Siman 249

We say in Sukkah (44b) that a person should not walk on Erev Shabbat more than three parsaot, so that he will arrive while the day is yet long, so that it will be possible to prepare for him the needs of Shabbat, whether he is going to his home or whether he is going to the home of others. For if he arrives before nightfall and in his home they did not prepare for him—he will become angry and he or they will not have what to eat in honor of Shabbat. And so too in the home of others, either he will not have what to eat, or if they give their portion, they will not have. And there is another concern, for they will certainly want to prepare for him, whether in his home or in the home of others, and they will be delayed and cook at nightfall. And it is obvious that if he informed his household that he would arrive, or informed the home of others by way of a letter or by way of a person that he would arrive for Shabbat—it is permitted to go further, for they will prepare for him. And so too if he travels to a permanent inn where it is known that they prepare for guests who will arrive before nightfall—it is also permitted, for their eyes watch for guests to arrive as is the custom.

However, this is all when he is in a settled area after he has traveled the three parsaot. But if it is not a secure settled area—behold, he is compelled to go further. And likewise, specifically if he is in a settled area where he is able to prepare for the needs of Shabbat. But when even there he is unable to prepare the needs of Shabbat—is it not better for him to come to his home or to the home of others, for behold, even here he does not have the needs of Shabbat. And if it is because they will prepare in his home upon his arrival and desecrate Shabbat—behold, he will not allow them; since even here he has nothing, it is better for him to be in his home or in the home of his acquaintance. And likewise, if he prepares the needs of Shabbat here and takes them with him and brings them to his home or to the home of others—it is also permitted, for go after the reasoning.

The great authorities wrote that all this applies to one who travels on foot. However, when one sits in a wagon or rides on a horse or a donkey—he may travel more than three parsaot (Bach and Magen Avraham, and see Taz), for with them the travel is faster than traveling on foot, and therefore it is not the custom now to be careful in this. Nevertheless, he should be careful to arrive while the day is yet great, so as not to come to a desecration of Shabbat, and all the more so regarding travel on the railroad, he must calculate the account well, for even when it stops and he arrives at his place—he is required to travel in a wagon to reach his home. Therefore, if it appears to him that the arrival of the railroad is close to sunset—he should be careful to observe Shabbat in the previous location. Generally, the Satan prosecutes on the eve of Shabbat, and therefore he should see to be very careful in this and his reward will be doubled from Heaven, and he will be among those who sanctify the holy Shabbat and not among its desecrators, Heaven forbid.

The Rambam wrote in chapter 30, law 4: "It is forbidden to establish a feast and banquet on Erev Shabbat out of honor for the Shabbat, but it is permitted to eat and drink until it grows dark. Nevertheless, out of honor for the Shabbat—a person should refrain from the Mincha onwards from establishing a feast, so that he enters the Shabbat while he desires to eat." Thus far his words. And the Maggid Mishneh explained that his intention is as follows: that a feast and banquet that he does not usually conduct on weekdays is forbidden the entire day, even from the morning, and this is what they said in Gittin (38b): that there was a family in Jerusalem that established a feast on Erev Shabbat and was uprooted. However, to eat and drink without establishing a feast is permitted until night. And even establishing a feast that he is accustomed to on weekdays is also permitted according to the law, for so we maintain at the beginning of Arvei Pesachim (Pesachim 99b); rather, it is out of honor for the Shabbat to refrain from establishing a feast, even what is customary on weekdays, from the Mincha onwards, which is from nine hours onwards, which is three-quarters of the day. And there is one who explained in his words that in the first clause it deals with a feast and banquet, meaning drinking, for in this it is forbidden the entire day lest he become intoxicated and drink much and the Shabbat meal be nullified. And in the latter clause it deals with establishing a feast without a banquet. (Taz, subsection 1) And there is no difference between the explanations, for even according to the first explanation it is so, meaning a feast that he is not accustomed to on weekdays, which is a feast of banquet with an abundance of eating and drinking. (And I do not know the lengthiness of the Taz and what he innovated over the explanation of the Maggid Mishneh, see there).

This is the wording of the Tur: "One may not establish a meal on Erev Shabbat out of respect for the Shabbat, but it is permitted to eat until it grows dark. Nevertheless, it is forbidden to establish a meal therein, so that one enters Shabbat while he is desirous to eat." Thus far his words. For he holds that that which we maintain regarding Erev Pesachim—that one may continue eating until it grows dark—this is without establishing a meal, but establishing a meal is forbidden the entire day. And certainly his intention is also not to refrain from eating any meal, even a small one, the entire day, for this is not a logical position at all; rather, his intention is for a large meal that he is not accustomed to, and so our teacher, the Beit Yosef, explained his words in his great work, even though the surface level of his wording implies that he forbids every type of meal—but it is necessary to explain it thus. (It is also possible to explain that he forbids any establishing of a meal—only to eat in a temporary manner, and as proof for this from that which he wrote afterward, that it is the way of men of deed to fast the entire day, see there; however, it is difficult to say so, and also regarding Erev Pesachim it does not imply so, see there).

The essence of the hiddur of the mitzvah and the honor of the Shabbat is that one should eat the Shabbat meal with an appetite, such that he is almost hungry. We find in the Yerushalmi, chapter 2 of Taanit (halacha 12): "Rabbi Avun would fast every Erev Shabbat," for he was an istanis and would eat only once a day, and if he were to taste anything on Erev Shabbat, he would not eat at night with an appetite; therefore, he fasted. It is proper for every God-fearing person that during the winter days, when the days are short, he should not eat any meal on Erev Shabbat, only mere tastings. Also, during the summer days, he should eat a small meal in the morning, and according to the Ra'avad, it is forbidden to establish a meal after midday (according to the version of the Maggid Mishneh there). The general rule of the matter is: the wise man's eyes are in his head, and the honor of Shabbat is very, very great.

A seudat mitzvah whose time is fixed for erev Shabbat, such as Purim that falls on erev Shabbat or a brit milah even not in its proper time—since they are able to circumcise him today, one violates a positive commandment if he does not circumcise the child today—and similarly a pidyon haben whose time is today, for if it was deferred from its proper time, could he not defer it until Sunday? And similarly a Yom Tov that falls on erev Shabbat, even a second day of Yom Tov—it is permitted to establish even a large meal for them. And if the concern is that he will not eat at night with an appetite—one who is occupied with a mitzvah is exempt from a mitzvah; and similarly a bar mitzvah meal whose time is today. Nevertheless, they should see to it that they begin before midday, or at the very least before the tenth hour. However, if they did not begin earlier, they may begin even after the tenth hour, since it is a mitzvah in its proper time. And there are those who restrain themselves even from a seudat mitzvah if there is a minyan belonging to the meal without them. And the Shelah, of blessed memory, wrote concerning his teacher who was a sandak and did not wish to go to the meal, since there was a minyan without him. (Magen Avraham, subsection 6) And also those sitting at the meal—it is proper that they should not fill their bellies, and they should leave room for the honor of Shabbat. (See Taz, letter 2) And a seudat havra'ah—one may eat on erev Shabbat, for this too is a mitzvah. (ibid.) And Chol HaMoed and Rosh Chodesh—it seems to me that they are like a weekday regarding Shabbat. And know, that on Hoshana Rabbah, where they are accustomed to eat a large meal like on Yom Tov when it falls on erev Shabbat—I do not see a permission for this; even on weekdays I do not know the basis for this, for behold at night it is Yom Tov, and Yom Tov's law is like Shabbat regarding this matter, and all the laws we wrote regarding the meal of erev Shabbat—the same law applies also to erev Yom Tov. However, the world considers Hoshana Rabbah like a Yom Tov, and it requires further study. (And below in siman 664, Hoshana Rabbah was mentioned only for the increase of prayers, and not for a Yom Tov meal; see there).

Our teacher, the Beit Yosef, wrote in section 2: "It is forbidden to establish a meal or a feast on Erev Shabbat that one is not accustomed to on weekdays, even if it is an erusin meal, etc." Thus far his words. And the same law applies to a nesuin meal (Bach). And there is one who says that this applies when the erusin or nesuin did not take place today. But if it took place today—it is certainly a seudat mitzvah, as was written in siman 444 (Magen Avraham, subsection 3). However, the wording of our teacher, the Beit Yosef, does not appear so. And it appears, in my humble opinion, that he therefore did not write nesuin, for certainly a nesuin meal is a mitzvah caused by the time, as one must say the Sheva Brachot. Therefore, if he married on Erev Shabbat in the morning—one should make the meal. But an erusin meal, even though it is also a seudat mitzvah—nevertheless, it is not an obligation of the day, as it is not the completion of the mitzvah and there is no blessing during the meal, and they can leave it for Sunday. However, if it is not possible to leave it for Sunday, such as if the groom or the bride are traveling to another place—they may make the meal today, and it is in such a case that siman 444 deals (and so wrote the Eliyah Rabbah, subsection 4).

The Tur and the Shulchan Aruch wrote in section 3: "It is the way of men of deed to fast every Erev Shabbat." Thus far their words. And this is only for an istanis, for if he eats during the day he will not eat at night. But otherwise—one should not fast on Erev Shabbat, so that he does not enter Shabbat while he is suffering, (Magen Avraham, subsection 7) and it is better that he taste something while it is still day, and it depends on the natures and the length of the day, as I wrote in section 6. And also that which they wrote to fast—it is only for a person who eats after the fast with good taste and desires to eat. But there are those who are weakened by the fast, and it is not in their power to eat at all—these are forbidden to fast, (Taz, end of subsection 3) and everything is according to what kind of person he is.

It is established for us at the end of the third chapter of Eruvin: "The halacha is—one fasts and completes it." That is to say, it is not only necessary regarding an obligatory fast, such as the tenth of Tevet that falls on Erev Shabbat, but even a voluntary fast, such as one who accepted upon himself to fast on Erev Shabbat—he must fast until the emergence of the stars, unless he specified at the time of the acceptance of the fast "until the congregation completes their prayer," according to their custom where they would pray the Maariv of Shabbat while the day was yet large, as I wrote in siman 242, see there; and it is proper to act and specify thus. (See Taz subsection 2, and his words require further study, and examine closely). And some say that even if he did not explicitly specify thus but rather accepted it without qualification—he is permitted to eat after the congregation has completed their prayer, for this is called "completion" when he fasts until after the acceptance of Shabbat; but on a weekday—it is not called "completion" until the emergence of the stars, and therefore in an individual fast he should not complete it except until after the prayer. Nevertheless, it is good to specify thus at the time of the acceptance of the fast, since the first opinion does not hold thus. But in a communal fast—this is not applicable, and one fasts until the emergence of the stars, and such is the custom. And likewise in a fast for a dream—one must fast until the emergence of the stars, for this is like an obligatory fast.

And in all the fasts that one has accustomed himself to fast, such as on Erev Rosh Chodesh and the Ten Days of Repentance, and likewise that which is below in siman 579 or a yahrzeit fast, if he completed it the first time until the emergence of the stars—he must conduct himself so forever. And even if the first time occurred on a weekday and he completed it—he completes it afterwards even when it occurs on Erev Shabbat. And there is one who says that it does not depend on a weekday, but only on Erev Shabbat; when the yahrzeit occurred once and he completed it—then he must always complete it, but that which he completed on a weekday—it is not obligatory upon Erev Shabbat, and one who is lenient not to complete it on Erev Shabbat has lost nothing. (Taz subsection 3) And this is specifically when he intended the first time that he would conduct himself so forever. But if he intended not for the sake of a neder—it is not obligatory at all even when it occurs on a weekday, and we have already explained this in Yoreh Deah at the end of siman 402, see there, and see there in siman 214.

It is written in the Or Zarua HaGadol, Laws of Erev Shabbat (siman 21): "Our teacher Eliezer of Metz explained: It is a mitzvah for a Jewish person to eat the Shabbat meal with an appetite... and the essence of the Shabbat meal depends on bread... since it is so... it is forbidden to eat grimzel before the meal on Shabbat, because he will not eat the essence of the Shabbat meal with an appetite, and one who does so is not given to restoration" thus far his words. Afterward, he brought the words of the Rashbam in Arvei Pesachim, that we hold like Rabbi Yossi that one does not need to stop, but rather spreads a cloth and sanctifies. The Or Zarua wrote that from his words it sounds like one does not need to enter Shabbat while desiring food, and according to this it is permitted to eat the grimzel before he eats the bread. And so it is found written that on Erev Shabbat after he sanctified over the wine, they would bring grimzeli before our teacher Kalonymus and before the elders, and they would recite over them the blessing of borei minei mezonot and afterward one blessing summarizing the three in order to increase and complete one hundred blessings, and afterward they would eat bread and the needs of the meal, thus far the words of the Or Zarua. (And all of this was brought in the Darkhei Moshe, and the Magen Avraham in subsection 6 was of the opinion that the Darkhei Moshe disputed the Or Zarua and raised a difficulty against him, see there, because in his days the Or Zarua had not yet been printed).

And behold, this is certain, that even according to the Rashbam—nevertheless, there is certainly a mitzvah to eat the Shabbat meal with an appetite, and it is better that after kiddush they should eat bread and Shabbat cooked foods. And among us at night—everyone does so, and in the morning many are accustomed to eat types of sweets and afterwards they eat the meal. And regarding the final blessing: if they wash their hands immediately—there is no need for a final blessing, but if some time is drawn out—one needs a final blessing, and the incident of our teacher Kalonymus was certainly thus, that they did not eat immediately, and this matter we have explained with a reasoned argument above in siman 176, section 5, see there.

And know, that which he wrote: "that our teacher Kalonymus’s intention was to complete one hundred brachot," this is its explanation—that he did so for this purpose. But it is obvious that these were foods that are not typically eaten during the meal but rather before the meal, like the types of sweets that we eat, and so too is the grimzeli that they ate. But if they were things that are typically eaten during the meal and he ate them before the meal in order to increase the brachot—this is not correct, for it is forbidden to increase brachot in vain, as was written above in siman 215. (The HaGra"z section 11, however, that which he wrote that it is forbidden to precede it to the bracha of Hamotzi, as was written in siman 211, see there—the Magen Avraham at the end of subsection 6 wrote this according to the custom that they wash before kiddush, see there, and perhaps his intention is also thus, see there and examine carefully.)