seudah shelishis – RabbiKaganoff.com

Seudah Shelishis on Erev Pesach

Question #1: When?

When should I eat my morning meal on Shabbos Erev Pesach?

Question #2: How?

How do I fulfill the mitzvah of eating three meals on this Shabbos?

Question #3: Who?

May someone who has a family minhag not to eat matzoh after Purim or after Rosh Chodesh Nissan eat egg matzoh, kneidelach, cheremzelach (fried matzoh meal latkas) or boiled matzoh on this Shabbos?

Answer

This year, the first day of Pesach falls on Sunday, which means that Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos. When Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, there are numerous changes from what we do other years, such as:

(1) The traditional Shabbos Hagadol drosha is delivered a week early, on the 7^th of Nissan, although technically Shabbos Hagadol is the following Shabbos, Erev Pesach.

(2) We perform our search for chometz on Thursday night, the eve of the 13^th of Nissan, with a bracha, notwithstanding that, in other years, someone who performs bedikas chometz on the eve of the 13^th does so without a bracha. The first bitul chometz is recited after the bedikah is completed, as it is done in a typical year.

(3) The chometz is burnt on Friday morning, the 13^th of Nissan, not the 14^th. The bitul chometz that is usually performed after the chometz is burned is postponed to actual Erev Pesach, which is on Shabbos.

(4) The fast and siyum of the firstborn is observed two days early, on Thursday, the 12^th of Nissan, the morning before bedikas chometz, not the 14^th.

(5) Haircuts and shaving, activities that are prohibited on Erev Pesach in the afternoon, are permitted on the afternoon of Friday the 13^th, the day before Erev Pesach.

In addition to these changes in our usual practice, there are many shaylos that occur on Erev Pesach when it falls on Shabbos. For example, an entire literature is devoted to questions such as:

May you eat on your chometz–dik dishes on Erev Pesach, and what you should do with them after you finish eating?

Is it permitted to have hamotzi in one part of the house and then eat a meal that is Pesach-dik in a different part of the house?

Is it permitted to cook kitniyos on your Pesach-dik dishes, and then serve them on Erev Pesach?

Three meals

Perhaps the most unusual changes occur relative to eating the Shabbos meals on Erev Pesach, when our houses are all ready for Pesach. In most households, all food prepared for Shabbos will be Pesach-dik and served on disposable or Pesach-dik utensils. But how are we going to have three Shabbos meals, particularly since the majority opinion requires hamotzi for all three meals?

In a different article, I discussed the mitzvah, which may be min haTorah, of eating three meals on Shabbos as a fulfillment of the mitzvah called oneg Shabbos, treating Shabbos as a delightful experience, which is first recorded in the Book of Yeshayahu. Several interesting aspects of fulfilling this mitzvah come into play when Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos. The two major issues are:

(1) When to eat the Shabbos morning meal?

(2) How should we fulfill the mitzvah of eating the third Shabbos meal?

The majority of rishonim require eating the first of the three meals on Friday evening, the second in the morning, and the third in the afternoon. Many poskim contend that there should be bread at each of the three meals; the Shulchan Aruch and most later authorities rule this way.

Putting aside the logistical difficulties of having bread in your house on Erev Pesach, we need to contend with the Torah prohibition against eating chometz on Erev Pesach, which begins min haTorah at halachic midday (chatzos), but miderabbanan begins hours earlier. Eating matzoh for the three meals is impossible, because of a takanas Chazal prohibiting eating matzoh on Erev Pesach. (Some authorities contend that the prohibition of eating matzoh on Erev Pesach is only in the daytime, and not at night. According to this opinion, you could eat matzoh for the Friday night meal.) Another consideration is that Chazal prohibited eating a large meal three hours before Pesach (Pesachim 99b). This last takkanah was instituted so that a person eats the matzoh on seder night with a good appetite.

Latest time to eat chometz

Let us begin by defining the latest time to eat chometz on Erev Pesach. According to the Gemara, Targum Onkelos, Rashi and many others, the verse in Parshas Bo (Shemos 12:15) should be translated as saying, “Seven days you are to eat matzoh, but (ach) on the day before you shall cease having sourdough (a form of chometz) in your houses, for whoever eats chometz from the first day until the seventh day (of Pesach), that person will be cut off from Yisrael.” Chazal explain that the prohibition of the “day before,” that is, Erev Pesach, is min haTorah only from midday (Pesachim 4b-5a).

Two hours

Chazal prohibited eating chometz from two hours before midday. This gezeirah was instituted so that people not miss the deadline and mistakenly eat chometz after midday, when it is prohibited to do so min haTorah (Pesachim 11b). There are many opinions how to calculate the latest time to eat chometz on Erev Pesach.

In an ordinary year, avoiding this issue is relatively easy. If you really want to eat chometz on Erev Pesach, get up early, daven, make or attend a siyum if you are firstborn, and eat breakfast. If you want to sleep in, don’t plan on eating chometz for breakfast. However, when Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, the logistics are more complex; since we want to eat a nice Shabbos morning meal, we cannot eat it with matzoh, and we need to finish eating chometz by approximately a third of the day.

Many people divide the morning meal, when we are still able to eat bread, into two meals, and complete the chometz part of the later meal when it is still permitted. Although most authorities rule that seudah shelishis must be eaten in the afternoon, some opinions contend that one can fulfill eating three meals on Shabbos with a bread meal at night and two bread meals in the morning. Although the later authorities rule that, in general, seudah shelishis must be eaten in the afternoon, when Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, some recommend dividing the morning meal into two halves (Magen Avraham 444:1). Since there are many opinions how to do this, someone following this approach should ask his rav or posek what to do.

Bear in mind that, assuming you will be eating chometz at the Friday night and/or the Shabbos morning meal, you should have a system planned for disposing of the leftover chometz. I suggest purchasing pitas, bagels or a similar bread product that does not produce many crumbs, calculate carefully how many you need, and then carefully brush off the crumbs in an open area or flush them down the toilet. If your rav or posek advises differently, please follow his instructions.

After eating the last of the chometz, it is very important to remember to recite the second bitul chometz, which, in an ordinary year, is recited after the chometz is burnt.

Third meal on Erev Pesach

Hundreds of years ago, a vast literature developed concerning how one fulfills eating the third meal on the Shabbos that coincides with Erev Pesach. Simply put, how can the third meal of Shabbos be eaten in the afternoon and consist of bread, if one may not then eat either chometz or matzoh?

Several options present themselves.

Tosafos (Pesachim 99b s.v. Lo) suggests eating matzoh ashirah, which is a matzoh produced using juice as its liquid, rather than water. According to the Gemara (Pesachim 36a), matzoh ashirah cannot be used to fulfill the mitzvah of eating matzoh at the seder. Therefore, it might not be included in the prohibition against eating matzoh on Erev Pesach, since this prohibition should be limited to matzoh that can be used to fulfill the mitzvah seder night.

In practical terms, the most common variety of matzoh ashirah available in North America is a product called “egg matzoh.” This is really a misnomer, because the two main ingredients in egg matzoh are flour and 100% pure apple juice (not made from concentrate). In Israel, there are other varieties of matzoh ashirah available, including matzoh baked with grape juice (instead of water or apple juice), and matzoh ashirah cookies, baked with juice and chocolate (instead of water). The last of these products has a decided taste advantage over the other matzoh ashirah products, in my opinion as an avid consumer.

Although a Sefardi can fulfill the mitzvah of seudah shelishis by eating matzoh ashirah in the afternoon of Erev Pesach, Ashkenazic custom, going back to the times of the late rishonim (but not as far back as the time of Tosafos), is to refrain from eating matzoh ashirah on all of Pesach, except for the elderly, the ill and children. The main reason for this prohibition is because even a small amount of water mixing into a dough made with juice might make this dough into chometz.

Although some authorities permit Ashkenazim to eat matzoh ashirah on the afternoon of Erev Pesach (Shu’t Noda BiYehudah, Orach Chayim #21), conventional practice is not to.

By the way, those who use matzoh ashirah for Erev Pesach meals should be aware that most authorities rule that matzoh ashirah has the status of pas haba’ah bekisnin. While this is a topic beyond the scope of this article, those who decide to use matzoh ashirah should get direction from their rav or posek how much matzoh ashirah they need to eat in order to recite hamotzi, bensch, and fulfill the mitzvos of eating seudos Shabbos.

Seudah shelishis on Erev Pesach

So, if chometz is out, matzoh is out, and matzoh ashirah is out, does that eliminate all options of fulfilling the mitzvah of seudah shelishis in the afternoon of Shabbos that is Erev Pesach?

Actually, there are still several possibities.

The first one, which most people find surprising, is to eat cooked matzoh. No, I do not mean keneidlach, nor do I mean what some people know as cheremzelach. Let me explain the practical difference and the halachic ramifications:

Kneidelach, in English, matzoh balls, are made from matzoh meal, usually mixed with eggs and cooked in a soup. According to most authorities, kneidelach may be eaten on Erev Pesach, even in the afternoon, and even by those who have the custom not to eat matzoh from Purim or from Rosh Chodesh.

There are several halachic considerations regarding eating kneidelach for seudah shelishis in the afternoon of Erev Pesach.

1. According to those who rule that all three meals on Shabbos must be hamotzi, kneidelach do not qualify, since they are not hamotzi. They are also not pas haba’ah bekisnin, and remain mezonos regardless of how many of them you eat.

2. According to some authorities (see Gra, Orach Chayim, 444:1), they may not be eaten on Erev Pesach because of the prohibition against eating matzoh on Erev Pesach. As I noted before, most authorities do not rule this way, including the Mishnah Berurah, who recommends eating kneidelach as part of your seudah shelishis on Erev Pesach.

3. Remember that Chazal prohibited eating a meal in the afternoon of Erev Pesach after three quarters of the day to make sure that people eat matzoh on seder night with an appetite (Pesachim 99b). The Mishnah Berurah rules that kneidelach are included in this prohibition.

4. Those who do not eat gebroktz, should check with their rav or posek whether they are permitted to eat kneidelach on Erev Pesach afternoon and how to prepare and serve them.

Cheremzelach

Cheremzelach are a type of latka made of fried matzoh meal. May these be eaten on Erev Pesach, or are they included in the prohibition against eating matzoh on Erev Pesach? Some poskim consider them to have the same halachic status as kneidelach and permit eating them in the afternoon of Erev Pesach for seudah shelishis (Chayei Adam).

However, the Mishnah Berurah paskens that they may not be eaten on Erev Pesach. In his opinion, although cheremzelach are not matzoh and we could not fulfill the mitzvah of eating matzoh on the seder night by eating them, they are close enough to matzoh to be included in the prohibition of eating matzoh on Erev Pesach.

Cooked matzoh

Kneidelach are made of cooked matzoh meal. Cheremzelach are fried latkas made from matzoh meal. So, what is cooked matzoh? It is a large piece of matzoh that is placed in a pot or pan on top of the stove, covered with water and then cooked gently, making sure that it does not disintegrate. (Obviously, this entire procedure needs to be performed before Shabbos.) As long as the matzoh does not disintegrate, the bracha recited on a large piece of cooked matzoh is hamotzi. According to most authorities, it is permitted to eat cooked matzoh on Erev Pesach, since you cannot fulfill the mitzvah of eating matzoh on seder night with cooked matzoh. Thus, it should be permitted to eat cooked matzoh on Erev Pesach, even if you have the custom not to eat matzoh from Purim or from Rosh Chodesh.

Although there are Sefardim who have an old mesorah to prepare their matzohs this way for seudah shelishis on Erev Pesach, this method of fulfilling seudah shelishis is unheard of among Ashkenazim. The question is why?

To the best of my knowledge, the earliest authority who mentions the possibility of using cooked matzoh for seudah shelishis on Erev Pesach is the Maharil, often considered one of the primary sources for recording minhagei Ashkenaz. He simply notes that he does not know why there is no custom to use cooked matzoh.

I know of several approaches to answer his question. One approach is that the mitzvah of eating three meals on Shabbos does not require that you prepare a product that you have no interest in eating.

Another approach is that eating three meals on Shabbos is a fulfillment of oneg Shabbos, making Shabbos a delight, and eating a product that most people do not enjoy does not fulfill the mitzvah, or is certainly not required. Unless you know of a really great recipe for cooked matzoh, most people would not consider this an appetizing solution.

A third approach is that it may, indeed, be prohibited to eat cooked matzoh on Erev Pesach. The Gra implies that, notwithstanding the opinion of Tosafos quoted above, eating matzoh ashirah or cooked matzoh on Erev Pesach violates Chazal’s prohibition to eat matzoh on Erev Pesach.

If you intend to eat this cooked matzoh in the afternoon of Erev Pesach, you should use Pesach-dik matzohs. Those who do not eat gebroktz and are careful not to cook matzoh in their Pesach pots, yet want to eat cooked matzoh for seudah shelishis on Erev Pesach, should discuss with their rav or posek how to prepare and serve it.

How do we pasken?

The primary authority for Ashkenazic practice is the Rema, who usually follows the decisions of the Maharil. Here, in two different places, the Rema reports that the accepted practice is to fulfill the mitzvah of eating seudah shelishis on Erev Pesach that falls on Shabbos by eating in the afternoon meat or other filling foods (Orach Chayim 291:5; 444:1).

It is interesting to note that the Mishnah Berurah advocates eating kneidelach for seudah shelishis on Erev Pesach. This is curious, because of the following: As opposed to cooked matzoh, whose bracha is hamotzi, the bracha on kneidelach is mezonos. I noted that the Shulchan Aruch and the Mishnah Berurah ruled that, in general, we should eat hamotzi for seudah shelishis. Yet the Mishnah Berurah advocates fulfilling seudah shelishis on Erev Pesach by eating kneidelach as the best of our options.

Review

Although the Shulchan Aruch himself rules that, in general, one should eat bread to fulfill the mitzvah of eating seudah shelishis, the Rema rules that when Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, we may rely on the opinions that permit fulfilling the mitzvah by eating other foods. Therefore, the following options exist regarding eating seudah shelishis on Erev Pesach:

Most Ashkenazim follow the opinion that you eat a Shabbos meal that includes everything but the hamotzi. Eating kneidelach as part of this meal is preferable, at least according to the Mishneh Berurah.

Sefardim fulfill this meal by eating either cooked matzoh or matzoh ashirah. If the decision is to fulfill seudah shelishis by eating matzoh ashirah, consult a posek how much matzoh ashirah must be eaten to recite hamotzi.

For those eating cooked matzoh, matzoh ashirah or kneidelach, it is required to eat this meal before three quarters of the day has passed, measuring the day from sunrise to sunset.

Conclusion

According to Kabbalah, searching for chometz is symbolic of searching within ourselves to locate and remove our own arrogant selves. As we go through the mitzvos of cleaning the house, searching and destroying the chometz, we should also focus on the spiritual side of this “search-and-destroy” mission.

More on Seudah Shelishis

There are two reasons why we are studying the topic of seudah shelishis this week. First of all, the 39 melachos of Shabbos are derived from the laws of the building of the Mishkan, making the laws of Shabbos appropriate for this week. Secondly, in a few short weeks we will be celebrating the rare observance of Erev Pesach that falls on Shabbos. Observing that phenomenon requires knowledge of the laws of eating three meals on Shabbos. So, we are getting prepared in advance

Question #1: Double on Friday!

Does someone who eats two meals on Friday night and only one on Shabbos day fulfill the mitzvah of eating three meals on Shabbos?

Question #2: Split Feature

May I divide my Shabbos morning meal in half, thereby fulfilling seudah shelishis?

Question #3: Early Seudah Shelishis

How early may I eat seudah shelishis?

Answer

In an article I published recently, we discussed the mitzvah to eat three meals on Shabbos, which might be required min haTorah. We learned of the dispute between tanna’im whether the requirement is to eat three meals during the course of the entire Shabbos, or whether it is to eat three meals during the daytime of Shabbos, plus a Friday evening meal, for a total of four meals. We also learned that the rishonim disagree on whether the last of the Shabbos meals must include bread. The conclusion of the Shulchan Aruch and most late authorities requires eating bread for the third Shabbos meal, and that this should be done by reciting hamotzi upon two whole loaves of bread or rolls (lechem mishneh). Both men and women are obligated to fulfill the mitzvah of eating three meals on Shabbos, despite the fact that it is a time-bound positive mitzvah (mitzvas aseih sheha’zeman grama).

We have not yet discussed or resolved several halachic issues germane to the mitzvah of eating three seudos on Shabbos. Is there a time frame within which these three meals must be eaten? For example, may I eat all three meals Friday night? Let’s say that after the Friday night seudah, Reuven decides to make hamotzi when attending a neighbor’s shalom zachor. Or, perhaps, he joined a Friday night sheva berachos for dessert and made hamotzi to satisfy the requirements of a minyan. Upon returning home after the bread, beer, peanuts and chickpeas of the shalom zachor, or the bread, cake, pareve ice cream and wine of the sheva berachos, Reuven makes hamotzi again and has a third seudah. Has he now fulfilled eating the three meals of Shabbos and can sleep (or diet) the entire Shabbos day?

Alternatively, Shimon is invited to a sit-down hamotzi kiddush after an early minyan Shabbos morning. His wife, who prefers to catch up on some much-needed shuteye on Shabbos morning, sleeps until eleven, and then, when Shimon returns from the morning kiddush, joins him for a splendid repast that ends with plenty of time for him to learn with each of his seven sons before he leaves to catch the earliest mincha gedolah minyan in the neighborhood. His wife still needs to eat seudah shelishis, but has Shimon now fulfilled his obligation to eat three meals on Shabbos, one on Friday night and two on Shabbos morning?

Or, an actual shaylah that I was once asked. A mohel had a Shabbos bris to perform that was a considerable distance from his home, and he could not join them for the bris seudah. In order to daven in shul and attend the bris, his only option was to leave his home early Shabbos morning, daven in a shul near the bris, perform the bris and then walk back, arriving home on Shabbos afternoon. Does he fulfill the three meals of Shabbos by eating two of them either on Friday night or on Shabbos afternoon?

A similar shaylah often presents itself among nurses, doctors, other emergency personnel or family members who must be in the hospital on Shabbos or in another setting in which they have little control over their schedule. Does one fulfill the three meals of Shabbos by eating two of them either Friday night or Shabbos afternoon?

Rabbi Chidka

To answer these questions, we will discuss a beraysa that records a dispute between the tanna kamma and Rabbi Chidka, whether we are required to eat three meals on Shabbos or four (Shabbos 117b-118a).

The pasuk in the Torah says, “And Moshe said, eat it today, for today is Shabbos for Hashem. Today you will not find it [the mann] in the field” (Shemos 16:25). The requirement to eat three meals on Shabbos is derived from this pasuk, because the word hayom is written three times. The tanna kamma understands that the requirement is to eat three meals over the course of Shabbos, whereas Rabbi Chikda learns that three meals required during Shabbos day, with an additional requirement to eat a meal on Friday night – for a total of four meals.

Proof from a Mishnah

The Gemara endeavors to prove whether a Mishnah holds like the tanna kamma, like Rabbi Chidka, or perhaps like neither. Before quoting this Mishnah, I need to provide an introduction. The Mishnah (ibid. 117b) discusses a situation in which a house is burning on Shabbos, but there is no risk to life from the fire (see Rema, Orach Chayim 334:26) – for example, all the people in the house can exit safely, and there is no risk of the fire spreading to another building; perhaps it is a farmhouse or exurban house very distant from any neighbors. It is also discussing a situation in which taking items out of the burning house does not involve any prohibition against carrying on Shabbos – in other words, there is an eruv or other halachically acceptable way to carry the items out of the house.

Under the above conditions, Chazal allowed removing from the burning house only as much food as is needed to provide for the meals of Shabbos.

In these circumstances, why do Chazal limit how much one may carry out of the house?

The Gemara explains that the concern is that since a person becomes confused when he may lose money, he might violate Shabbos in ways that are not permitted, such as by extinguishing the fire (Shabbos 117b). The concern is that once someone gets involved in saving things from a fire, he may forget that it is Shabbos (see Tosafos Yom Tov). By providing very specific rules as to what he may save from the fire and what he may not, Chazal ensure that he will not forget that it is Shabbos, and he will be attentive to what he is permitted to do even under stressful circumstances. This demonstrates the absolute brilliance and depth of understanding of the human psyche that Chazal displayed in the way they created their takkanos.

The Mishnah mentions a dispute concerning how much food may be removed from the fire. Theunnamed first opinion (stam Mishnah) rules that it is permitted to save enough for the meals that he intends to eat on Shabbos, but no food for after Shabbos – not even for melaveh malkah, the meal of motza’ei Shabbos. Therefore, the stam Mishnah states that if a fire began on Friday night, it is permitted to remove from the burning house three Shabbos meals. If the fire started Shabbos morning, it is permitted to remove food for two meals. And if it is in the afternoon, which the Mishnah calls “mincha,” it is permitted to save only one meal.

Rabbi Yosi disagrees, ruling that it is always permitted to remove three meals. He contends that once it is sometimes permitted to save three meals, the gezeirah of how much to remove is not contingent on when during the Shabbos day the fire is discovered – it is always permitted to save three meals (Rashi to the Mishnah, Shabbos 117b).

How much can you drink?

By the way, according to all opinions it is permitted to remove as much beverage as you can possibly drink, even late in the afternoon, since a person is never certain how much he might want to drink (Tosefes Shabbos, cited in Biur Halacha 334:1 s.v. Uveshacharis). I am unaware of any distinction made between soft drinks and harder beverages. Thus, although chas veshalom that anyone should ever have a household fire, bear in mind that, within the eruv, you can haul out your entire supply of Chivas Regal on Shabbos.

Tanna kamma or Rabbi Chidka?

In order to understand the proofs regarding whether the three meals of Shabbos must be eaten at certain times of the day, we need to analyze a passage of Gemara. The Gemara seeks clarity as to whether the Mishnah holds like the tanna kamma that there is a requirement to eat three meals on Shabbos, or like Rabbi Chidka, who requires four meals. Ultimately, this depends on how we understand the Mishnah. When the Mishnah permits saving three meals from a burning house on Friday evening, was it discussing someone who had already consumed his Friday night repast when he discovered the fire, or someone who had not yet eaten his meal? This technical question will reveal to us whether the Mishnah holds like the tanna kamma or like Rabbi Chidka. If he has already eaten his Friday night meal, yet the Mishnah still permits saving three meals, clearly the Mishnah holds according to Rabbi Chidka that three additional meals are to be consumed on Shabbos.

If the Mishnah’s case was when he has not yet eaten the Friday night meal, the Mishnah holds like the tanna kamma, since it allows saving three meals and not four, thus not allowing for the fourth meal required by Rabbi Chidka. Since there is no way to know whether the Mishnah’s fire was discovered before or after he ate his Shabbos meal, we cannot prove from this part of the Mishnah on its own whether its author held like the tanna kamma or Rabbi Chidka.

A similar discussion takes place regarding the case in the Mishnah when the homeowner discovers a fire on Shabbos morning – and there, the Mishnah rules that he can save two meals. If the Mishnah refers to someone who has not yet eaten his Shabbos morning repast, and yet it holds that he saves two meals, the Mishnah holds like the tanna kamma. On the other hand, if he has already eaten his Shabbos morning repast, and the Mishnah permits saving two meals, the Mishnah must hold like Rabbi Chidka, who contends that he has two more meals to eat. As with our case above, it is unclear whether this Mishnah is describing someone who discovered the fire before he ate his morning meal or after. Although it is clear that the Mishnah’s author had an opinion regarding the dispute between the tanna kamma and Rabbi Chidka, we cannot determine which way he held on the basis of this part of the Mishnah alone.

The same analysis is germane to the Mishnah’s ruling regarding saving only one meal on Shabbos afternoon, a time period which the Mishnah calls “mincha.” If the Mishnah refers to someone who has not yet eaten his Shabbos afternoon meal, yet it holds that he can save only one meal, then we know that the Mishnah holds like the tanna kamma. On the other hand, if he has already eaten his seudah shelishis and the Mishnah holds that he can save another meal, the Mishnah must hold like Rabbi Chidka, who contends that he has yet to eat a fourth meal. Here, too, we cannot determine which way the Mishnah holds.

Before we discuss the Gemara’s conclusion about whether the Mishnah requires three or four seudos, let us note several important observations. Although the beraysa mentions the position of Rabbi Chidka, there is no allusion as to when Rabbi Chidka holds that the three meals should be eaten, other than that they must all be eaten during the daytime part of Shabbos.

Now, if the Mishnah is according to Rabbi Chidka, it could be possible that on Shabbos afternoon a person could still have two meals to eat. Yet the Mishnah allows only one meal to be saved at “mincha” time. This implies that, according to Rabbi Chidka, he is required to eat one meal Shabbos morning, a second before the time called mincha, and a third sometime thereafter.

Based on the assumption of the Mishnah that mincha time is before someone has eaten their last meal of Shabbos, Tosafos rules that seudah shelishis must be eaten after mincha time (Shabbos 118a s.v. Bamincha). This is also the opinion of several other rishonim (Rambam, Hilchos Shabbos 30:9; Hagahos Maimaniyos ad loc. quoting Rabbeinu Tam; see Mordechai, #397). Thus, according to these rishonim, Shimon, who ate two seudos on Shabbos morning, did not fulfill the mitzvah of eating three meals on Shabbos, since he ate his third meal in the morning and did not wait until the afternoon to eat it. Certainly, Reuven, who ate all three meals at night, did not fulfill this mitzvah correctly.

Ba’al Halachos Gedolos

The Ba’al Halachos Gedolos (usually abbreviated Behag) has a different approach. He rules that it is permitted to split the Shabbos morning meal in half, bensch in the middle of the meal and wash again – and thereby it qualifies as two meals, (Shabbos 6:19:2). The rishonim cite other evidence to this practice from other passages of Gemara: one passage that discusses how much chometz you can leave over when erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, and another regarding washing dishes on Shabbos that will be used in the course of Shabbos. Tosafos notes this to have been a common custom, but raises two objections to the practice. First, seudah shelishis must be eaten in the afternoon, as is implied by the Gemara in Shabbos quoted above, and these people ate in the morning. This objection is deflected by other rishonim. The Mordechai (Shabbos #397), quoting Rabbi Eliezer of Metz, the author of Sefer Yerei’im, and others, explains that the Mishnah is simply estimating how much food a person would usually consume during that part of the day, but not delineating when the meal must be eaten (see also Rosh, Shabbos 16:5).

Beracha she’einah tzericha

The second objection of Tosafos is that the method suggested by the Behag involves reciting berachos she’einan tzerichos – berachos that are unnecessary, since a person is bensching and reciting new berachos of netilas yadayim and hamotzi only in order to count one meal as two.

Obviously, the Behag was not concerned that this practice generates berachos she’einan tzerichos. Some authorities explain that since the purpose of splitting the meal this way is to fulfill the mitzvah of eating three meals on Shabbos, that itself makes all the berachos purposeful. A beracha she’einah tzericha is, by definition, a beracha recited without any purpose at all.

Despite Tosafos’ objections, the Behag’s approach is quoted approvingly by the Ran, who explains that it is not necessary to fully interrupt the meal; it is sufficient, he says, to bensch, throw a cloth on top of the food, recite hamotzi again, uncover the food, eat another kebeitzah-size piece of bread and bensch a second time.

Gemara’s conclusion

Ultimately, the Gemara demonstrates that the Mishnah does not hold like Rabbi Chidka because of a different reason. A principle of the Mishnah and the Gemara is that when a dispute is recorded, this is the only matter in which the two disputants disagree. Based on this, we can prove that Rabbi Yosi – who permits saving three meals any time of the day — holds like the tanna kamma in the dispute of the beraysa between the tanna kamma and Rabbi Chidka. If Rabbi Yosi held like Rabbi Chidka, he would permit removing four meals from the burning house, since there are times that one might need to evacuate the house before eating any Shabbos meals. Yet, Rabbi Yosi permits removal of only three meals – meaning that the maximum number of meals that you are ever required to eat on Shabbos is three!

So the dispute between the stam Mishnah and Rabbi Yosi is not how many meals you are required to eat on Shabbos, but whether Chazal permitted the same number of meal retrievals regardless of the time of day. Therefore, we can demonstrate that the stam Mishnah also held according to the tanna kamma and not Rabbi Chidka (Shabbos 118a with Rashi).

On an ordinary Shabbos, fulfilling the mitzvah of eating three meals should not present any major difficulty or require extensive planning. One should simply follow the conclusion of the Shulchan Aruch, who requires that all three Shabbos meals be bread-based, one on Friday night, a second in the morning, and the third on Shabbos afternoon.

This sequence is halachically preferable. However, we have endeavored to determine what the halacha is in unusual situations. As we have seen, according to most authorities, eating the three Shabbos meals by combining two or more of them into one part of the day does not fulfill the mitzvah. Nevertheless, since there are authorities who rule that this practice fulfills the mitzvah, someone who cannot follow the optimal way to fulfill the mitzvah should still try to have three meals on Shabbos and fulfill the mitzvah according to the Behag’s opinion, namely, that one must eat three meals over the course of Shabbos, but the time when one eats them is not a halachic concern.

Next week’s exciting article will outline how we observe, in practice, these laws on Erev Pesach.

Conclusion

The entire takkanah of saving food from a fire is highly unusual. While observing Shabbos, we need to focus constantly on what we do and how we do it. The laws of moving muktzah fulfill a similar goal. Implementing the laws of muktzah requires the details of Shabbos observance to be on our minds constantly.

Creating a beautiful Shabbos entails much planning and organization. Studying all the halachos of Shabbos helps us appreciate Shabbos more, and enables us to achieve maximum joy and growth on this special day.

Some of the Laws of Seudah Shelishis

Question #1: Min haTorah or not?

Is eating three meals on Shabbos a Torah requirement?

Question #2: Shaloshudis?

Why do most people slur the word and pronounce it as shaloshudis? Should it not be called seudah shelishis?

Question #3: Three and over

What is required to be eaten for the third meal on Shabbos?

Answer:

The mitzvah of celebrating Shabbos is mentioned by the prophet Yeshayahu (58:13), in his famous words, vekarasa laShabbos oneg, “And you shall call Shabbos a delight.” Although this observance is not mentioned in the written Torah, many authorities rule that it has a halachic status of being min haTorah. It may be included in the Torah’s words mikra’ei kodesh (Vayikra 23:2, see Ramban, as explained by Shaar Hatziyun 242:1). Alternatively, it was originally a halacha leMoshe miSinai, meaning part of the Torah Shebe’al Peh without allusion in the written Torah, until Yeshayahu stated this requirement (Chasam Sofer, Shabbos 118a). The Gemara (Yoma 71b) instructs that some halachic rulings had been halacha leMoshe miSinai until the nevi’im taught them. As the Ramban explains (Notes to Sefer Hamitzvos, Shoresh II), since a navi may not add to the Taryag mitzvos, if this requirement was introduced by Yeshayahu, it would have the status of a takkanas chachamim introduced by the great Torah scholar Yeshayahu, who also happened to be a prophet.

The Chasam Sofer (Shabbos 118a) appears to be of the opinion that no early authority held that the mitzvah is only miderabbanan. After mentioning that some poskim understand the requirement to celebrate the Shabbos not to be min haTorah, the Mishnah Berurah (Shaar Hatziyun 242:1) notes that people should not treat this mitzvah lightly. He suggests that, perhaps, it should be treated even more strictly than a Torah requirement.

Three meals

As part of the observance of oneg Shabbos, Chazal required that we eat three meals every Shabbos. Although the Mishnah never mentions directly a requirement to eat three meals on Shabbos, a beraysa from the era of the Mishnah does report it (Shabbos 117b). This beraysa records a dispute between the tanna kamma, who rules that three meals are required, and Rabbi Chidka, who requires that we eat four meals every Shabbos. The Gemara provides an extensive discussion regarding this dispute.

The famous amora, Rabbi Yochanan, explains that both tanna’im derive their ruling from seemingly extra words in the same pasuk that states, regarding the mann, “And Moshe said, eat it today, for today is Shabbos for Hashem. Today you will not find it (the mann) in the field” (Shemos 16:25). Rabbi Yochanan notes that the word hayom, today, is written three times in the pasuk, and refers each time to Shabbos. This is the midrashic source for eating three meals on “the day” — Shabbos. In other words, eating extra meals on Shabbos is a way to remind us that Hashem provided for us in the Desert.

The tanna kamma understands the pasuk to be requiring that three meals are eaten in the course of Shabbos, whereas Rabbi Chidka derives that the three meals must be consumed during the daytime of Shabbos.

Three meals or four?

Having established that the tanna kamma requires three meals each Shabbos, and Rabbi Chidka requires four, the Gemara discusses whether proof can be rallied from various Mishnayos regarding whether it held like either of these opinions or, perhaps, held a potential third position. In this context, the Gemara cites a Mishnah (Peah 8:7) that reports that there were many levels of tzedakah collection in the days of Chazal, among them was one called tamchuy (literally, plate or platter) and another called kuppah (literally, box). The tamchuy, which was what we call a soup kitchen, supplied meals for anyone who arrived in a Jewish community. Any pauper, whether resident or itinerant, was entitled to eat at the tamchuy (Tosefta, Peah Chapter 4). However, only those who did not have enough money or food for two meals were eligible.

The kuppah was restricted to the local poor (Tosefta, Peah 4:8). Itwas intended for those who were relatively well off –enough to provide at least for their next fourteen meals. The Mishnah assumes that a poor person is satisfied with two meals a day, one in the morning and one in the evening (no free lunch), and that the kuppah is for those who do not anticipate being able to support themselves and their families with minimal food requirements for the coming week.

Someone with sufficient financial resources to expect that he will have fourteen meals was not permitted to join either the tamchuy or the kuppah. Someone who had two meals, but not fourteen, was permitted to collect from the kuppah, but not from the tamchuy.

The question raised by the Gemara was that the Mishnah does not seem to agree with either the tanna kamma or Rabbi Chidka. According to the tanna kamma, since the requirement for participation in the kuppah was the ability to provide for yourself and your family for the next week, why does the Mishnah state that the minimal requirement for the tanna kamma is someone who has fourteen meals. Since there is a requirement to eat three meals on Shabbos according to the tanna kamma, and four according to Rabbi Chidka, the kuppah limit should be higher – fifteen meals according to the tanna kamma, and sixteen meals according to Rabbi Chidka, allowing for the extra meals required on Shabbos. Upon this basis, the Gemara suggests that the Mishnah represents a third opinion, which requires only two meals on Shabbos.

After a bit of discussion, the Gemara concludes that, indeed, the Mishnah’s ruling is not universally held. However, the author of this Mishnah is Rabbi Akiva (Pesachim 112a, 113a), whose dispute is not with the tanna kamma or Rabbi Chidka regarding the requirement to eat extra meals on Shabbos, but in a different subject. Rabbi Akiva rules that, although there is a requirement to eat extra meals on Shabbos, the requirement does not extend to someone who will require tzedakah funds to provide the extra meals (Shabbos 118a). The rishonim dispute whether we rule according to Rabbi Akiva or not (see Rambam, Hilchos Shabbos 30:9, who rules unlike Rabbi Akiva).

The Shulchan Aruch rules according to Rabbi Akiva, although he qualifies the ruling somewhat: “Even a person who is in need of financial assistance should exhibit his desire to honor Shabbos by minimizing what he eats during the weekdays, in order to be able to have a respectable Shabbos meal. The ruling [of Rabbi Akiva] that you should make your Shabbos as a weekday and not utilize tzedakah funds applies only to someone who is truly needy” (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 242:1).

Melaveh malkah

Although our article has been discussing exclusively the three meals of Shabbos, and not the motza’ei Shabbos meal of melaveh malkah, we would be remiss not to note the following discussion. In his commentary on this passage of Gemara, Rashi asks the following question: When the Gemara discusses whether the extra Shabbos meals are included in the qualifications for the kuppah, why does it not take into consideration the melaveh malkah meal that one should eat on motza’ei Shabbos (see Shabbos; Tur and Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 300)? Rashi answers that tzedakah funds are not used to provide for melaveh malkah (Shabbos 118a s.v. achlei). I am aware of two other approaches to answer this question.

1. The Magen Avraham explains that if you ate seudah shelishis late, there is no requirement to eat bread for melaveh malkah, but you can fulfill the mitzvah by eating fruit (Orach Chayim 300). Since the Tosefta (Peah Chapter 4) mentions that a poor person provided from the communal funds is also provided with fruits and vegetables, he can leave over from these for his melaveh malkah.

2. The Ba’eir Heiteiv (Orach Chayim 300:1) quotes from the Ohr Zarua that if you extend seudah shelishis into night, you thereby fulfill the mitzvah of eating melaveh malkah.

According to both of these approaches, someone can fulfill the mitzvah of melaveh malkah without needing extra support from the tzedakah funds.

Bread or not?

The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim 291:5) cites a four-way dispute among rishonim, whether the third meal of Shabbos must be a bread meal. He quotes the following opinions:

1. The third meal must be a bread meal (Mordechai, Shabbos #397, quoting Yerei’im and Maharam; Tosafos, Brachos 49b s.v. ei nami).

2. The third meal can be either mezonos or a bread meal (Tosafos, Sukkah 27a s.v. beminei; see also Tosafos, Yoma 79b s.v. minei).

3. The third meal can be meat or fish, and need not include bread (Mordechai, Shabbos #397, quoting Ra’avyah). Ra’avayah states that eating something that would be considered a delicacy fulfills the mitzvah of eating the third meal.

4. The third meal can be fruit (Ramban; Rashba; Ran all to Shabbos 118a).

It should be noted that all authorities agree that it is preferable to have a bread meal for seudah shelishis, and the other three approaches are to be followed only under extenuating circumstances (Bach; Mishnah Berurah).

Two other opinions

5. Among rishonim, we find yet a fifth, more lenient opinion, that of the Rashba, who contends that one can fulfill any of the three meals of Shabbos by eating fruit. It is possible that he is assuming, similar to the Ra’avyah quoted above, that it must be something unusual to demonstrate the kavod and oneg of Shabbos, and not just eating an apple. This position is not accepted by most authorities, who rule that only the third meal may have this lenience (Tosafos, Pesachim 101a s.v. te’imu; Tur Orach Chayim 274). Those who have difficulty eating grain products can explore with their rav or posek the possibility of relying upon the Rashba’s approach.

6. There is, possibly, yet a sixth opinion, quoted in the name of the Zohar (Parshas Emor), that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai fulfilled the mitzvah of seudah shelishis on Erev Pesach by learning Torah. It is unclear if this Zohar is meant to be understood literally as a halachic opinion, and, even if it is, is it meant to reflect something specifically related to Erev Pesach. Nevertheless, since I have seen it quoted in a halachic context, I share this with our readers.

At this point, we can address one of our opening questions: What is required to be eaten for the third meal on Shabbos?

According to the accepted conclusion of Shulchan Aruch, the third meal of Shabbos for both men and women should include bread. By the way, it should also have two whole loaves on the table, lechem mishneh. This latter halacha applies equally to women and men (Ran, Shabbos).

Under extenuating circumstances, to be discussed with an individual’s rav or posek, it may be permitted to eat mezonos, meat, fish or fruit instead of a full seudah and thereby fulfill the mitzvah of seudah shelishis, which, as we noted above, might be a requirement min haTorah. Someone who has medical issues that preclude his consuming bread at the third meal of Shabbos, or on Erev Pesach, when having three bread meals presents a challenge, can discuss with his rav or posek what to do.

Shaloshudis?

We can also address, at this point, another of our opening questions: Why do most people slur the word and pronounce it as shaloshudis? Should it not be called seudah shelishis?

Indeed, the correct pronunciation of this meal is seudah shelishis, or, in Sefardic and Israeli pronunciation, seudah shelishit. The history of its being called shaloshudis appears to be as follows:

Although having three meals on Shabbos, one on Friday night and two on Shabbos day, should not be a difficult mitzvah to fulfill, many viewed eating bread to fulfill the third meal as a burden. They stated quickly, “we need to fulfill shalosh seudos,” a tongue twister, which easily slurs into shaloshudis. (Similar slurrings occur when people wish one another “a guten yontif,” instead of a guten Yom Tov, or when reading the posuk in Hallel as “ki le’olam chazdo,”instead of ki le’olam chasdo, as the posuk states.)

Kiddush bimkom seudah

It should be noted that a dispute similar to the machlokes rishonim I cited above regarding what one is required to eat for seudah shelishis, exists regarding kiddush bimkom seudah. This means that when one recites kiddush on Friday night or Shabbos morning, one fulfills the mitzvah of kiddush only when he intends to eat a meal at the same time and place (Pesachim 101a; Shulchan Aruch¸Orach Chayim 273 and 289:1). (The details of the laws of kiddush bimkom seudah are quite extensive and will be dealt with at a different time.) The question is: What constitutes a meal?

There are four major opinions:

1. A bread meal (Maasei Rav #122;see also Biur Halacha 273:5 s.v. kosvu).

2. Mezonos (Rabbi Akiva Eiger commentary to Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 273:

3. Wine or mezonos (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 273:5; Magen Avraham 273:11).

4. Fruit (Shiltei Hagiborim, quoted by Magen Avraham 273:11; and accepted as definitive by Rav Yitzchak Elchanan Spector, Shu’t Ein Yitzchak, Orach Chayim #12).

We should note that the Shulchan Aruch quotes only the third opinion. Following this approach, standard practice on Shabbos morning is to recite kiddush and then eat mezonos to accomplish kiddush bimkom seudah. There are individuals who may wish to be stringent and follow opinion #1, and make sure to eat hamotzi when they recite kiddush Shabbos morning. This is mentioned by his disciples as the Vilna Gaon’s personal practice, but is a personal stringency that may be followed only in a completely unobstrusive way and only after discussion with a gadol baTorah. I refer the reader to the insightful statement of Rav Eliyahu Dessler, Michtav Mei’eliyahu, Volume III, page 294, regarding the status of observing personal chumros that are not halachically mandated.

The fourth, and very lenient, opinion is quoted by some major halachic authorities, but is not usually considered a halachic position on which one can rely. However, someone may receive a special dispensation from their rav or posek to rely upon this approach and eat only fruit and consider it to be kiddush bimkom seudah. This will certainly be understandable for someone suffering from celiac, a food allergy or other medical situation in which consumption of any grain product is counterindicated.

Women and three meals?

Are women obligated to eat three meals on Shabbos, when it is a time-bound mitzvah?

Although the Gemara teaches that women are exempt from time-bound, positive mitzvos, the early halachic authorities require women to eat three meals on Shabbos. Nevertheless, we find a critical dispute as to why this mitzvah is an exception to the rule. Rabbeinu Tam rules that women are obligated because of the principle, af hein hayu be’oso haneis¸ they were also the beneficiaries of the miracle that is the basis of this mitzvah observance, since they also received the mann, upon which the three meals of Shabbos are based. On the other hand, the Ramban and the Ran rule that there is a more basic reason why women should observe this mitzvah: the two different references to the observance of Shabbos in the two versions of the Aseres Hadibros — zachor, remember,and shamor, observe –teach that in all mitzvos of Shabbos, men and women are equally obligated. In other words, we have a general principle that the laws of Shabbos are exceptions to the rule that women are not obligated in time-bound mitzvos. (There are practical halachic differences that result from this dispute. Those who would like to research them can look, for example, at Shu’t Rabbi Akiva Eiger #1.)

Conclusion

In reference to the pasuk from Yeshayahu, vekarasa laShabbos oneg, likdosh Hashem mechubad, “And you shall call Shabbos a delight, that day which is holy to Hashem should be honored”, the Ramban (Shemos 20:8) explains that observing Shabbos is not simply a day of rest, and it is certainly not intended to be a day of recreation. It is meant to be a day of holiness, where we draw our attention away from temporal and temporary involvement, ideas and values and, instead, provide pleasure for our bodies, lives and souls in the service of Hashem. This includes emphasizing Torah study, and spending time with Torah scholars, to hear what Hashem wants from us in our daily lives. As I explained at the onset of this article, celebrating Shabbos according to the Torah’s dictates is part of the Torah’s instruction for the proper observance of this Holy day.