Halachos For When Pesach Falls Out On Erev Shabbos Part 1 | Lishkas HaPoskim

Month of Nissan

• One begins to ask about and learn the halachos of Pesach thirty days prior to the Yom Tov. This is in addition to the halacha that one should study the halachos of the Yom Tov on the Yom Tov itself.
• The community provides financial assistance to the poor to help them with Yom Tov expenses.
• We do not recite Tachanun, and we do not fast during the entire month of Nissan.
• We bless the fruit trees when they begin to blossom in the month of Nissan.

Shabbos Parashas Vayikra – (7th of Nissan)

• This Shabbos, Parshas Vayikra, falls before Shabbos HaGadol, Parshas Tzav, which falls out on erev Yom Tov. Consequently, there are specific halachos that apply to this Shabbos, unlike in a regular year.
• The connection between the miracles of Pesach relates to the Shabbos preceding Pesach, reflecting on the uniqueness of Shabis, rather than the four days leading up to Pesach (which were dedicated for the korban Pesach) for several reasons: 1. The Yidden were saved due to their observance of Shabbos (Levush, Prisha, Pri Chadash). 2. A fast was established on the day Miriam left the world; while the significance of that day was diminished, the importance of Shabbos remained (Magen Avraham). 3. Numerous other miracles occurred throughout the world, such as the הירדן קריעת, demonstrating that these events were not dependent on the specific day (Rav Moshe Charif).
• For these reasons (among many others, mentioned in the seforim), the Shabbos is not merely the Shabbos that came before Pesach, but rather its foundation lies in the virtue of the Shabbos itself. There are several specific halachos regarding this.
• The primary purpose of the speech on Shabbos HaGadol is to instruct the people in the ways of Hashem and teach them the necessary halachos related to Pesach. This includes guidance on the burning of chometz, the baking of matzah, and other relevant halachos. Therefore, it is customary for the derasha to be delivered on Parshas Vayikra, which is the Shabbos before erev Pesach.
• Some people recite Piyutim and Yotzros for Shabbos HaGadol on the previous Shabbos (Parshas Vayikra), as mentioned above, to cover the main points of the halachos of Pesach. Others recite specific parts on the preceding Shabbos that relate to the Seder on Parshas Tzav. However, some do not recite the Piyutim at all in a year like this one.
• On Shabbos Hagadol, the custom is to recite the Haggadah from Avadim Hayinu Until Lechaper Al Avonoseinu. When Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, the custom is to recite it on Erev Pesach and not on Shabbos Parshas Vayikra.
• On Motzai Shabbos, we do say Vihi Noam and V’atah Kadosh just as we do every Motzai Shabbos, since the week does not include Erev Pesach, which is akin to a Yom Tov. After Maariv, we make Kiddush Levana for those who customarily do so after seven days of the new moon.
• One should be careful to search around their seats in shul (where they do not daven during the week) because, by the time the next Shabbos arrives, all chametz must be rid of. Additionally, one should ensure that their Shabbos clothes and pockets are clean of chametz.

Thursday – (12th of Nissan)

• The firstborn, whether from the father or the mother, is remembered for being saved from the plague of the firstborns, Makkas Bechoros. This year, they fast on Thursday, since fasting on Shabbos is not allowed. It is preferable to fast on Thursday rather than Friday, which is erev Shabbos. If someone forgets to fast on Thursday, they should fast on Friday instead.
• If a person feels a little weak, they may taste food before bedikas chometz at night, or they can appoint a messenger to conduct bedikas chometz on their behalf. If they find that even this is too difficult, they do not need to fast at all.
• The fast this year is more lenient than in a regular year. Just as we typically rely on a siyum to break the fast on a regular year, we can also rely on a siyum in a year like this one, even though the usual reasoning for doing so on Erev Pesach does not apply. Additionally, a weaker person can fulfill their obligation for the fast by giving tzedakah.
• It is essential to stop using utensils that a person plans to kosher 24 hours before the koshering process begins, which should be completed no later than Thursday night.
• Since the mitzvah of bedikas chometz (searching for and examining chometz) is performed at night, one should ensure that their home is cleaned thoroughly before the time for bedikas chometz arrives.
• If someone wishes to exempt themselves from the obligation of bedikas chometz by selling their home, they must be sure to complete the sale before sunset on Thursday.

Friday Morning – Erev Shabbos Parshas Tzav, 13th of Nissan

• Since one cannot search for chometz with a candle on Friday night, the eve of the 14th of Nissan, it has been established to search for chometz with a bracha on Thursday night (the eve of the 13th).
• One should daven Maariv as soon as the time for Maariv arrives, before searching for chometz. All additional halachos that apply in a normal year (to refrain from eating or doing work, etc.) also apply this year on Thursday night.
• Right after Maariv, one should search their home as they would on a normal year, and then recite the bracha Al Biur Chometz with the intention of the burning of the chometz the next day and the disposal of what will be removed on Shabbos morning.
• Food that is left for Shabbos should be set aside.
• After examining for chometz, one should recite the Kol Chamira as is customary every year.
• If one forgot to examine on Thursday night, they may do so during the day on Friday with a bracha, using a candle.
• If one forgot to search on Friday and only remembers Friday night, they may search at night with the light in the room (without moving it), to the best of their ability. The remainder can be done in sunlight. For areas that require a candle (such as tiny holes), one should search on Yom Tov itself or Motzei Yom Tov with a candle, rather than having a non-Jew hold the candle on behalf of the Jew.
• If one searched for chometz but forgot to make a bracha, in a normal year, they could recite the bracha when burning the chometz. However, this year, since not all chometz is disposed of when burned because one must leave some for Shabbos, one may not recite the bracha when burning the chometz.
• After examining for chometz, one should sell their chometz on Thursday night.
• The actual sale of the chometz may be performed right up to Shabbos; however, it is best to do so before the fifth hour of the day, as done in a normal year. One may also make a condition that the sale goes into effect right before Shabbos.
• Some include in their document a statement to exclude the food that will be kept for the two meals of Shabbos, while others hold it is self-understood and does not require explicit mention.
• If one did not sell their chometz before Shabbos, some hold that they may sell it on Shabbos with money (without transferring the money) and without writing any documents before the fifth hour on Shabbos morning. Others prefer to make it hefker or give it as a gift to a non-Jew on Shabbos.

Friday – (Erev Shabbos Parshas Tzav)

• Davening is as usual. We recite Mizmor L’Todah and Lamnatzeiach as normal.
• Some are stringent and participate in a siyum on Friday as well.
• For those who are lenient and eat matza until Erev Pesach, they may eat matza on Friday.
• One should leave over chometz for the two meals for themselves and their family. However, it is important to leave over wisely, avoiding excess and ensuring it is out of reach of children. It is advisable to leave over chometz that does not crumble easily.
• Any chometz that one knows will not be consumed for the rest of the day and will not be eaten on Shabbos should be burned on Friday morning before the fifth hour.
• One does not recite Kol Chamira after burning chometz as one would do in a regular year since we still have chometz set aside for Shabbos meals. Instead, this should only be said on Shabbos morning before the fifth hour.
• One may recite the Yehi Ratzon after burning the chometz to rid ourselves of the Yetzer Hara within us.

Chatzos on Friday

• Those who have the custom of baking matzos in a regular year after chatzos should also do so this year, even though it isn’t the time for offering the korban Pesach. There’s no need to worry about nullifying ownership of the crumbs and dough, but one should be careful to clean up after baking. We do not recite Hallel, as many customarily do in a regular year.
• Every year, there is a prohibition of doing work and business after chatzos on Erev Pesach for two reasons: 1. It is the time for offering the korban Pesach, which makes it akin to a Yom Tov, and 2. This helps ensure that people are not preoccupied and forget to eliminate their chometz and prepare the korban Pesach and matzos for the evening. In a year like this one, where the reason related to the korban Pesach does not apply, many still refrain from work to avoid becoming distracted and forgetting to prepare for Yom Tov.
• One may cut their nails and get a haircut even after chatzos on Friday.
• In a normal year, we are careful to finish the process of hag’alah (koshering utensils) before the fifth hour. This year, one should try to complete it before the time of mincha gedolah or at least mincha ketanah, but, if necessary, one may do it throughout the entire day.
• It is advisable to prepare Shabbos foods using kosher for Passover ingredients. If one uses chometz pots or pans, one must be cautious not to allow any food to spill from the koshered pots into the chometz ones. It is best to pass the food through another pot first. Therefore, using disposable utensils for this Shabbos is recommended.
• One should not prepare hot foods that are chometz in chometz pots for Shabbos, as it will be difficult to clean them properly on Shabbos. If one insists on doing so, they should dispose of the pot after use and ensure it is no longer in their possession by the time they must get rid of their chometz.

Erev Shabbos Parshas Tzav

• If someone customarily bakes challah every Erev Shabbos and wishes to do so this week as well, they should ensure that they have enough time to kasher the oven for Pesach and to burn the challah separation before Shabbos.
• One should be diligent in preparing all the foods needed for the Seder, such as the Zeroa, egg, lettuce, Charoses, salt water, opening bottles, etc., before Shabbos.
• It is proper to prepare the Seder table before Shabbos so that on Motzei Shabbos, one does not have to start setting everything up from scratch.

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