By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times

As we all know, this year the first day of Pesach falls on Shabbos. On account of this, it is one of those years where we face a bit of a halachic-logistical quandary. The quandary exists only in Chutz la’Aretz, not in Eretz Yisroel. Here is the issue.

THE PROBLEM

On the one hand, even though the first day of Pesach falls on Shabbos this year, we still eat the Shalosh Seudos meal. Eating this third meal on Shabbos is, in fact, an obligation (See SA OC 290). It is one that is incumbent upon women too. The Gemorah (Shabbos 117b) derives the obligation based upon the idea that the word “HaYom” appears three times, when discussing the Manna.
On the other hand, there is another halacha that is applicable this year as well. It is forbidden to eat on Erev Pesach during the time that is called “samuch l’mincha” – which is after the tenth daylight hour (See Shulchan Aruch OC 471:1). The reason for this halacha is so that we will eat the Matzah with a hearty appetite. In the New York area, this means that on Shabbos we have to bentch by 5:26 PM.

IS PESACH DIFFERENT THAN ANOTHER YOM TOV?

It should be noted that in 668:5 the Mishna Brurah explains that the word “forbidden” is not accurate – rather the intent is that there is a Mitzvah to refrain from establishing a set meal as in Shulchan Aruch 249:2. Regarding Pesach, however, he (MB 471:16) writes that it is forbidden.

Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l addresses the issue in Igros Moshe III #68 and writes that the distinction lies in Matzah – in other words regarding Matzah it is more than a Mitzvah, but a prohibition. The problem is that the Mishna Brurah in 471:16 extends it to all other second day Yom Tovs. Rav Feinstein provides an explanation for the contradiction.

The problem is more often discussed when Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, but it is also a problem when Pesach itself falls on Shabbos.

SOLUTIONS

So what some people do is they daven Mincha earlier than they usually do and make sure to bentch by this time.

Others daven earlier than they usually do and split up the morning meal. One possible problem with this approach is that if they are splitting the meal before Chatzos (12:53 this year in new York), there are opinions that hold that one has not fulfilled the obligation of Shalosh Seudos if it is eaten before Chatzos (See MB 454:8). Thus one should eat some sort of Pesachdika Mezonos after Chatzos as well.

When they do split up the meal they either daven Mincha (if it is possible to do so) or take a walk. It is important, even when splitting the meal to have fish and meat at meal number two and either fish or meat at meal number three.

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