Community Magazine June 2016

SARINA ROFFÉ 52 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE The Top 10 Dedicated in loving memory of Hacham Nissim ben Mazal a''h RABBI DANIEL D. LEVY Questions & Answers on customs and laws of Accepting Shabbat Early 1 WHATARE SOMEBASICGUIDELINES FORONEWHOACCEPTSSHABBAT EARLY? a) Once one accepts Shabbat early, it is forbidden for him or her to do any melachah (work which is forbidden to be done on Shabbat) from that time onwards, regardless of the fact that it is still light outside. b) One who accepted Shabbat is forbidden to eat or drink anything until hearing kiddush (unlike havdallah , where one may drink water in time of need before hearing havdallah ). c) One should be careful to begin the Shabbat night meal at least half an hour before the night to avoid halachic issues regarding eating a meal too close to the time of the reciting of Shema or the Omer. If one has a shomer (reminder) to recite Shema or Omer at the proper time, one may begin the meal less than half an hour before nightfall if need be. d) If one relies on the lenient opinion and finishes his meal before sunset (see answer#6) he must recite Retzeh in Birkat Hamazon (and Yaaleh Veyavoh if Shabbat is also Rosh Chodesh). 2 WHY DOES THE SHULHAN ARUCH (267: 2) SAY THAT IT IS CUSTOMARY TO PRAY ARBIT EARLIER FRIDAY NIGHT THAN ANY OTHER NIGHT OF THEWEEK? a) The Beit Yosef explains that there is a mitzvah to add holiness of Shabbat onto the mundane weekday. Therefore it is advisable to pray Arbit earlier than during the week and accept the holiness of Shabbat by refraining from melachah (preferably to verbally declare I am accepting the Shabbat). b) The Magen Avraham explains that since the prayer of Arbit corresponds to the fats and limbs on the altar, which were consumed in the evening time and on Friday night, the consumption must be finished before nightfall. Though that is not the case during weeknights, we make it a practice to pray earlier on Friday night. c) The Chayei Adam explains that we are lenient in allowing the acceptance of an early Shabbat because of shalom bayit – marital harmony. Especially on late, long summer days, people in the household are interested in eating earlier, given that there are often children to take into account. It should be noted that there are numerous halachic authorities who object to making an early Shabbat. These include R’ Elyashiv, zt”l , and R’Eliyahu Shleizinger (the current Rabbi in Gilo and author of numerous sefarim , including Yom Shabbaton). According to Kabbalah, one should not make early Shabbat. It is advisable for one to consult a competent halachic authority on whether he should make an early Shabbat given his particular situation. 3 WHAT IS THE EARLIEST TIME POSSIBLE FOR ONE TO ACCEPT SHABBAT? The earliest time possible for one to accept the Shabbat, whether it’s a man praying Kabbalat Shabbat/Arbit or a woman lighting candles, is Pelag Haminchah – 10 and three-quarter hours into the day (based on a special calculation known as sha'ot zemaniyot ). One who lights candles before Pelag Haminchah must extinguish the candles and re-light with a new berachah . Making a blessing upon candles before Pelag Haminchah is considered a berachah levatalah – a blessing made in vain. (O.C. Siman 263:4 Mishnah Berurah 263:20). Note: Mincha should be prayed before Pelag Haminchah and Arbit afterwards when making an early Shabbat. 4 IF ONE HAS ALREADY SAID LECHA DODI , IS THIS RECITATION EQUIVALENT TOA FULL ACCEPTANCE OF SHABBAT?WHAT IF ONE HAS FORGOTTENAN IMPORTANT ITEM IN HIS CAR? ISHEALLOWEDTOGOBACKANDGET IT? There are many halachic authorities who consider the reciting of the end of Lecha Dodi (specifically the words Bo’ee Kallah ) as fully accepting Shabbat. There are others who consider the later reciting of Barechu as fully accepting Shabbat. Therefore, one should ask either another Jew who has not yet accepted Shabbat, or a gentile, to remove the desired item out of his car. 5 IF AWOMAN ALREADY LIT THE CANDLES AND FULLY ACCEPTED SHABBAT, MAY HER HUSBAND OR CHILD TURN OFF THE OVEN OR LIGHT THAT SHE LEFT ON? When a woman lights the candles, the rest of the household members are not automatically bound by her lighting the candles and may still do melachah . Hence, when necessary, a child or a husband may indeed do an act which requires melachah , such as opening or shutting a light or an oven. 6 WHAT ACTIONS MUST ONE BE CAREFUL TO DO AFTER DARK IF ONE PRAYS AND ACCEPTS SHABBAT EARLY? a) One must recite Keriyat Shema over after dark to properly fulfill the positive commandment to recite Shema in the proper time (Mishnah Berurah 267:4). b) Many halachic authorities require that one eat a significant part of the meal – meaning an ounce of bread – after dark (Mishnah Berurah 267:5, Hacham Ovadiah). c) During the weeks of Sefirat Ha’omer (between Pesach and Shavuot) one should be careful to recite the Omer after dark.