This week is Parsha Para Bamidbar 19 in addition to our regular Parsha.
The reason of this section is to remind us to be in the state of Tahara aka ritual purity from contacting a dead body so that we could offer up the Korban Pesach.
Social Media: I have been on non-censored MeWe for a while and invite you to join me. There I am not Comrade Rachamim but Rabbi Pauli like my other friends who are doctors, lawyers, engineers.
Freedom is a fragile thing and it's never more than one generation away from extinction. It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people. Governor Ronald Reagan, January 5, 1967.
Cancelling Dr. Seuss. https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/six-dr-seuss-books-won-t-be-published-anymore-here-s-why/vi-BB1eaIzg?ocid=msedgdhp
Recently I read about somebody who was in Facebook Jail for a post they posted in 2017. On Purim aka Erev Shabbos I found myself in Facebook Jail for a post on Dec. 10th of last year. I would not have minded it if their great management censors had hit me on the 11th. Then they found more posts. What was post about? The post was basically historical. It dealt with media. It was about a man in Berlin named Joseph and his information and propaganda to the Media back in 1936. Where is the US heading? Once upon a time there was freedom of speech except for incitement. Mine was a warning to protect freedom of speech.
Parsha Ki Sisa Part 1
We were told two Parshiyos Ago about the utensils of the Mishkan and the cloth and curtains. Last week, we dealt with the clothing of the Cohanim and minor details of the Mizbayach for Incense. This week we begin collecting money for the project to build the Mishkan. The required redemption fee of both rich and poor of half a Shekel and the voluntary donation of gold, silver, brass, jewels and cloth.
30:11 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 12 'When thou take the sum of the children of Israel, according to their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou number them; that there be no plague among them, when thou number them.
We never count directly the Bnei Yisrael and only coins or in modern times active ID numbers in the country.
13 This they shall give, every one that passes among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary--the shekel is twenty gerahs--half a shekel for an offering to the LORD. 14 Every one that passes among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the offering of the LORD. 15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of the LORD, to make atonement for your souls. 16 And thou shalt take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before the LORD, to make atonement for your souls.'
This is used for equal minimum donation to maintain drinking wells and roads for Pesach where after a winter, the people would meet in Yerushalayim or in earlier times Shilo. There could be bigger donations but G-D wanted the rich and the poor to donate equally.
17 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 18 'Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass, whereat to wash; and thou shalt put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. 19 And Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat; 20 when they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to cause an offering made by fire to smoke unto the LORD; 21 so they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not; and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.'
This is the laver made of the mirrors of righteous women who beautified themselves to keep the population rising during the Gezaira of Pharaoh.
22 Moreover the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 23 'Take thou also unto thee the chief spices, of flowing myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty, 24 and of cassia five hundred, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil a hin. 25 And thou shalt make it a holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil. 26 And thou shalt anoint therewith the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony,
The oil was made once a year and after about 70 years there was a nice sized quantity left.
27 and the table and all the vessels thereof, and the candlestick and the vessels thereof, and the altar of incense, … 37 And the incense which thou shalt make, according to the composition thereof ye shall not make for yourselves; it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD. 38 Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereof, he shall be cut off from his people.
No ordinary Jew should burn incense at all and a Cohain out of the Mikdash.
31:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 'See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; 3 and I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, 4 to devise skillful works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 5 and in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all manner of workmanship. 6 And I, behold, I have appointed with him Oholiav, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee: 7 the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the ark-cover that is thereupon, and all the furniture of the Tent; 8 and the table and its vessels, and the pure candlestick with all its vessels, and the altar of incense; 9 and the altar of burnt-offering with all its vessels, and the laver and its base; 10 and the plaited garments, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office; 11 and the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place; according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.'
These men were in charge of these special works.
12 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 13 'Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying: Verily ye shall keep My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that ye may know that I am the LORD who sanctify you.
Only the Bnei Yisrael can observe Shabbos a non-Jew even a pre-convert cannot observe Shabbos. If they do, they deserve the death penalty for it is a sign between US and HASHEM and no other nation. After conversion they are like us and have the Mitzvah to observe Shabbos.
14 Ye shall keep the Sabbath therefore, for it is holy unto you; every one that profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whosoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Work meaning Melacha and one gets Kares for violating Shabbos purposely and with witnesses the death penalty.
15 Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD; whosoever does any work in the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.
By the Sanhedrin of 23 Judges onward. But had to have been given a warning beforehand by two witnesses. For example: “Do you know that today is Shabbos Kodesh? Do you know that fishing, hunting, plowing, gathering or etc. is forbidden today? Now cease and desist! So if he or she stops, then a Korban Chatas is brought because one did this accidently. Refusal to stop (unless one was out of their mind mentally or with Alzheimer or a deaf-mute or child) would bring on the death penalty.
16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.
Since most of Jews of the world have been badly influenced by non-Jews today. We call them a baby that was captured by the Goyim. As I was and parents before me born and raised Reform or nothing with complete non-observance knowing more about the religion of my Catholic and Protestant Neighbors than my own. Thinking that the laws of Kashrus were for health reasons and now pork would be OK because of the worms and disease are kept under control. Snakes, lions and bears were not even known to many to be forbidden along with shrimps and lobsters. A total loss of religion. For this reason, HASHEM in HIS great wisdom took out Sanhedrin away until we could educate these people. And if I was among them just think of the Mitzvah Potential that could come out of these millions of ignorant Jews who would need a spark to bring the flame of the eternal soul back within the fold.
17 It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel for ever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He ceased from work and rested.'
Since I know better today and am educated and have raised myself from the level of self-lust to go sail boating and swimming, or sledding and ice skating to sanctify the covenant with G-D. As it is written in Mishlei aka Proverbs “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the L-RD” not such much fear as HE in his great mercy kept me alive for my Shabbos violation but out of love for my merciful CREATOR.
18 And He gave unto Moses, when He had made an end of speaking with him upon mount Sinai, the two tables of the testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.
32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him: 'Up, make us a god who shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.' 2 And Aaron said unto them: 'Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.'
Hur opposed the people and was murdered. Aaron might have died on a Kiddush HASHEM but he would have left complete anarchy before Moshe returned. He tried to stall them making the masses part with their silver and gold and rip away the jewels from their wives. But it did not help.
3 And all the people broke off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. 4 And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf; and they said: 'This is thy god, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.'
He was stalling and made a rough shape like that of a calf. Why a Calf for they saw “Ha Regel Egel” Yechezkel 1 of the DIVINE Throne by the splitting of the sea. So with the foot like a calf they demanded a calf. THEY SAID not Aaron ‘this is thy god’.
5 And when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said: 'To-morrow shall be a feast to the LORD.' 6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to make merry.
Made merry, a drunken festivity but unlike Purim, the strange worship also involved lusting according to may commaries.
7 And the LORD spoke unto Moses: 'Go, get thee down; for thy people, that thou brought up out of the land of Egypt, have dealt corruptly; 8 they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed unto it, and said: This is thy god, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.' 9 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people. 10 Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of thee a great nation.'
G-D wants to destroy the people. Moshe argues back to save them but does not realize the extent of the sin for when he does he loses it but that will be our continuation next week as I have spent too much time on the special Pesach that we are having this year. …
When Pesach falls Motzei Shabbos like this year.
I will bring down a number of ideas. Orach Chaim 444:1
There is a story in the Talmud that Hillel and Shammai forgot the way to carry a knife for slaughtering the Pascal Lamb on Shabbos. Hillel said, “Let us look what the common man does.” They saw that woven into the lamb’s back was a knife. Then two weavers came and gave witness that they had seen Shemaya and Avtallion rule like this.
The traditions surrounding Hillel's appointment to the office of Nasi deserve special attention. Tosefta Pes. 4:13 tells that on one occasion Passover fell on a Sabbath, and "they asked Hillel the Elder" if the offering of the paschal lamb overrode the Sabbath or not. According to the Tosefta, Hillel responded somewhat cryptically: "Is there only one paschal offering which overrides the Sabbath every year? Are there not more than three hundred "paschal offerings" each year which override the Sabbath?" We are then told that "all [those present in] the Temple courtyard descended upon him" (cf. Tosef. Ḥag. 2:11). Hillel apparently was referring to the daily sacrifice which regularly overrides the Sabbath. He then proceeded to present no fewer than four different legal justifications for his ruling. The first three justifications base the ruling in the case of the paschal offering on a legal precedent – the daily sacrifice.
Question: https://responsafortoday.com/en/erev-pesach-which-falls-on-shabbat/
Erev Pesach this year falls on Shabbat. How should one prepare for the holiday and what should one eat on Shabbat?
Response: This is a rather rare occurrence; it has happened only eleven times in the twentieth century. The main laws are as follows:
1) The fast of the firstborn: According to R. Yosef Caro, once the fast is pushed off, it is pushed off entirely. According to the Rema, the fast is moved up to the Thursday before Pesach, and this is the accepted Ashkenazic practice. Thus Ashkenazim should conduct a Siyum on Thursday, the 12th of Nissan, in order to enable the firstborn to eat. Many of us have finished Tractate Pesachim of Talmud Bavli with the Daf Yomi and will be conducting a Siyum check your local area for time and place. Both my Nephew, not a Bechor, and I, a Bechor, will be able to conduct one. My son traditional conducts one for the elderly in Rockville, MD.
2) The search for the Chametz: This ceremony is performed on Thursday evening and the Chametz is burned on Friday morning. Technically, it could be burned at any time on Friday since it is not Erev Pesach, but it is burned at the usual time at the end of the fifth hour (10:28 a.m. in Jerusalem) in order not to confuse people the following year. For next year, Erev Pesach is on a Friday.
3) The Shabbat meals: This is the main problem connected with Erev Pesach which falls on Shabbat. On the one hand, according to the Yerushalmi (Pesachim 10:1, fol. 37b) it is forbidden to eat matzah on Erev Pesach in order to eat it at the Seder with a hearty appetite. On the other hand, it is difficult to keep Challahs in the house on Shabbat when all of the remaining Chametz was already burned on Friday morning. Furthermore, it is forbidden to eat Chametz on Shabbat morning – which is Erev Pesach – after the fourth hour of the day (9:10 a.m. in Jerusalem). The solution could be small rolls.
Indeed, this situation is already mentioned in the Mishnah (Pesachim 3:6), Tosefta (ibid. 3:9, 11) and Bavli (ibid. 49a and parallels) but those sources are not entirely clear and, as a result, four solutions have developed over the years:
1) Rabbi Yitzhak ibn Giyyat (Spain, d. 1089) ignored the Yerushalmi mentioned above or was not familiar with it and ruled that one should eat matzah at all of the Shabbat meals. This custom seems to have disappeared befcause it contradicts the Yerushalmi.
2) The second approach is based on Pesachim 13a and parallels, which says that one leaves enough Chametz for two meals – one on Friday night and one on Shabbat morning before the fourth hour of the day, after which one recites “Kaul Hamira”* at the end of the fifth hour, as one does every year. This approach has been followed for hundreds of years, but it is quite inconvenient because one must eat in a corner away from the Pesach dishes and one must make sure no crumbs fall on the floor. Furthermore, one must wake up very early in the morning in order to pray and finish eating Chametz by 9:10 a.m. (in Jerusalem) and then discard the Chametz outside of the house. Rabbi Eliyahu Hazzan (d. 1908) and others have already criticized this method because of the problems of crumbs, sweeping the house, the prevention of Oneg Shabbat and the fear lest one eat Chametz after the permitted time. Therefore, it is preferable to look for another solution. Some people go where there is an Eruv and eat Chametz on a park bench and then return home. Rabbi Simcha HaCohain Kuk Shlita offered a solution for those living in Rehovot to eat and make the blessing after the meal wait about half an hour, eat again and make the blessing after the meal. One need not have great sized rolls small rolls are good enough. The main prayer is about Neitz (sunrise) followed by the Torah Reading and Mussaf. One can finish by 7 to 7:30 eat a meal with fish and then eat a small meal bread with or without meat. Finish and say grace all before 9:10 AM. The bread has to be dispersed in such a way that it is unfit for a dog to eat. It can be sprayed with an insecticide, put into turpentine or kerosene, or one of the above and flushed down the toilet or the crumbs flushed down the toilet as there may be a problem dispersing it in public areas if one did not eat there.
3) Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef has suggested a third approach – to use matzah, which has been recooked in soup. After the soup cools off, one removes it in whole pieces and dries it out. It can then be used for the second and third Shabbat meals while regular matzah can be used on Friday night because the prohibition in the Yerushalmi does not pertain to the night before Pesach. This method is halachically valid, but it is difficult to adopt for practical reasons because most Jews will not have the time or patience to follow this complicated procedure.
4) The fourth approach is the simplest and the preferred method – to use “Matzah Asherah” (egg matzah) at all three Shabbat meals since it is neither Chametz nor real matzah. It is already mentioned by the Maggid Mishneh (Spain, 14th century) and by Rabbi Yosef Caro. The latter only rejected it for practical reasons, since not everyone could bake egg matzah. R. Haim Palache relates that this was the practice in Izmir in the nineteenth century and it was followed by Rabbi Eliyahu Hazzan mentioned above and by Rabbi Joseph ben Walid. In the twentieth century, it was recommended by Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, by my grandfather Rabbi Mordechai Ya’akov Golinkin z”l, the Av Bet Din of Boston for many years, by my father Rabbi Noah Golinkin, by Rabbi Shlomo Goren, Rabbi Kassel Abelson and others. There is a problem with Egg or Wine Matzos in that a large Shiur has to be eaten as some authorities hold them to be Mezonos or cake like and therefore like a Pizza which we call Mezonos if one eats two slices he blesses grace “Al HaMichya” but three slices he does not say “Al HaMichya” he should say “Birchas Hamazon”. The Egg Matzah or Wine Matzah is also a special Heter for elderly with digestion and chewing problems. They are used in hotels for one can eat on a park bench with a few children but not a Dan Panorama by the Dead Sea. Right now there is no permission for centralized Sederim and Eating in Israel and that is a problem. There is a halachic difficulty attendant upon using egg matzos as the two loaves of bread required for the meals on Shabbat: According to many rabbis, egg matzo cannot technically be classified as "bread" requiring washing the hands, reciting the blessing Hamotzei, and followed by Bircat Hamazon, since unlike real matzo, it is made with eggs and/or juice instead of just plain water with the flour. Nevertheless, even if egg matzo is not "bread" within the definition of the term, it can still take the place of bread at a meal, provided that it is used instead of breach and that a sufficient amount is consumed. This is the rule any time cake, crackers, or any baked goods are eaten in sufficient quantity to qualify as a meal.
How much egg matzo is required so that it can substitute for real bread? Here, there is a difference of opinion among the Poskim: ( a) Some say that "one who eats a volume of cake equal to four (or three) eggs...must treat the cake as bread." (b) There are those who "conclude that the amount of one meal equals somewhat more than the volume of twenty-one eggs," and only someone who eats this equivalent of cake should recite Hamotzei. (c) Most poskim, however, reject both these opinions, one as being too meager, the other as being far too large. In their opinion, cake or egg matzo "is measured in terms of the quantity that is generally eaten during the course of a full mea1." This is the opinion of Rav Moshe Feinstein and most other poskim. http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/english/journal/erev-2.htm
As for the third Shabbat meal (Seudah Shlishit), it is possible to be stringent like the Rema and eat only fruit, meat and fish. But it is also possible to eat egg matzah all day long following the custom of Rabbaynu Tam, Rabbi Yosef Caro and Rabbi Yechezkel Landau. If one does not have time for two bread meals with a break, it is best then to have the 3rd ‘meal’ on either two glasses of wine but since we are about to drink four for the Seder one would probably prefer pure grape juice or better still a meal on one or more of the following fruits olives, dates, raisins or grapes, figs or pomegranates. Then sing “Mizmor LeDavid” aka the 23rd Psalm three times and “Al HaEtz”
In conclusion, in our day the fourth custom is preferable. One should search for the Chametz on Thursday night, burn the Chametz and recite “Kol Hamira” on Friday morning and eat egg matzah on Pesach dishes at all three Shabbat meals.
Rabbi David Golinkin
Approved Unanimously Those who follow this will be blessed but Ashkenazim that follow the stricter opinion should try to continue unless they are in a large group such as a hotel.
The following I took from this source: http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/english/journal/erev-2.htm
Rabbi Alfred Cohen
Rabbi, Cong. Ohaiv Yisroel of Blueberry Hill, Monsey, N.Y.
Journal of Halacha & Contemporary Society, Fall 1993
There is a halachic difficulty attendant upon using egg matzos as the two loaves of bread required for the meals on Shabbat: According to many rabbis, egg matzo cannot technically be classified as "bread" requiring washing the hands, reciting the blessing Hamotzei, and followed by Bircat Hamazon, since unlike real matzo, it is made with eggs and/or juice instead of just plain water with the flour. Nevertheless, even if egg matzo is not "bread" within the definition of the term, it can still take the place of bread at a meal, provided that it is used instead of breach and that a sufficient amount is consumed. This is the rule any time cake, crackers, or any baked goods are eaten in sufficient quantity to qualify as a meal.
Some of these practices are minor, but others involve severe biblical infractions. Rav Ovadia Yosef records that what to do on this Shabbat has long been a problem; an earlier rabbi of Alexandria, Egypt, had already bemoaned the mistakes arising out of ignorance, when
... Erev Pesach fell on the Sabbath, and how much anguish I have in my heart at the prohibitions and errors that occurred on this Sabbath due to the eating of Chametz, because they were unable to be careful properly concerning crumbs of Chametz and cleaning the house and the like, aside from the lack of Sabbath joy, inasmuch as they had to eat between the oven and the stove; furthermore, many were late in reciting the prayers on Shabbat, and it is possible that they ate after the time when it is prohibited.
There are those who advise being scrupulous to rinse out the mouth very well, so that no Chametz remains. What about false teeth? Rav Ovadia Yosef sees little reason to do anything special with the teeth: since the food that one eats is not hot enough to be a problem halachically I (otherwise he wouldn't be able to take it into his mouth) and since the teeth are not porous, little more than cleaning I them well is required. In an aside, he wryly mentions an individual who was unwilling to accept this lenient ruling and proceeded to deposit his false teeth in boiling water to "kasher" them - cracking them, and making it impossible for him to eat all Pesach! However, Chuk Le Yisrael does take a stricter view of the matter.
Using Matzo
One way to avoid all the problems attendant upon using Chametz at the meal is simply to use matzo for Lechem Mishneh. But the Jerusalem Talmud denigrates a person who eats matzo on the day before Pesach "as if he had relations with his fiancée in his father-in-law's house." Does that mean that it is forbidden to eat matzo during the entire day? What is the law? Actually, there are three opinions as to when the prohibition of eating matzo begins:
(A) From Six Hours and On. This time limit coincides with the time when eating of Chametz is forbidden on Erev Pesach. In effect, whenever I may not eat Chametz I may also not eat matzo. If we accept this understanding of the rule, it would be permitted to use matzo at the Friday night meal and also for the meal (or meals) very early on the morning of the Sabbath, but not for a meal later in the day. One should not use Seder Matzos if possible unless he eats only the Shmurah Matzos aka hand or 18 minute special guarded Matzos.
(B) The Entire Day. This view holds that for the entire 24-hour period before Pesach, eating matzo is precluded. In this case, we could not use matzo at any of the Sabbath meals before Pesach. The Magen Avraham considers this to be the proper view.
(C) During the Day Only. Although one could use matzo on Friday night, it would not be permissible any time during the daylight hours. Many accept this as the proper rule to follow.
In point of fact, R. Moshe Feinstein forbids eating matzo during the day of Erev Pesach and discourages its use even for the Friday night meal preceding. However, he cautions that one should not reprimand someone who does employ the matzo option on Friday evening. Furthermore, if there is cause for concern that by using Chametz on Friday night and Shabbat morning it will raise serious difficulty in removing all the Chametz properly before Pesach (in a hospital, for example), one may certainly use egg matzo throughout the day of Erev Pesach and recite all the usual blessings thereon. When my wife was just before giving birth to our oldest, I spoon fed her rice in the Ashkelon Hospital as the majority of the population of Ashdod and Ashkelon were and still are Sephardim and a woman giving birth is considered in danger. Just as Rav Diskin did in Poland during an outbreak of disease and ate whole rice publically before the Congregation.
In addition to these strictly halachic criteria, there are also certain customs which are observed by many: some people stop eating matzo from the beginning of the month of Nissan, while others stop after Purim. However, no custom can ever be instituted which would have the effect of barring performance of a mitzvah. Therefore, if there were no other way for them to carry out the requirement to have three meals with Lechem Mishneh on this Shabbat, these persons, too, could use matzo.
Which Matzo Is Forbidden
Considering the opposition of Chazal to eating matzo before the proper time, it becomes essential to define precisely what qualifies as "matzo" under the rubric of halacha. ln the context of the rabbinic dictum, it is clear that only that product which is worthy to be eaten at the Seder is included in the category of matzo which may not be eaten on the day preceding Pesach. The only matzo which can be used at the Seder to fulfill the mitzvah of matzo is "a poor man's bread" - flat bread which is made from a mixture of flour and water only. If juice or eggs are added to or substituted for the water in the mix, it is called "matzo ashira" (egg matzo), and is not suitable for the Seder. Similarly, plain matzo which has subsequently been cooked or fried does not qualify for the mitzvah of "matzo" at the Seder. Thus, all these, which are technically not "matzo" according to the halacha, are exempt from the stricture against eating matzo on Erev Pesach. Accordingly, egg matzoth could be used for Lechem Mishneh, the two breads at the Sabbath meals.
There is a halachic difficulty attendant upon using egg matzos as the two loaves of bread required for the meals on Shabbat: According to many rabbis, egg matzoth cannot technically be classified as "bread" requiring washing the hands, reciting the blessing Hamotzei, and followed by Bircat Hamazon, since unlike real matzo, it is made with eggs and/or juice instead of just plain water with the flour. Nevertheless, even if egg matzo is not "bread" within the definition of the term, it can still take the place of bread at a meal, provided that it is used instead of breach and that a sufficient amount is consumed. This is the rule any time cake, crackers, or any baked goods are eaten in sufficient quantity to qualify as a meal.
How much egg matzo is required so that it can substitute for real bread? Here, there is a difference of opinion among the poskim: (a) Some say that "one who eats a volume of cake equal to four (or three) eggs...must treat the cake as bread." (b) There are those who "conclude that the amount of one meal equals somewhat more than the volume of twenty-one eggs," and only someone who eats this equivalent of cake should recite Hamotzei. (c) Most poskim, however, reject both these opinions, one as being too meager, the other as being far too large. In their opinion, cake or egg matzo "is measured in terms of the quantity that is generally eaten during the course of a full mea1." This is the opinion of Rav Moshe Feinstein and most other poskim.
According to some authorities, another type of matzo which might be considered permitted for use on Erev Pesach is matzo which is not matzo Shmurah. The reasoning here is that since at the Seder we must use matzoh shmura, any other type of matzoh is disqualified and consequently could not have been intended by the rabbis castigating those who eat matzo on Erev Pesach.
In summation, Rav Ovadia Yosef, whose decisions are generally accepted by Sephardic Jews, rules that
...it is proper to destroy the Chametz before Shabbat...and to use for Shabbat only utensils that are fit for Pesach...and on Shabbat to use only food and utensils reserved for Pesach, and one should fulfill the precept of meals for Shabbat with matzo which is cooked in chicken or meat soup, in the following manner: after the food is wholly cooked, let him remove it from the fire, and while the food in the pot is still extremely hot, let him put into the pot several pieces of matzo, as much as he needs, in such a way that the matzo thoroughly soaks up the flavor of the food, and then he can use this to fulfill the mitzvah of three meals.
He prefers the use of re-cooked or fried matzo to egg matzo, since the halacha is not clear as to how much egg matzo must be eaten for the blessing Hamotzei and for Grace after Meals.
However, if one decides to adopt the option of using egg matzo as the "bread" at the three meals on the Shabbat, which is an option permitted or even suggested by some, it is evident that this would solve the problem for all three meals; furthermore, it would not be necessary to get up early to daven so as to eat Chametz before the time when it is no longer permitted.
Seudah Shlishit
Till now, we have discussed the ways in which it is possible to meet the requirement to eat the first two meals on Shabbat the one on Friday night and the one on Shabbat morning. As for the third meal, that has its own unique questions.
Mishna Berurah raises the option of dividing the early morning meal (before the tenth hour) into two, by making a blessing on two challahs of bread, eating, reciting Grace, then washing again, eating from another two challahs, and reciting Grace again. This solution, although ingenious, may not be halachically feasible, first of all, the third meal of Shabbat should really be eaten after Mincha. Secondly, it is questionable whether it is permitted to break up what is essentially one meal by reciting Bircat Hamazon and then immediately washing and making another blessing on bread. This may be a case of Bracha she-aina tzericha, reciting blessings for no reason, which is quite a serious matter. There would have to be an interval between the end of one meal and the beginning of the next. Considering that we are very pressed for time so early on the morning of Erev Pesach, leaving a sufficient interval between these two early meals may be problematic. Thirdly, it may be possible to dispense with bread altogether and fulfill the requirements of the third meal by eating something else:
[The third meal] has to be eaten with "bread", but there are those who say that one can make the meal with those things which accompany bread, such as meat or fish, but not with fruit. And there are those who say that one can make [the meal] out of fruit. But the first opinion is the major one, i.e., that one should make a meal with bread unless he is too full, or in a situation where it is impossible for him to eat bread, such as on Erev Pesach which comes out on Shabbat, when it is forbidden for him to eat bread after Mincha.
The Mishnah Berurah, Orach Chaim, maintains that it is preferable to eat one meal that really satisfies the hunger, and is a true meal, rather then breaking up the meal into two. However, other authorities, including the Vilna Gaon, advise that the early morning meal should be interrupted and followed by another meal.
It is the decision of the Shulchan Aruch that for the third meal, one should use egg matzos for the two loaves. But the Ramo does not permit this choice for Ashkenazi Jews, opting instead for a meal without bread of any type:
In our [Ashkenazi] countries, where it is our custom not to eat matzo ashira... one should fulfill [the obligation to have] a third meal with various types of fruit or with meat and fish.
This ruling by the Rama is the source of considerable discussion among the rabbis. Here he categorically rejects the option of using egg matzo, yet, when the Shulchan Aruch, as quoted above, suggests that on Erev Pesach which falls on Shabbat, it might be a good idea to use egg matzo - the Rama makes no demurrer! In the face of conflicting directives by this major Posek, many authorities conclude that the Rama means to be strict about egg matzo only for Pesach itself, and not on Erev Pesach.
It is custom to recite the Torah portion dealing with the Paschal sacrifice at the conclusion of this third meal.
Seder: The table should not be set in the house until after nightfall.
According to the Vilna Gaon, horseradish should always be grated immediately before the Seder so that it will be sharp. Others say it should be grated before Shabbat and stored in a sealed jar to maintain the sharpness as much as possible. If you forgot to prepare horseradish before Shabbat and would need to grate on Yom Tov, the grating should preferably be done with a Shinui (deviation, such as grating on a paper towel or turning the grater upside down). Romaine lettuce that requires checking for infestation should be checked before Shabbat, since it is a process that shouldn’t be rushed. It is important to drain and/or dry the lettuce very well, since water might accumulate in the storage container, and any parts of the lettuce that soaks in water for more than twenty-four hours may not be used for Marror.
If saltwater was not prepared in advance, it can be made on Yom Tov, though some recommend using a Shinui by putting the water in the vessel before the salt. If Charoses needs to be prepared before the Seder, the fruit may be grated on Yom Tov, but the nuts should be prepared with a Shinui such as crushing in a bag. No deviation is needed when adding the wine. https://oukosher.org/passover/articles/erev-pesach-on-shabbat-3/
From Rabbi Yimiyohu Kagenoff. https://www.yeshiva.co/midrash/7429
Melacha on Erev Shabbos.
Although it is prohibited to do Melacha on Erev Pesach afternoon, one may do
melacha Friday this year which is not Erev Pesach.
Viduy Maasros.
Because this year is Shmita, anyone who owns Terumos or Maasros must give it
away today, and Maaser Sheni money must be destroyed.
Eruvei Chatzeiros. The Minchag is to renew an eruv Chatzeiros on Erev Pesach.
This year it should be renewed on Erev Shabbos.
Seder
preparations.
Ideally, all the Seder preparations should be performed on Friday, including
roasting the Zeroa and the egg, preparing the saltwater, making the Charoses,
checking and washing the Marror, grinding the horseradish. Make sure to open
the boxes of Matzahs and bottles of wine as one would before Shabbos.
Shabbos Food Preparations.
If preparing chometz-dik food, do not make sticky chometz-dik food that will
stick to pots or plates. (Presumably, most people will prepare Pesach-dik food
for all meals.)
Shabbos Candles.
Be careful not to place the Shabbos candelabra on a tablecloth that one is
serving Chametz since one will be unable to remove the Neiros (Nairos = Candles)
for Shabbos and/or Yom Tov such as a 48 hour candle). in order to remove the
cloth.
Planning three meals.
Friday night meal.
One should kindle the Shabbos lights near where one intends to eat the Friday
night meal. My son lights the candles on a table next to the dining room table
and can be seen by most of thWe people dining unless one has his back to the
candle table.
One is required to recite Hamotzei at the first two Shabbos meals using Lechem Mishneh.
One may use a matzah for Lechem Mishneh, but many poskim consider the matzah
that one intends to use for the Seder as Muktzeh. We have
discussed this above but each Rabbi has his own way of presenting so I let the
repeat explanation in the words of the Rav here.
If one wants to eat Chametz in one part of the house and the meal in another,
one may, since his intent when washing and making Hamotzei is to eat his Seudah
this way. He should return to the original place for benching (grace after the
meal). Each person should eat at least one Ki Beitzah (like an egg size) of
bread to fulfill the Bracha. (Since one may not weigh on Shabbos, one who
decides to weigh his Chametz should do so before Shabbos.) With the
exception that Pillsbury rolls are Milchig, those very small rolls and
approximately the size. A normal Israeli roll is approximately the size of
three eggs so take that into consideration.
If eating Matzo Ashirah (egg or grape matzo, or Matzo cookies) for the Seudah, Ashkenazim
should eat as much Matzo Ashirah as one would eat with this type of a meal
(i.e., certainly more than a Ki Beitzah). Sephardim should eat four Ki Beitzim
of the Matzo Ashirah. (Note that someone who has the
custom not to eat Matzo after Purim or Rosh Chodesh may still eat Matzo Ashirah.)
I want to comment on the Israeli Sephardic wine Matzos
that look like pin wheels they are not fluffy like the Pillsbury roll that I
mentioned above. They are very concentrated cookies. Something like a third to
a half is equal to or greater than an Egg. The square ones with the hole in the
middle is more like the size of an egg as it is concentrated you might one to
eat one plus a side to meet the minimum size. However, there was an authority
above that implied that two egg sizes were needed for the full grace after the
meals such as I gave you with the third slice of Pizza vs. the first two.
According to most poskim, one may eat regular Matzoth for the Friday evening
meal. Thus, this is an option for someone who does not want Chametz in the
house and cannot eat the amount of matzah Ashirah mentioned above.
If one is serving a hot meal on Chametz plates that was cooked in a Pesach-dik
pot, one should pour the hot food into a Pesach plate or platter before pouring
it into Chametz plates. (Presumably, most people will be serving the meals on
disposable.) Generally, one uses Passover Plates or if disposable only
Passover cooked or non-cooked food. The reason being that the local garbage can
is partially owned even if it comes from the city by the householder. Thus the
Chametz in the garbage theoretically is Hefker but practically in one’s
property. BE CAREFUL. For this reason if one sprays a disposable plate that
held crumbs with ‘insect killer spray’ it renders the Chametz unfit for a dog
to eat.
Shabbos Morning.
Daven early. One is required to eat one meal in the morning. There is a Chidur
(an extra-ordinary way) to eat two meals on the morning of Erev Pesach,
separated briefly. (According to many poskim, one cannot do this if one eats
only Matzah Ashirah for the day meals.)
For those who wish to eat two meals in the morning, I suggest:
Immediately after davening, make Kiddush, Hamotzei, eat a piece of fish, and
bensch (say grace).
Take a break and begin the next Seudah with enough time to finish eating the
main course (at least) before the latest time to eat Chametz. Some poskim
prefer eating the meat also with the first morning meal before breaking. One
who follows this approach should not eat so much that he cannot eat the next
meal.
Bitul Chametz.
When one has completed the eating of the Chametz, recite the second Bitul Chametz.
Dispose of the remaining Chametz into the toilet or garbage (if it is within
the eruv), but do not place inside your own garbage can. One may continue
eating the meal without new Berachos, notwithstanding that he may no longer eat
Chametz. In Eretz Yisrael, one cannot dispose of the garbage in
the garbage cans of your city if you have an Eruv or the city of Ashdod,
Modiin, Yerushalayim, etc. to follow the removing of Chametz. While the city of
New York, London, Shanghai, Tokyo, etc. are not.
Shabbos afternoon
Since most people follow the opinion of davening Mincha before Seudah Shlishis,
one should daven Mincha early. (Mincha Gedolah)
Seudah Shlishis
In the early afternoon, one may serve a heavy Pesach-dik meal (meat, potatoes,
fruits, vegetables, etc.) without any Hamotzei at all. It is recommended to eat
Kneidlich (Matzo Balls) at this meal if you eat "Gebokts." There is a custom mostly from eastern Europe not to eat Matzo
mixed with water as perhaps the Matzo was not fully baked. This was when all
Matzo were basically home and handmade not under strict quality control and rabbinical supervision as today.
It is a Chumra D’ Alma or unnecessary in the world of today but those who held
by it continue to hold by it. For this reason, we see Chassidim dressed on
Shabbos as noble men of Romania, Hungary or Poland of the late 1700’s of their
dating system. It is why many Dayanim dress like they are wearing an Avraham
Lincoln suit. It is permitted to eat Kneidlich even if you have a Minchag not
to eat matzah from Purim or from Rosh Chodesh. Sephardim may serve Matzah Ashirah
at Seudah Shlishis. If one is going to be serving
Kneidelach in a Pesach disposable plate and put the cooking pot away, I see no
reason for even the non-Gebokts people from eating it prior to Pesach as it is
a Mincha and not even on the level of Mitzvah D’ Rabbanan.
If one eats Kneidlich or Matzo Ashirah for Seudah Shlishis, one should complete
eating Seudah Shlishis before the "tenth hour," which is a half hour
before "Mincha Ketana," or three quarters of the day. Some
authorities contend that even those who eat only fruit and vegetables this
Shabbos for Seudah Shlishis should eat before the tenth hour. One may eat a
small quantity of fruit or vegetables after this point. As I mentioned the species of fruit of Eretz Yisrael.
It is advisable to take a nap Shabbos afternoon, but one should not mention
that he is taking a nap in order to be awake for the Seder. (Some poskim
consider this preparing on Shabbos for after Shabbos.)
Most poskim contend that one should not carry one’s Seder matzos before Shabbos
is over. Since many people take their own matzah to the Seder if they are
eating at someone else’s house, one should not carry these matzos until Shabbos
is over. Also remember not to begin preparations for the Seder until Shabbos is
over and one says "Baruch HaMavdil Bein Kodesh le Kodesh."
Chag Kosher vi-Samayach!!
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A healthy, happy and restful Shabbos,
Rachamim Pauli
