Chapter 9. The Laws of Erev Pesach

-- Eating Matzah on Erev Pesach --

The prohibition
It is forbidden to eat matzah on Erev Pesach. Cooked matzah, kneidlach, and cookies kneaded with matzah meal are, according to the basic law, permitted to be eaten until the tenth hour, though some are stringent in this matter [1] .

A matzah dish
From the tenth hour ]half an hour before the time of minchah ketanah[, it is forbidden to eat even a small amount of a matzah dish, so that one will eat matzah with appetite. However, it is permitted to eat a small amount of fruit, vegetables, potatoes, meat, fish, or eggs, but one should not fill his stomach with them [2] .

A minor
A minor who does not understand what is recounted at night in the story of the Exodus from Egypt may be fed matzah [this is approximately up to age 5] [3] .

-- Work on Erev Pesach after midday --

The prohibition
A. It is forbidden to perform work on Erev Pesach after midday. When one does it for pay, even incomplete work is forbidden, even for the needs of Yom Tov; when done free of charge, only complete work, such as sewing a garment, is forbidden [4] .

Repairing clothing
B. Although sewing is forbidden, repairing old clothing free of charge is permitted as usual [5] .

If one began before midday
C. If one began work before midday, he must stop immediately at midday, even in the middle of the work.

Through a non-Jew
D. All forms of work are permitted through a non-Jew [6] .

Work permitted on Chol HaMoed
E. All work that is permitted on Chol HaMoed, such as preventing irretrievable loss, or simple non-professional work for the needs of the festival, as well as communal needs, is also permitted on Erev Pesach after midday [7] .

Laundering and haircuts
F. It is forbidden to launder and to take a haircut after midday, but through a non-Jew it is permitted [8] .

Ironing
G. Ordinary ironing is permitted until the onset of the festival, even by a Jew. Professional ironing that creates creases is forbidden.

By oneself
H. It is permitted for one to cut the hair of his head himself, since this is an unusual manner, but shaving the beard is forbidden even by oneself [9] . Hair removal for a woman is permitted on the entire body, except for the hair of the head [10] .

Laundering in a machine
It is permitted to start a washing machine before midday even though it will continue operating after midday.

Cutting nails
I. Ideally, one should cut them before midday; if one forgot or did not manage to do so, he may cut them after midday [11] .

Immersion on the eve of the festival
J. One should immerse on Erev Pesach after midday, and it is possible to advance the immersion even to an hour before midday [12] .

-- Candle lighting --

The mitzvah
K. It is a mitzvah to light Yom Tov candles [13] . Some have the custom to light them on Erev Yom Tov, and some have the custom to light close to the festival meal. One who has no established custom should light on Erev Yom Tov [14] .

Shehecheyanu
L. There are women who have the custom to recite “Shehecheyanu” at the time of candle lighting, and there are those whose custom is to hear or say “Shehecheyanu” at kiddush. One who has no established custom should hear or recite “Shehecheyanu” at the time of kiddush [15] .

Those who have the custom to recite “Shehecheyanu” at the time of candle lighting, if they make kiddush themselves, do not say “Shehecheyanu” in kiddush. If they hear kiddush from their husband or from others, then if they do not drink from the cup, they should answer amen to the blessing of “Shehecheyanu”; and if they do drink — there is room for uncertainty whether they may answer amen after the blessing of “Shehecheyanu” and drink from the cup. The basis of the uncertainty is that, since they have already fulfilled their obligation of “Shehecheyanu,” answering amen may be considered an interruption in kiddush, in which case they would need to recite a blessing over drinking from the cup, as is the law when one interrupts between the blessing of the one reciting kiddush and drinking; or perhaps answering amen is not considered an interruption. In practice, it appears that they should answer amen [especially since, in the Shehecheyanu blessing of kiddush, one has in mind all the mitzvot of the night] [16] .

[1] Shulchan Aruch (siman 471, se’if 2).
[2] Ibid. (se’if 1).
[3] Ibid. (se’if 2).
[4] Shulchan Aruch (siman 468, se’if 2).
[5] Ibid.
[6] Shulchan Aruch (siman 468, se’if 1).
[7] Mishnah Berurah (ibid., se’if katan 7).
[8] Shulchan Aruch (ibid., se’if 7) and Mishnah Berurah (se’if katan 5).
[9] Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De’ah, siman 399, se’if 3) and Shach (se’if katan 12).
[10] Shulchan Aruch (siman 546, se’if 5).
[11] Mishnah Berurah (siman 468, se’if katan 5).
[12] Mishnah Berurah (siman 471, se’if katan 22, and siman 128, se’if katan 165).
[13] Shulchan Aruch (siman 514, se’if 11).
[14] Mateh Ephraim (siman 625, se’if 33, and siman 599, se’if 10), Elef LaMateh (siman 625, se’if katan 51), and Pri Megadim (Mishbetzot Zahav, siman 260, se’if katan 3); and so was the practice in the home of the Chazon Ish
and the Kehilot Yaakov.
[15] Mishnah Berurah (siman 263, se’if katan 23); see also Mateh Ephraim (siman 581, se’if 54).
[16] See Shut Har Tzvi (siman 154).