3545. This Shabbos is Shabbos Hagadol. It is called Shabbos Hagadol because in the year that the Bnei Yisroel left Mitzrayim the 10th of Nissan fell on Shabbos. On that day they took the sheep, the deity of the Egyptians, and tied it to the bedpost as commanded by Hashem while the Egyptians stood by silently at this brazen act of rebellion against them.
Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 430:1
3546. Some have the minhag to say the Hagadah on Shabbos Hagadol from “Avadim Hayinu” until “Lechaper al kol avonoseinu”.
Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 430:1, see Biur Halacha
3547. Things To Remember for Bedikas Chometz on Sunday Evening
- Preferably begin the Bedikas Chometz immediately after Tzeis Hakochavim.
- Some have the minhag to wash their hands, (without a beracha) before the bedikah.
- Use a candle, keep on the regular lights in the room(s), use a flashlight if necessary.
- One may not do any work, or eat, beginning a half hour before Tzeis Hakochavim until after completing the Bedikah. However, one may eat small amounts of food (the size of an egg), or fruit (even a larger amount) in the half hour before Tzeis Hakochavim.
- After Tzeis Hakochavim (prior to doing the Bedikah) one should not eat at all, but drinking is permitted. One should also not learn Torah until after completing the Bedikah.
- If one began the Bedikah and forgot to make the beracha, one may make the beracha as long as one has not yet completed the Bedikah. If one has already ended the Bedikah hould make the beracha at the time of the burning of the chometz Monday morning.
- One may not speak between the beracha and the start of the search for chometz. If one did speak, one must repeat the beracha.
- During the Bedikah one may only speak regarding something relating to the Bedikah itself. If one did speak during the Bedikah (on an unrelated topic) one does not make another beracha.
- If one forgot, or was unable to make the Bedikah on Sunday night one should make the Bedikah on Monday, as early as possible, by candlelight, with a beracha.
- If the Bedikah was not done before Yom Tov, a Bedikah should be done on Chol Hamoed with a beracha, (but not on Shabbos or Yom Tov), as soon as one remembers.
- If one did not remember until after Pesach, a Bedikah should be done even after Pesach without a beracha (to prevent any issur of Chometz She’ovar Ol’ov Hapesach).
- If one is traveling for Pesach and will not be home on Sunday evening, one should do the Bedikah the night before traveling without a beracha, followed by the nullification of Chometz that normally follows the Bedikah (as printed in the siddur).
- If one arrives at a hotel before Sunday evening (or anytime during the night) one searches the room with a beracha. If one arrives Erev Yom Tov, one searches without a beracha.
- If one owns or rents an office or a second home one should L’chatchilah do a Bedikah at that location on Sunday evening. However, if it will be a great difficulty to do the Bedikah one may rent the home/office to a non-jew for Pesach along with a sale of any Chometz in that location.
- According to some opinions if a 2nd home has not been transferred to a non-jew before Sunday night the obligation of a bedikah falls upon the Jew. Therefore, it is preferable that one should arrange with his Rov to have the transaction completed with the non-jew before Sunday evening.
- Nevertheless, if one did not arrange for the sale to the non-jew before the time of Bedikah, one may rely on the lenient opinions of those that do not require the early transfer.
Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 431-437
EREV PESACH
3541. One should not do Melacha – work (i.e. melachos that are not permitted on Chol Hamoed) on Erev Pesach after Chatzos because that is the time that the Korban Pesach was sacrificed (and it is therefore a Yom Tov) and one is Rabbinically prohibited from doing Melocha (even today when there is no Korban Pesach).
Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 468:1
3542. One who disregards this halacha and works, is (appropriate to be) put in Cherem – excommunication, and will not see a siman beracha from these earnings.
Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 468:1
3548. Things to Remember for Erev Pesach
- Siyum for Bechorim Monday morning.
- All male firstborn to either parent must fast, as well as a firstborn following a miscarriage.
- Some Sefardim have the minhag that female firstborn also partake in the siyum.
- Fathers should attend siyum in place of a minor firstborn child.
- Do not say Mizmor Lisoda and Lam’natzeach.
- Stop Eating Chometz end of 4th hour. (Jerusalem 09:18 am, NYC 10:31 am)
- Brush teeth thoroughly before end of zman Achilah.
- Complete Burning of Chometz end of 5th hour. (Jerusalem 10:31 am, NYC 11:46 am)
- Say Kol Chamira – Bittul (Nullification) of Chometz in a language that you understand.
- Remove vacuum cleaner bags with chometz before zman biur chometz.
- Chometz garbage that will not be collected by sanitation before z’man biur should not be left in garbage cans. Rather, it should be left in bags at the curb.
- Dentures, bi-pates, etc. should be cleaned (and kashered if removable) before zman biur.
- Work restrictions begin after Chatzos.
- No haircuts or shaving after Chatzos.
- All kitchen and dining areas must be covered before Yom Tov.
- Prepare for the Seder: Roast the Zeroah, Beitzah. Grate the Maror, Make the Charoses, Check the Maror leaves, mix the salt water.
- Set Shabbos clocks to allow lights to stay on very late for the Seder (Sedorim).
- Many have the minhag to immerse in a mikvah in honor of Yom Tov.
- Prepare Kittel for the Seder. Open any staples or tags left on by the Dry Cleaners.
- For those who eat gebrokts one may only eat boiled foods with matzoh meal (e.g. knaidlach).
- One may not eat baked matzoh meal products at any time during the day.
- After Mincha Ketanah (Jerusalem 4:02 pm, NYC 5:20 pm) one may not eat knaidlach, drink wine, or fill oneself.
- Many have the minhag to recite the order of the Korbon Pesach (printed in many Haggados) after Mincha, thereby meriting as if having offered a Pesach sacrifice in the Bais hamikdash.
Halacha L’kovod Shabbos – “Washing Dishes On Shabbos”
It is forbidden to wash dirty dishes on Shabbos unless the dishes will be needed for that Shabbos. Therefore, one may wash the dishes (using cold water, or hot water prepared before Shabbos) following the Friday night meal only if those dishes will be needed for Shabbos day. Likewise, one may only wash the dishes used Shabbos day if they will be needed for Shabbos afternoon. One may wash all the dirty dishes even if one will only need some of the dirty dishes later that Shabbos. R’ Yaakov Kamenetsky permitted one to wash dishes for later use even when other clean dishes are available. However, other Poskim do not permit it. According to the Tzitz Eliezer if one has a Simcha in the home and the piled up, dirty dishes will create an uncomfortable, unpleasant atmosphere one may wash the dirty dishes for the sake of Oneg Shabbos even if they will not be needed on Shabbos.
Shulchan Aruch w/Mishnah Brurah 323:6, 26 326:28,29, Emes L’Yaakov 323:6,
Tzitz Eliezer 14:37 citing Mishnah Berurah 302:19