Eating on Erev Shabbos

Aryeh Lebowitz

I. Contradictory Passages in the Gemara. The gemara speaks explicitly about

eating on Erev Shabbos in two places:
A. The Gemara in Gittin (38b) tells us that two families in Yerushalayim that
were decimated, one on account of having large meals on shabbos,
ignoring the public lecture that was running simultaneously, and the other
on account of holding large meals “Erev Shabbos”. Rashi offers two
explanations of the phrase “erev Shabbos”. First, he explains that “erev
Shabbos” in fact refers to Friday night after shabbos has already started.
The problem with having a large Friday night meal is that the halacha
requires that we show more respect to the daytime of shabbos than to the
night. This family emphasized the evening meal at the expense of the
morning meal, which is halachically inappropriate. Second, Rashi
explains that “erev Shabbos” indeed refers to Friday before the onset of
shabbos. A significant meal on Friday is likely to have a negative impact
on the Friday night seudas shabbos because it is difficult to enjoy a large
meal when one is already full from an earlier meal that day.
B. The gemara in Pesachim (99b) records the opinion of R’ Yosi who holds
that in contrast to erev Pesach when one is limited in when he may eat,
one may eat on erev Shabbos up until the beginning of shabbos. This idea
seems to run contrary to the previously cited passage from the gemara in
Gittin (at least according to Rashi’s second explanation of the gemara).
II. Resolving the Contradiction. The resolution to this contradiction will have a
clear impact on what is considered permissible behavior and eating patterns
on erev Shabbos.
A. The Ramban (Gittin ad loc.) offers two approaches to resolve the
contradictory passages:
1. First, the Ramban suggests that the passage in Gittin that frowns upon
eating on erev Shabbos is a reflection of normative halacha. The
permissive approach of R’ Yosi recorded in Pesachim speaks only of
occasional extenuating circumstances when one would have to eat.
Regular meals, in this view, should not be scheduled for Friday, but
are permissible on occasion.
2. Second, the Ramban suggests, that the normative halacha permits
eating on erev Shabbos, as suggested by R’ Yosi in Pesachim. The
gemara in Gittin records the tragic consequences of a family who ate
so much on Friday that they ate only a bare minimum of food for their
Shabbos meal. Their sin was not eating on Friday as much as in not
eating properly on Shabbos.
B. The Beis Yosef (Orach Chaim 249) suggests that the contradiction is
easily resolved by distinguishing between the word “ochel” (employed by
R’ Yosi in Pesachim) and “kove’a seuda” (employed by the gemara in
Gittin). R’ Yosi permits one to be “ochel” which simply means to take
something to eat. The gemara in Gittin condemns the family that was
 “kovea seudah” which implies enjoying a meal even beyond a typical
weekday meal. However, the gemaranever condemns eating light snacks
on Friday. The Rambam seems to precede the Beis Yosef in drawing this
distinction. The Rambam (Hilchos Shabbos 30:4) writes that one should
not have a set large meal on Friday, but may eat a snack at any time during
the day. The Magid Mishnah explains that the Rambam maintains that one
may not have a meal larger than a typical weekday meal at any point on
Friday, but may have a typical weekday meal on Friday up until a few
hours before shabbos. Within the last few hours before shabbos one may
not eat any meal but may enjoy a light snack
III. Halacha. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 249:2) rules in accordance with
the Rambam that one may not eat a meal of any sort in the three hours
immediately preceding shabbos and may not eat a larger than average meal at
any time on Friday afternoon.
A. There are three reasons offered by the poskim for limiting one’s
consumption on Friday:
1. The Shulchan Aruch writes that the restrictions are designed to keep
one hungry for the Shabbos meals, which aligns with Rashi’s
explanation of the gemara in Gittin.
a. If the halacha is designed to discourage filling one’s stomach
prior to seudas shabbos, it stands to reason that there should be
a similar halacha prior to the Shabbos morning meal. In fact,
the Biur Halacha (249) writes that there is more reason to
prohibit participating in a Shabbos morning kiddush after
davening than in eating before shabbos in advance of the
Friday night meal. Whereas the time right before shabbos is not
yet the time that one is obligated in seudas shabbos, Shabbos
morning after davening is already the time for seuduas
shabbos. Therefore, eating on erev Shabbos would not be as
problematic as eating on Shabbos morning prior to the morning
meal.
2. The Mishnah Berurah (ad loc. 10) adds that one who eats in Friday is
likely to neglect his responsibilities of preparing for shabbos. The
mitzvah of Kavod Shabbos demands that a Jew take time on Friday to
prepare the house for shabbos. When one is has a major meal he is
unlikely to designate the appropriate amount of time to preparation for
Shabbos.
3. Finally, the Biur Halacha (ad loc. d’h Mipnei) adds that the primary
reason is not only that one should be hungry going in to shabbos but
that having a Friday meal that rivals the Shabbos meal show an
inherent disrespect for shabbos, by equating it with a normal weekday.
B. Exceptions. The Rama (Orach Chaim 249:2) writes that one may
participate in a larger than normal meal on Friday if the meal is made in
honor of a bris milah or pidyon haben. The Mishnah Berurah explains that
even a bris milah that is taking place after the eighth day may be done on
Friday because one is not permitted to delay performing the mitzvah any
 longer than absolutely necessary. Consequently, the day of the milah is
considered the day on which it must be done. Similarly, a pidyon haben,
even after the baby is thirty days old, must be done as soon as possible.
The accompanying seudah may therefore take place on Friday as well.
Interestingly, not all poskim agree that a milah shelo b’zmana may take
place on a Thursday or Friday. The Shach (Yoreh deah 266:18) discusses
whether the delayed bris should be pushed off until Sunday so as to avoid
any chance of having to desecrate shabbos in order to care for the newly
circumcised baby. Nevertheless, normative psak allows for a delayed
milah to take place on Friday if that is the earliest time we are able to
perform the milah. If, however, the baby proves ready for a milah prior to
Friday, the Noda B’Yehuda (Yoreh Deah Tinyana #166) rules that the
milah may not be delayed to the end of the week, as doing so is likely to
cause a need for chilul shabbos in caring for the recuperating baby.
1. Aside from the types of seudas mitzvah mentioned by the Rama,
the Biur Halacha adds that one may celebrate a siyum with a
large seudah on Friday. Apparently, the Biur Halacha
understands that a siyum is ideally held at the earliest possible
time and should not be delayed. If, as a rule, there would be no
objection to delaying a siyum, one would be required to delay the
siyum in order to avoid having a large seudah on Friday.
2. Regardless of the type of seudas mitzvah that one celebrates on a
Friday, the Mishnah Berurah (249:13) writes that it is preferable
to celebrate the seudah in the morning, rather than delay until
Friday afternoon.
C. Chumra. We have explained that it is halachically permissible to eat a
light snack at any time on Friday, and to even eat a normal meal earlier in
the day. Nevertheless, the Tur (Orach Chaim 249) cites a practice of
righteous men to fast each and every Friday. For a precedent for such a
pious practice, the Tur points to a question posed by the gemara in Eruvin
(40b) where the gemara inquires whether people like the children of Rav
who typically fast on Friday may complete their fast until dark. Regardless
of the answer to the particular question, the very mention of Rav’s
children taking on this practice of a weekly erev Shabbos fast, suggests
that it is a praiseworthy practice. The Beis Yosef is puzzled why the Tur
would cite the question regarding Rav’s children as the source for this
pious practice, rather than the explicit passage in Talmud Yerushalmi that
R’ Avon fasted ever erev Shabbos. As with many practices of the
extremely pious, this practice is not broadly recommended. The Mishnah
Berurah (249:18) writes that it is inappropriate for anybody other than the
extremely finicky to fast on erev Shabbos because one should not greet
Shabbos on a completely empty stomach.
IV. Friday Tasting. While we have discussed to this point, the idea of restricting
what we eat on erev Shabbos, the Mishnah Berurah (250:2) writes that there is
a mitzvah to taste the shabbos food on Friday. The Mishnah Berurah suggests
that this is done in order to ensure that the food is suitable for eating, and if it
 needs to be fixed one can still fix it on erev Shabbos. Additionally, Machzor
Vitri (191) cites a passage in the Talmud Yerushalmi that seems to ascribe
inherent value to tasting shabbos food on Friday afternoon. The idea is that
one attempts to extend the sanctity of shabbos and allows it to affect his week.
In the merit of doing so, the Yerushalmi states that one will experience a long
life.
A. Does one recite a beracha on the “tasting”? If one is only tasting to adjust
the flavor, the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 210:2) rules that a beracha
should not be recited. As in any case where a beracha is not necessary,
reciting a beracha would then be forbidden (Mishnah Berurah ad loc.). If,
however there is inherent value in the eating, and it is not merely to taste
for possible adjustment, one would have to recite a beracha. It is therefore
best for a person who tastes the Shabbos food on Friday to eat in a more
normal fashion beyond merely tasting the food.
V. Conclusion. We have discussed the permissibility of eating on erev Shabbos
and explored how eating on erev Shabbos may have a profound impact on the
way we observe Shabbos. It is worthwhile noting the sensitivity that Chazal
had for setting optimal conditions to enjoy and appreciate the beauty and
sanctity of Shabbos. As with all important things in life, Shabbos is best
maximized with forethought and preparation.