Parshas Vayikrah 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Apr 3
- 2 min read
Tips for Pesach Preparations (6)
Special Circumstances Next Shabbos. This year, 5785, Erev Pesach coincides with Shabbos Parshas Tzav. The following is a list of suggestions for this unique time-period:
1) Next Friday, the day before Erev Pesach, one should open all bottles, boxes, containers, etc. that the household will need for the three days of Shabbos and Yom Tov. It is not a real Erev Pesach so one can take a haircut and cut nails the whole day.
2) Before Shabbos, one should select all the full and broken matzos that he will need for the Seder in order to save time on the Seder night and be able to start promptly. This is important so the children should not get tired, etc.
3) If one is eating the Shabbos meals at a different table other than the Seder table, he should prepare the actual Seder table with cushions for Haseiba before Shabbos.
4) Before Shabbos, calculate carefully how much challah will be needed for the Shabbos meals and dispose of the rest. If someone miscalculated and on Shabbos finds himself with too much challah there are a few options. One can break it into small pieces or crumbs [there is no prohibition of Tochen - grinding - on bread made from grain that has already been ground] and flush it away. One should consult his Rav if the local way of selling Chometz would permit him to just put the challah away with the chometz that was sold to the gentile. One could also put it into a public garbage can if available.
5) On Shabbos, it is better to break the challah by hand than cut it with a regular challah knife because it leaves less crumbs.
6) After finishing with all the Chometz, all the men and ladies should say the Bitul Chometz in a language they understand. If they don’t understand each word but they know that they are anulling the Chometz and making it ownerless, it is valid.
7) Even if one split up his morning bread meal into two to fulfill Shalosh Seudos [according to a minority opinion], one should still eat again after the time for Mincha arrives, to fulfill the mitzvah according to more opinions. Meat, fish, or at least fruit and vegetables, is fine. Just as one should preferably eat a bit more than an egg volume or at least half-an-egg volume by regular bread Shabbos meals, the same would be true when eating these foods. Shehakol cakes are like fruit and vegetables for this seuda shlishis.
8) When Shabbos is over and the men are still in shul, ladies can say "ברוך המבדיל בין קודש לקודש" and start Yom Tov preparations.
9) The first of the four cups of wine at the Seder is not only used for Kiddush like we do all other years; it is also used for Havdalah and the YAKNEHAZ Kiddush - Havdalah is recited.