Q & A
Early Shabbos
♦♦♦♦♦
How early can one make an early Shabbos?
- There are three main opinions among poskim for the earliest time to light candles & recite Kiddush on Shabbos (See Mishnah Berurah 233:4 & Mishnah Berurah, Beiur Halacha
263, s.v. Kodem) :
- Vilna Gaon and Levush: after plag ha'mincha, which in their opinion, is one & a quarter halachic hours before sunset. In this view, a halachic hour is calculated as one twelfth of the time-span between sunrise & sunset.
- Shulchan Aruch & Magen Avrohom: after plag ha'mincha which they maintain is 1 &
a quarter halachic hours before tzes ha'kochavim (nightfall). In their opinion, a halacahic
hour is 1 twelfth of the time-span between alos ha'chama (dawn) & tzeis ha'kochavim
(night fall). - Rav Eliezer Mi’metz: 2 hours before tzeis ha'kochavim. (See Mishnah Berurah, Beiur
Halacha 263, s.v.Kodem). He reasons that just as we find that certain laws of Shemita
begin a month (a twelfth of a year) before Rosh Hashanah, so too Shabbos can begin
12 hours (a twelfth of a day) early (see Darkei Moshe OC 261:1).
- The difference between these three opinions can be very significant.
- For a day that is 12 hours long from sunrise to sunset, the Vilna Gaon, Levush & Rav
Eliezer Mi’metz would allow lighting candles more than an hour before sunset, while the Shulchan Aruch and Magen Avrohom would not permit lighting until approximately 18 minutes before sunset. - It should be noted that all three positions agree that Maariv cannot be recited before plagha'micha. As noted in 1 & 2, the time of plag ha'mincha is a matter of dispute. In
practice, many people light candles,daven Maariv & recite kiddush significantly before
sunset. They are following the position of the Vilna Gaon and Levush in item 1. Other segments of the Jewish community follow the more stringent position of the Shulchan
Aruch & Magen Avrohom in item 2 & begin Shabbos considerably later. Both customs
are firmly rooted in mainstream Halachic viewpoints.
How does early Shabbos work?
How can I make Kiddush if it is still Friday afternoon?
There are three explanations why kiddush can be recited Friday afternoon,
after accepting an early Shabbos:
- Shulchan Aruch (OC 261:2) writes that one is required to add from Friday onto Shabbos
(mosifin michol al hakodesh). The Magen Avrohom (OC 261:9) maintains that this is a
positive Torah commandment. The basis for this is as follows: The Torah (Vayikra 23:32)
writes that one must begin Yom Kippur while it is still the ninth day of Tishrei. Since the
pasuk refers to Yom Kippur as Shabbos (Shabbos Shabbaton), we infer that the
requirement to begin early applies to every Shabbos as well. Because tosefos Shabbos
(the added portion of Shabbos) has a Biblical status, it follows that one who accepts
Shabbos early can recite Kiddush during this time as well.
- The Mordechai disagrees with the above & holds that tosefos Shabbos is valid only on a Rabbinic level. If so, how can one recite kiddush, which is a Biblical requirement, during a
period when Shabbos is only Rabbinic? The Magen Avrohom (267:1) addresses this
question. We will not present the Magen Avrohom’s response because it requires
explanation and commentary. We encourage you to explore the Magen Avrohom on
your own.
- The Rambam (Hilchos Shabbos 29:11) writes that one may recite Kiddush even if it is
not yet Shabbos, because the mitzvah to remember Shabbos can be accomplished even
a short time before Shabbos begins. - The above discussion relates to reciting kiddush Friday afternoon.
- With respect to the Shabbos meal, the Magen Avrohom (267:1) quotes the Shelah
& the Maharal who maintain that, although one may begin the Shabbos seuda on Friday afternoon, one should make sure to eat a kezayis of bread after nightfall. The requirement
to eat three seudos on Shabbos is derived from the repetition of the word ha'yom (today)
3 times in the Torah. Accordingly, a kezayis of bread must be eaten on the actual day of
Shabbos & not during the tosefos (the addition). - The Magen Avrohom & Mishna Berura (267:5) write that it is preferable to follow the
Shelah and Maharal, by eating a kezayis of challah after nightfall.
When I make early Shabbos, I sometimes return home
from shul a few minutes before shkia (sunset).
Is there any issue with starting a meal at this time?
- One is not permitted to begin a meal within a half-hour of z'man Kerias Shema (i.e.tzeis
ha'kochavim, lest one becaome pre-occupied by the mean & forget to recite Shema. - The Beis Yosef (OC 267) asks how we can make early Shabbos & often begin our meals
within a 1/2 hour of Tzes H'Kochavim? There are a rance of responses & opinions. - The Beis Yosef answers that the Rosh (Brachos 1:1) cites an opinion that one may
fulfill the mitzvah of Shema from plac ha'mincha & on.In practice, we do not follow this
opinion brought by the Rosh, as we repeat Shema after nightfall to be certain to fulfill this Biblical mitzvah properly. Nonetheless, as regards the Rabbinic prohibition of beginning a
meal before we recite Shema, we may rely on the more lenient opinion as found in the
Rosh. Since we daven maariv & say Shemain shul, we are allowed to make kiddush without
reciting Shema.
- The Magen Avrohom (267:2) quotes the Beis Yosef & disagrees. Rather, the Magen Avrohom writes that one must make sure to begin their meal at least a half-hour before
tzeis ha'kochavim. - The Aruch Hashulchan writes that during the week one may not start a meal & rely on
having read Shema after plag.Howeverm Friday night one may rely on the Beis Yosef.
Just as Friday afternoon is transformed from a weekday to Shabbos by accepting Shabbos early, so too the daytime period after plag is treated as nightfall with respect to the recitation
of Shema.
- The Mishnah Berurah (267:6) writes that one should follow the Magen Avrohom, but
those who follow the Beis Yosef have a valid basis to be lenient.Some poskim offer the
following compromise: If one considers tzeis ha'kochavim to be 50 minutes after sunset,
they may begin the Shabbos meal until up to 20 minutes after sunset. After this point one should repeat Shema, since one can already fulfill their obligation according to the Gaonim
& then recite Kiddush. After the meal, one should repeat Shema again to fulfill the mitzvah according to all opinions (Rav Chanoch Dov Padwa, zt’l - Kol Hatorah 5761).
How can I make an early Shabbas?
Doesn't Ma'ariv need to take place after sunset?
- Before addressing Ma'ariv before sunset on Shabbos, we need to consider the feasibility of
an early Ma'ariv during the week. - There is a disagreement in the Mishnayos (Brachos 4:1) as to when is it acceptable to
daven Ma'ariv. Rebbi Yehuda maintains that one can daven Mincha only until plag
ha'Mincha (4 & 3 quarters halachic hours after midday) &the time for Ma'ariv begins
immediately afterwards. - The Rabbanan disagrees.They are of the opinion that Mincha can be prayed until shkia & Ma'ariv may be recited after shkia.The Gemara (Brochos 27a) rules that the halaca is undecided & that one may follow either opinion. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 233:1)
qualifies this ruling. Albeit either opinion is acceptable, an individual must be consistent &
follow the same position all of the time: One who follows the opinion of Rebbi Yehuda must always daven Mincha before plag & those who follow the opinion of the Rabbanan must
always daven Ma'ariv after shkia. - Shulchan Aruch concludes that nowadays, the common custom is to follow the Rabbanan
& therefore one should not daven Ma'ariv before shkia, unless there is a pressing need. - Mishnah Berurah (233:11) points out that in such a case of need, Mincha should be
prayed before plag & Ma'ariv after plag. Otherwise, it will be a direct contradiction: if one
davens Mincha after plag & Ma'ariv before shkia neither opinion is being followed. However,
Mishnah Berurah writes that if a minyan has assembled to daven Mincha & cannot return
after shkia for Ma'ariv the custom is to allow davening both Mincha & Ma'aruv before shkia
so as not to inconvenience the tzibur, even though this is a seeming contradiction. - Similarly, the Kaf Hachaim (233:9) writes that women who are busy taking care of the home may also be lenient to daven Mincha after plag followed immediately by Ma'ariv.
Why is it acceptable to Daven Ma'ariv before shkia on Erev Shabbos?
- Rebbi Yehuda maintains that one can daven Mincha only until plag ha'Mincha & Ma'ariv
afterwards, while Rabbanan disagree & hold that Mincha can be prayed until shkia Ma'ariv
may be recited only after shkia. While the Gemarah allows each individual to follow either opinion, one must be consistent. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 233:1) writes that common
practice nowadays is to daven Mincha until shkia (in accordance with Rabbanan) &
therefore one should not daven Ma'ariv before shkia. - Nonetheless, with respect to Shabbos, Shulchan Aruch (OC 267:2) writes that one should daven Ma'ariv on erev Shabbos earlier than during the week & one may davenMa'ariv beginning from plag ha'Mincha. The obvious question is why the Shulchan Aruch allows davening Ma'ariv before shkia on Friday nigh & disallows it during the week?
- The Magen Avrohom suggests that the Shulchan Aruch allows reciting Ma'ariv before
Shkia Friday afternoon because Ma'ariv was instituted to correspond to burning of the fats
from the korbanos on the altar in the Beis Hamikdash, which typically took place at night. However, on Friday night (Shabbos), it is forbidden to burn the fats that remained from
weekday korbanos.Therefore, this service was performed earlier in the day, before shkia. Appropriately, one may daven Ma'ariv before shkia on Friday. - The Magen Avrohom (267:1) offers a second explanation. Most poskimhold that one must consistently follow either Rebbi Yehuda or Rabbanan throughout ones lifetime & this is the primary halacha.
- However, the Mordechai, a 13th-century German posek, allowed switching between the opinions of the Rabbanan & Rebbi Yehuda from one day to the next, so long as on any
given day there is consistency. On Friday afternoon, we follow the lenient opinion of the Mordechai for the sake of increasing kedushas Shabbos. - The Magen Avrohom concludes that one who davens Maariv before shkia on Friday afternoon, must daven Mincha before plag to avoid a possible contradiction.
- It is interesting to note that one who davemed Ma'ariv after plag (in accordance with Rebbi Yehuda) may daven Mincha on Shabbos day after plag (in accordance with the Rabbanan).
This is not viewed as a contradiction, even though both tefilos are said on Shabbos, since
they are recited on two separate days
Many congregations will make early Shabbos in the following manner:
Mincha is davened after plag & Ma'ariv is davened before shkia.
Isn’t this a direct contradiction? halacha is that during the week
- Derech Hachaim (66:1) writes that on erev Shabbos, a tzibur may be lenient to daven
Mincha after plag & daven Ma'ariv right afterwards. He reasons as follows:The halacha
is that during the week, we allow a minyan to follow contradictory rulings if inconveniencing
the minyan will cause it to disband & it will not reconvene for Ma'ariv. - On erev Shabbos, we should allow a tzibur to do the same in order to enable them to
accept upon themselves the kedusha of Shabbos. Mishnah Berurah (267:3) writes that
one should not rely on this. Since the leniency during the week is a custom without a firm
basis, it should not be extended further. However, other poskim point out that the common
custom is in accordance with the Derech Hachaim (see Oruch Hashulchan 267:3) & t
he lenient position is followed in many shuls in America.
- Sefer Shraga Ha’Meir (5:31) argues that in addition to increasing Kedushas Shabbos,
the reason of inconvenience to the tzibur also applies. He points out that unmarried men
are required to light candles erev Shabbos, yet they may not light candles before plag.
If they are required to daven Mincha before plag, they will then have to travel home, light candles & return to shul for Ma'ariv. So as not to create an inconvenient scenario, we
permit the tzibur to daven Mincha after plag & Ma'ariv right afterwards
Copyright © 2012-2019 KosherWoman.com
All rights reserved.