we still need to understand why one cannot start the Seder and fulfill the mitzvah of sippur yetzias mitzrayim before nightfall. That would help get the ball rolling, and save a lot of time.
The Brisker Rav explains that this question is such a good question that it is actually raised in the haggada itself. We read in the haggada: “יכול מבעוד יום – One may have thought that the mitzvah can be fulfilled while it is still day.” What does that mean? Why would one think that the mitzvah can be done before Pesach begins? The reason is, says the Brisker Rav, because we are referring to such a case, where one has been mekabel yom tov early. Since it is already Pesach, it is logical to think that one can start performing the mitzvah of sippur yetzias mitzrayim, just as we make an early Shabbos and recite kiddush.
The Brisker Rav adds that, in fact the Rambam (Chometz Umatzah 7:1) compares the mitzvah of sippur yetzias mitzrayim and the mitzvah of reciting kiddush every Friday night. That being the case, just as the Rambam (Shabbos 29:11) writes that one can recite kiddush even before Shabbos has begun, one should be allowed to perform the mitzvah of sippur yetzias mitzrayim before nightfall.
SUMMARY
One cannot fulfill the mitzvos of the seder before nightfall. The matza and marror have to be eaten at night, at the time when one can eat the korban pesach. We wait until nightfall even to start the haggada. The reason for this will be discussed, b’ezras hashem, in a future article.
There are a number of Kuntreisim available – both in English and in Hebrew, including: 1. Baking Matzos 2. Mechiras Chometz 3. Leil Haseder and Daled Kosos Hard copies are available at the shul, or you can send an email to: [email protected].
by Rabbi Nachum Scheiner, Night Kollel & Morning Kollel
