38 Things to Know When Erev Pesach Falls on Shabbos

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

Observing Fast Days When Erev Pesach Falls on Shabbos

1. Regarding when to fast: The authorities are divided on when firstborn sons need to fast when Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos. The Trumas HaDeshen (Vol. I #126) writes that they move the fast to Thursday (the 13th of Nisan) which is how the Ramah rules. The Maharil writes that since the fast has been postponed, it is completely canceled and there is no need to fast at all. The Birchei Yoseph (470:4) is from those who write that the fast is held on Friday.  A father who is fasting for his firstborn son who is not yet bar-mitzvahed, however, does not have to fast at all when this happens (See SA 470:2 and Kaf HaChaim #23)  
2. It is customary for the firstborn to participate in a siyum (completion of a tractate of Talmud or an order of the Mishna) on Erev Pesach to exempt oneself from fasting, the prevalent custom in such a year is to have the siyum on  Thursday.  Rav Sternbuch shlita  in his Teshuvos V’Hanhagos Vol. II #211 cites a custom that some are stringent to attend another Siyum yet on Friday. This, however, is not the prevalent minhag.
3. When Pesach falls on Motzei Shabbos – the specialized “Matzos Mitzvah” are baked on Friday.
4. The authorities are divided on when is the time for selling chametz in this year. The prevalent custom is to sell the chametz on Friday before the end of the fifth hour, in order not to alter the custom from other years.
5. Similarly, in this year the document of sale of chametz is also written just like in other years, without specific conditions indicating from when the sale will take effect. However, there are those who write (Rav Shmuel Vosner zt”l) that one should add in the document of sale that those who are selling are selling all the chametz besides the chametz designated for Shabbos meals.
6. Many forbid to sell chametz in stores after the time for selling chametz on Friday However, we do not object to those who do it, because they have whom to rely upon (See MB 468 and Biur Halacha “MiChatzos.”)
7. The time for burning and removing chametz is on Erev Shabbos before the sixth hour, so that it will not come to be done like in other years after the burning of chametz.
8. However, the time for nullifying the chametz is on Shabbos day itself.
9. Work that is forbidden on Erev Pesach is permitted on the sixth day that precedes Erev Pesach, because the prohibition of work was only stated at the time of offering the Passover sacrifice.
10. Every year on Erev Pesach, the time for koshering vessels that have absorbed chametz and dough for use on Pesach ideally is until the end of the time for burning chametz. However, in a year when Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, it is permitted initially to kosher vessels on anytime Friday until the entrance of Shabbos (See Shaivet HaLevi Vol. XI #116).

Laws of Preparation for Shabbos and Pesach When the 14th of Nisan Falls on Shabbos

11. One should not cook for this Shabbos with Chometz food items that stick to the walls of the pot because after the cooking the pots will need to be cleaned because of chametz, and it is forbidden to clean on Shabbos a vessel that is not needed for further use on Shabbos (See MB 452:11).
12. If one did cook and the pot became dirty, the pot should be rinsed well until no food remains in it. And if not, one should have it cleaned by a gentile. And if one cannot do this, the vessel should be rinsed with a small amount of chametz. And if one cannot do that, one should fully clean it oneself (ibid).
13. On Erev Shabbos, one needs to remove all the chametz and leave only food for two meals for Shabbos.
14. Although it is not the accepted custom, Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita (Moadim uZmanim Vol. VII #160) writes that for these two meals, one needs to estimate an additional kezayis of Chometz and destroy it before the time of biur Chometz and destroy it from the world (by flushing it down the toilet for example). However, the language of the authorities, does not imply this. The custom is not to leave chametz for removal but rather the leftovers of the Shabbos meals. And if chametz remains, one can throw out the garbage or flush it down the toilet, as explained.
15. It is appropriate (See Igros Chazon Ish #188) to cook for this Shabbos with new vessels or clean Pesach utensils. But one should not pour for this Shabbos from the Pesach utensils , but only with weekday utensils that are not chametz.
16. It is forbidden to eat matza during the entire Shabbos, because it is already full-fledged Erev Pesach.
17. If they ate the challah outside the house, so as not to bring chametz into the house and they continued the meal inside the house – ideally it is appropriate that they eat a little bread inside the house so that they can bless the Grace After Meals there. If they did not eat bread in the house, they should return to the place where they ate and bless there. If this causes great difficulty, they can bench in the place where they continued the meal, if the place where they ate bread is visible from the same place where they continued the meal.
18. Shacharis on Shabbos morning and the Shabbos Morning meal should be scheduled earlier than usual because one must recite Hamotzi on lechem mishneh and finish all bread before the sof zman achilas chometz (i.e., end of the 4th halachic hour of the day).
19. On Shabbos in the morning, before the time of removal, one needs to nullify the chametz and say “kol chamira.”
20. There are those who write that after the time of eating chametz it is forbidden to continue the meal without blessing, because the diners have removed themselves from eating bread. However, in practice, Rav Elyashiv zt”l (Shiurim on Brachos end of Shlosha sh’Achlu) ruled that we do not follow this, and they do not need to bless before continuing the meal, because the removal was done out of necessity and not because of disinterest in it.
21. After disposing of all chometz, one recites the same Kol Chamira that is usually said when burning the chometz. This must be done before the sof zman biur chometz (end of the 5th halachic hour). It is recited even if it was already recited by mistake on Friday at the time of the biur chometz.
22. Shabbos Afternoon Meal
23. During Shalosh Seudos on regular Shabbosim, one must have lechem mishneh and l’chatchila eat more than a kebeitzah(i.e., more than two kezeisim) of bread after the time of Mincha Gedola (1/2 halachic hour after chatzos/midday). On this Shabbos, one may not eat bread or matzah at this time. Therefore, One should eat “other foods” during the afternoon meal, such as fish, fruits or Shehakol cakes (cakes made only from potato starch) any time between Mincha Gedola and sunset.
24. If one eats these foods after the beginning of the tenth hour of the day, one may not eat too much and thus diminish his appetite for the Seder.
25. For those who eat gebruchts on Pesach, cooked products containing matzah meal may be eaten if they are consumed before the 10th hour of the day. Baked matzah meal products, including cake, may not be eaten anytime during the day.
26. Splitting the Morning Meal Option – If time permits, it is preferable to “split the morning meal” by doing the following:
    1. Recite Hamotzi and eat more than a kebei’a from the rolls. And some fish and then some meat.
    2. Recite Birchas Hamazon and take a walk outside.
27. Then, come back and wash for Seuda Shlishis and recite Hamotzi.
28. Be careful to finish the bread and dispose of the crumbs by the times indicated above.
29. If one does “split the meal” in this way, one must still eat something after Mincha Gedola in order fulfill the mitzvah of Seuda Shlishis according to most opinions.
30. One who delayed his meal and did not eat before the fifth hour should not eat bread, because the obligation of the Shabbos meal does not override the prohibition of eating chametz on Erev Pesach.
31. Close to the end of the time of removal, all the chametz that remains in his house must be thrown in the toilet or in the garbage disposal or flushed down the toilet. And it is appropriate to pour a caustic material like bleach on the chametz to render it inedible for dogs. And if crumbs of chametz remain on the floor, “they should be gathered with a broom,” but in the yard it is forbidden to sweep on Shabbos.  The dirty broom should be placed in the closet that is sold to the gentile

Cleaning and Rinsing the Mouth from Chametz on Shabbos

32. After eating challah or chametz in the Shabbos meal, one needs to clean the teeth well so that no chametz remains between them at all. And after this, the hot foods that he heats in them will not absorb the chametz that is in the cracks of the teeth. However, it is permitted to add to a soup bowl croutons or noodles because a kli shelishi (a third vessel) does not cause absorption of chametz in the teeth. (See there)
33. Toward the end of the time for eating chametz, one should clean his mouth and teeth well, so that no chametz will come out from between his teeth after the end of the time for eating.
34. One who is concerned that he has chametz between his teeth is permitted to brush his teeth on this Shabbos with a toothbrush and no toothpaste. However, after brushing, he should not rinse the brush. And if he sees pieces of chametz on it, he should rinse them off with water until it is clean, but he should not scrub the bristles of the brush. The Sridei Aish is lenient with plastic bristles but others disagree.
35. In addition to brushing the teeth, it is appropriate to rinse the mouth with mouthwash.

Motzei Shabbos and the Seder

36. All preparation for Yom Tov and the seder may not begin until Shabbos is over (tzeis hakochavim). As previously indicated, some preparations should be done before Shabbos. One may also wish to set the Seder table before Shabbos and eat in the kitchen on Shabbos to allow the Seder to begin as early as possible after Shabbos. Keep in mind, however, that Oneg Shabbos is a Torah Mitzvah.
37. Kiddush and Havdalah (yaknahaz – stands for Yayin, Kiddush, Ner, Havdallah, Zman) are recited together at the Seder as printed in the Haggados. One should recite Borei Me’orei Ha’aish using a special Yom Tov candle, putting them together side by side while upright. They should, however, not be tilted to touch each other.
38. Besides yaknahaz, there is anotherchange to the Haggadah: In the bracha of Asher G’alanu prior to drinking the second cup of wine, we reverse the order and say min hapesachim u’min hazevachim (instead of the opposite order of min hazvachim umin hapsachim). This is due to the change in the order of korbanos when Pesach occurs on Motzei Shabbos – because the Korban Chagigah would not have been eaten this Motzai Shabbos Seder night as it was not brought on Shabbos.

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