After the Friday night meal, one should take the plastic tablecloth and all the disposable plates off the table and throw them into a place which is hefker in the reshus horabbim [public domain]. [In Eretz Yisroel where the public bins are owned by Jews, it’s not so simple that putting chometz in these bins is ok. However, see Shevus Yitzchok, Perek 9, ois 5 in the name of R’ Shlomah Zalman, and R’ Elyashiv that it is ok.]
If one is in a place without an eruv, or one doesn’t carry even in a place with an eruv, he should throw any crumbs into the beis hakisay, or bath, and put the plates and tablecloth into a cupboard sold to the non-Jew (see Shulchan Aruch 444:4).
Shabbos Morning
One should wake up early, leaving himself enough time to eat two meals. At the very least, at least enough time to eat one meal before the chometz eating deadline. When singing zemiros this Shabbos, one shouldn’t use his chometzdika zemiros as is clear from the Rema (end of 447), as we are scared of chometz falling off them into the Pesach food and utensils etc.
A sensible solution for this Shabbos, is that everyone should have a personal napkin in front of them which they keep their personal challah on, and after each person finishes eating their challah, they should take it, scrunch it up and flush it down the toilet.
After eating any chometz, before going away from the table, one should shake off his clothes, pockets, and his beard, in order not to carry chometz around the house. One should also warn his household members to act accordingly.
If one wakes up late on Shabbos morning, and he doesn’t have time to daven and eat a Shabbos meal before the chometz eating deadline, it is forbidden to eat before davening, therefore, he should first daven (al netilas yodayim, asher yotzar, elokei neshoma, birchas haTorah, boruch she’omar, ashrei, nishmas, yishtabach, birchas krias shema and shemonah esrei). If there is still time after Shacharis to wash his hands and eat a kebeitzah of bread before the chometz deadline he should, if there isn’t, he should daven properly without skipping and should then eat without washing for any bread (Shu”t Mishneh Halachos 8:190 and Shu”t Betzel HaChochmah 4:171).
Although some opinions hold that the obligation of eating bread on Shabbos is de’O’raisa and it should perhaps override the prohibition of eating before davening, the prohibition of eating before davening learnt from לא תאכלו על הדם is also very severe, especially according to Talmiday Rabbeinu Yonah (Berachos 10b) and the Rosh (1:10) who learn that the prohibition is based on a pasuk. See the Minchas Chinuch (Mitzvah 248, s.k. 5) who writes that according to the Chinuch the prohibition to eat before davening is de’O’raisa. Therefore, since eating before davening is also very severe, it is not so easily overridden.
There is another argument to say Shacharis comes first, as it is clear in the poskim from siman 289 that before davening there is no chiyuv seudah and since before davening there is no chiyuv seudah, we can’t say it overrides the prohibition of eating before davening.
One shouldn’t rely on those who allow washing and eating matzah on erev Pesach, even in a case where he will ending up missing out on the mitzvah of seudas Shabbos (see Chiddushei Chasam Sofer on 444:1 who is lenient until ten hours into the day, however, see Igros Moshe, Orach Chaim 1:155 and other achronim who say not to be lenient).
Although some say not to eat eggs on erev Pesach as we put an egg on the seder plate and eat it as a remembrance for the korban chagigah, our minhag is to be lenient, especially as the Mishnah Berurah (471:3) allows eating eggs after the tenth hour on erev Pesach, therefore, it is perfectly ok to eat egg salad for the Shabbos morning meal.
Many people eat cold chometz food for the morning meal, and only after chatzos do they eat hot food (Mishnah Berurah 444:14). However, one should be careful to eat at least one cooked food such as fish in the first meal on Shabbos morning, as in the end of the day it is the main meal with which one fulfils the mitzvah of seudas Shabbos, and if one has only one cooked food for Shabbos it should be kept for this meal. Therefore, one should make sure to eat at least one cooked food in this meal, not to be mezalzel [make light] in seudas Shabbos (see Nitei Gavriel 22:8).
Ideally one should split his Shabbos morning meal into two, so that he can fulfil the mitzvah of shalosh seudas with bread, provided he has time (Mishnah Berurah 444:8). One should interrupt between the two meals with divrei Torah, or a short walk (see Taz 291:2). The Chazon Ish (Igros Chazon Ish 1:188) writes, that one should interrupt for half-an-hour (however, see Shulchan Aruch 291:3, and Mishnah Berurah 14, that a short walk is enough).
When finished eating, one should remove any chometz left on any plates and on the tablecloth and flush it down the toilet (Mishnah Berurah 444:21) and one can fulfil the mitzvah of “tashbisu” [getting rid of chometz] with this (see Mishnah Berurah 445:5). Although many rishonim hold that “tashbisu” is only from the sixth hour on the 14th of Nissan (see Mishnah Berurah 445:6 and Shaar HaTziyun s.k. 16 that the minhag is to fulfil “tashbisu” with burning chometz even 30 days before Pesach). If one has a big piece of challah, he may crumble it up on Shabbos and there is no problem of toichen (Mishnah Berurah 446:6 and Sha’ar HaTziyun 7). Then one should take the plates and tablecloth and take it to somewhere hefker outside the house, if one doesn’t carry in the eruv or there is no eruv, one should put it in the cupboard sold to a non-Jew.
After the meal one should sweep up any chometz from the floor. It’s best to use a rubber brush and not one made from soft hairs, as it is harder to remove the crumbs from such a brush. If one only has a brush made from soft hairs, he should make sure to shake off any crumbs and flush them down the toilet. Then he should put the brush away for the duration of Pesach (Nitei Gavriel 28:15 in the name of HaGaon MiDebrechin). It is forbidden to wash the floors even with a rubber sponger stick without a cloth (see siman 337:3, and Mishnah Berurah 17).
After one has finished eating, he should brush his teeth with a soft brush without toothpaste to dislodge any chometz stuck in between his teeth. However, one shouldn’t soak the brush with water, rather, one should rinse his mouth first with water, and then use the brush. However, using a soft brush only helps if one is certain, it won’t cause any bleeding. If one can’t clean his teeth in such a manner and he is worried about chometz being stuck in his teeth, he should dip challah in water before eating it and this way it won’t get stuck.
If one puts items into a cupboard sold to a non-Jew on Shabbos, and the cupboard is sealed with tape, according to R’ Shlomah Zalman Auerbach (Shulchan Shlomah 314:12, ois 2) it is permissible to stick down the tape on the cupboard as a sign that it was sold to a non-Jew, as there is no problem to stick something soft onto something hard. Although the Biur Halachah (340:14 d.h. haray zeh) writes that sticking wood onto wood is tofer, that is different as the glue makes the two items into one, however, in our case the tape and the cupboard don’t become one – they remain two separate items.
Bitul Chometz
After the meal, one should do bitul chometz another time and should recite Kol Chamira like every year, before the chometz eating deadline, in case there is still some chometz left in his property (Shulchan Aruch 444:6). Although in the nussach of Kol Chamira we mention “it should be hefker” and some say one shouldn’t be mafkir things on Shabbos (R’ Akiva Eiger, Orach Chaim 13), since it is being done for the purpose of a mitzvah, it is like giving a present on Shabbos, where although normally it is forbidden, for the sake of a mitzvah it’s allowed (Mishnah Berurah 306:33).
The Pri Chodosh (434:2) explains differently and explains that bitul chometz on Shabbos erev Pesach is not like regular hefker which is forbidden on Shabbos. By chometz no other Jew can acquire the chometz, moreover, normally hefker needs to be done in front of three people, and by bitul chometz it doesn’t. Due to this, strictly speaking bitul chometz can be done in the heart even though normally hefker can’t. Since we see that it is a different type of hefker to normal, it may be done on Shabbos.
We also recite the Yehi Ratzon after bitul chometz as it’s clear from the Mishnah Berurah (288:22) that one is allowed to say on Shabbos אלוקי עד שלא נוצרתי וכו', as the prohibition of asking personal requests on Shabbos is by requests to do with illness, parnosah etc. as it causes one pain, however, having regret on a sins is a good thing to say Shabbos. Therefore, in our case as well, one may recite the Yehi Ratzon. (Nitei Gavriel 29:3).
One may kasher his fake teeth and fillings etc. on Shabbos morning and it’s not a problem of tikkun moneh, as at the time of kashering, there is not yet an issur on the items being kashered (see above pg. 11).
After the deadline for burning chometz arrives, the chometz is muktzeh. However, before that time, it’s logical that even though one can no longer eat the chometz one is allowed to move it to fulfil the mitzvah of “tashbisu”, i.e. to throw it down the toilet (see Mishnah Berurah 444:21).
Oneg Shabbos
The Pri Megodim (Pesicha Koleles, Vol. 1, s.k. 18) in the name of the Shu”t Tzemech Tzedek writes that oneg Shabbos has the status of a de’O’raisa, as divrei kabbolah have a din de’O’raisa and we are stringent when in doubt, however, we don’t administer lashes. Based on this, one should be very careful on this Shabbos not to get angry at his family members, not only because if they do bring a few crumbs of chometz into the house they will get trodden on and be nullified, but because anger itself is chometz, and also one will be mevatel on oneg Shabbos.
What To Eat Over the Rest of Shabbos
One may eat meat, fish, eggs and fruit and vegetables the entire day, even after the tenth hour, however, one should make sure to keep an appetite for the mitzvah of matzah that night (Mishnah Berurah 444:8).
The poskim dispute about whether one may eat kitniyos after the chometz eating deadline (see Pri Megodim 444, Eishel Avraham s.k. 2 who is lenient to eat matzah made from kitniyos, and see Chelkas Yaakov 471:2, who is stringent). Practically, the Shu”t Shevet HaLevi (Vol. 3 end of siman 31) writes, that there is no proof from the Pri Megodim as matzah is different, and he writes: Practically, the minhag is to be stringent.
Kneidlach may be eaten until the tenth hour, however, one shouldn’t eat cake made with matzah meal, like we mentioned above.
Mincha
One should try and daven Mincha by mincha gedolah, in order that he can eat seudas shlishis before the tenth hour (R’ Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld). Another reason is, because on erev Pesach they brought the korban tamid earlier on in the day to make extra time for the korban Pesach (Luach Eretz Yisroel, in the name of R’ Chaim Berlin zt”l). The Mishnah Berurah (end of 471) writes that after Mincha, one should busy himself with the laws of korban Pesach, and Hashem will treat it as if he brought a korban Pesach.
Seudas Shlishis
The Shulchan Aruch (291:2) rules that the time for seudas shlishis is from the time of Mincha, and if one does it before that he doesn’t fulfil the mitzvah. Therefore, the Rema (291:6 and in 444:1) writes that one should have a meal after mincha with fruit or fish. The Mishnah Berurah (444:8) adds that one can fulfil the mitzvah of seudas shlishis with kneidlach (until the tenth hour). Seemingly, one should try and eat kneidlach or an equivalent at this meal to fulfil those opinions (291:5) that learn that one must eat from the five grains at this meal.
If one didn’t daven early Mincha, it’s better to eat seudas shlishis before the tenth hour, then to eat after Mincha after the tenth hour, even if it means eating seudas shlishis before Mincha.
The Prohibition to Prepare from Shabbos to Yom Tov
There is a prohibition to prepare on Shabbos for Yom Tov, as a result, there are a number of things that one needs to be careful with:
- One is allowed to sleep on Shabbos afternoon, with the intent that he will be awake for the seder, however, he shouldn’t verbalise that this is why he is doing it (see Mishnah Berurah 290:4). Similarly, one shouldn’t tell his children, “Go to sleep so that you can be awake tonight”, however, some are lenient with children (see Nitei Gavriel 34:8).
- One shouldn’t wear his Yom Tov frack, or any other garment which is special for Yom Tov, unless he wears it while there is still plenty time on Shabbos to benefit from it (Kaf HaChaim 529:23). It is permissible to dress children with Yom Tov clothes close to night, as they benefit from it on Shabbos itself (Nitei Gavriel 34:6).
- One shouldn’t lay the seder table or prepare anything for the seder before nacht. However, one is allowed to tidy the table, to make it look presentable (see Mishnah Berurah 302:19)
- If one is going to his parents for the seder, he shouldn’t take matzos or a kittel whilst it is still Shabbos.
- It is permissible to bring a machzor to shul in a place where there is an eruv, provided there is time to look inside it a bit before motzei Shabbos (see Shaarei Teshuvah 693:2).
- When there is a big need, some say (Shu”t Machzeh Eliyohu 64, and sefer Hilchos HaMoadim, Perek 2, he’orah 101) one may take food out the fridge or freezer on Shabbos so it will be ready for the night, provided it is possible to eat them on Shabbos as well (based on Mishnah Berurah 667:5). Although some are stringent (see Shemiras Shabbos, Perek 10, siman 10 and Shulchan Shlomah end of 290) perhaps everyone agrees there is room to be lenient if the food will be ready on Shabbos.
(The above halachah write-up is based on Madanay Yom Tov, Vol. 4, siman 111, and 112)
