On the Shabbos before Pesach, it is customary for the Rov to teach the Halachos of the upcoming Yomtov. When Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, the ‘Shabbos Hagadol Drosho’ is not given on that Shabbos. Rather, it is given on the preceding Shabbos so that people are aware of the Halachos in advance in order to make their Pesach preparations.
Fast of the First Born
When Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, the Shulchan Aruch writes that the fast of the first born is observed on the Thursday (Nissan 12) and there are those who say that in such a year there is no fast at all. The Ram”o writes that we follow the first opinion to fast.
The fast is not observed on Friday so as not to enter into Shabbos is a state of affliction.
Based on the lenient opinion that there is no fast at all, there is room for leniency on this fast. See for example Kaf Hachaim writes that one who is fasting for their son who is a first born can be lenient. One can also be more lenient if feeling unwell. Even those who generally do not rely on a Siyum or Seudas Mitzvah to eat, may do so in this Kvius.
Even one who is fasting may not eat a meal before doing Bedikas Chometz. If required, they may eat a small amount of bread or Mezonos (less than an egg volume – 57g) or any amount of fruit, meat etc. as this is only considered a Te’imah (taste) and not a meal. Alternatively, they may appoint a Shaliach to do the search for them so that they may eat.
Bedikas Chometz
Bedikas Chometz cannot be performed on the night before Pesach (Friday night) as one cannot carry the candle which is needed for the search. Instead, Bedikas Chometz is performed on Thursday night (Nissan 13) in the usual manner, with a Bracha. The Bitul is said as per usual to nullify the Chometz that one did not find or does not know of.
All Chometz that is found during the Bedika and any Chometz that will be used on Shabbos must be sealed and stored in a safe place so that it cannot be taken by children (or mice).
If one forgot to do Bedikas Chometz on Thursday night, they should do the search on Friday day, with a Bracha and candle. If one forgot to do the Bedika on Friday and remembered on Shabbos, some authorities permit asking a non-Jew to carry an already lit candle to do the search.
Other Poskim write that nowadays when we thoroughly clean the house before Pesach, we can rely on this not to do the Bedika on Shabbos. The Bedika is then performed on Motzai Yomtov of the first days of Pesach (obviously without putting out any pieces of Chometz).
The Alter Rebbe writes that on Shabbos we do not to the Bedika at all, implying that even with a non-Jew carrying a candle. The Bedika is done on Yomtov night with a candle.
Biur Chometz
The Chometz found during the Bedika, as well as Chometz that one will not be eating over Shabbos and is not being sold, is burned on Friday.
One should only leave over a minimum amount of Chometz that is necessary for the 2 Shabbos meals of Friday night and Shabbos morning.
Technically, one should be able to burn the Chometz at any time of the day. Only on Erev Pesach we need to ensure that the burning takes place before the beginning of the 6th hour of the day. Nonetheless, even when one Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos and one is burning the Chometz a day earlier, one should still burn it at the usual time, so that one does not come to mistakenly think that they can burn the Chometz after midday in other years. The Shulchan Aruch writes before midday. Even though on Erev Pesach the zman Biur is before the 6th hour.
(Therefore, if one did not burn their Chometz before this time, they may still do so later). The Bitul Chometz usually said at the time of the burning of Chometz is not said, because one cannot nullify the Chometz that they know about, because they still need to eat it on Shabbos. The Yehi Ratzon Tefillah is said at the time of burning on Erev Shabbos.
Davening early on Friday
On a regular Erev Pesach, it is customary to daven early in the morning, to allow sufficient time to be able to eat Chometz. When Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, one does not need to daven early on Friday morning as there is no prohibition on eating Chometz on Friday (Nissan 13) after the 4th hour.
Work on Friday
On a regular Erev Pesach, it is forbidden to do certain work activities after midday. The Mishna Berura is unsure whether this applies on the Friday when Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos. Accepted practise follows the authorities that maintain that one may do Melacha throughout the day of Friday. Other Poskim write that one may be stringent to not do work from Midday onwards and that this is praiseworthy.
Sale of Chometz
In a regular year, the Chometz is sold to a non-Jew during the 5th hour of the day, with the sale taking effect immediately, since Chometz is forbidden to be owned from the beginning of the 6th hour.
When Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, the following dilemma arises; If we will still be eating and using Chometz on Friday and will eat Chometz on Shabbos, how can it be sold before Shabbos? On the other hand, we are not allowed to make the sale on Shabbos.
The Poskim suggest a number of different approaches;
The sale of Chometz with the various Kinyanim is done on Friday. Some suggest that the sale should still be performed at the 5th hour, so as not to confuse it with regular years. If the sale was not done at this time, it can be made at a later time before Shabbos comes in.
One approach is to write into the Shtar that the sale of Chometz will only come into effect at the time Shabbos comes in and will not include any Chometz that will be eaten over Shabbos (at the 2 Shabbos meals).
A second approach is for the sale and associated Kinyanim to be performed on Friday but the sale to only take effect on Shabbos day at the Zman when Chometz becomes forbidden. A variation of this is to write that one is selling from now “all the Chometz that remains in the homes at the end of the 5th hour.”
Even though one cannot make a Kinyan or sale on Shabbos, in this case the act of the Kinyan has been done on Friday. On Shabbos the sale is merely coming into effect.
References
1. Bach 429:2, Magen Avraham 429:1, Shulchan Aruch Harav 429:2
2. Shulchan Aruch Harav 429:2
3. Drashos Mahari”l, Elya Rabbah 430:2, Chok Yaakov, Mishna Berura 430:2.
4. Kaf Hachaim 429:2
5. Orach Chaim 470:2
6. Shulchan Aruch Harav 470:7
7. See Kaf Hachaim quoting acharonim that the fast should be observed on Friday (Birkei Yosef)
8. 430:23
9. See Kuntres Seder Erev Pesach Shechal Beshabbos – Rabbi Yosef Chaim Zonnenfeld that in such a Kvius anyone can redeem their fast with giving Tzedaka instead of fasting.
10. Shulchan Aruch Harav 470:7
11. Shulchan Aruch Harav 444:1
12. Unlike in a regular year where one cannot make a Bracha when doing the Bedika on any other night other than the 14th of Nissan as it is not the zman of the Bedika. In this year, the night of the 13th of Nissan is the zman of the Bedika.
13. Shulchan Aruch Harav 444:1
14. Based on the principle of Shevus Deshvus Bamakom Mitzvah. Some are more lenient and permit asking a non-Jew to light a candle for the Bedika.
15. Shaarim Metzuyanim Behalacha. In such a case it is recommended not to make a Bracha.
16. 435:3
17. Shulchan Aruch Harav 444:5
18. Shulchan Aruch Harav 444:6
19. See Kaf Hachaim 444:21. Shaarei Teshuva 444 quoting Shu”t Kneses Hagedolah. Chok Yaakov
20. Shaarei Teshuva in the name of Drashos Maharil
21. Piskei Teshuvos quotes Rabbi Moshe Feinstein that even when making the sale in the morning, the Rov should organise the non-Jew to return in the afternoon in case the Rov needs to sell any additional Chametz from people who came late.
