Chapter 9. The Laws of Pesach That Falls on Shabbat

[The coming years in which Pesach will fall on Shabbat: 5789, 5792, 5796, 5799, 5802, 5803, 5806, 5809, 5816, 5819, 5823, 5826, 5829].

-- Preparations for the Seder night that falls on Shabbat --

Preparing salt water
A. One should prepare the salt water for dipping the karpas before Shabbat. If one forgot and did not prepare it before Shabbat — if he has vinegar, he should dip the karpas in vinegar; if he does not have vinegar, he may prepare salt water only in the amount needed for the Seder, and should prepare it in such a way that the salt placed in the water is less than two thirds of the quantity of water [1] .

Preparing the charoset
B. The charoset should be prepared before Shabbat. If one forgot and did not prepare it before Shabbat, one must be concerned for the prohibition of tochen — grinding — on Shabbat when cutting the fruits from which the charoset is made; therefore, he should cut them only into somewhat large pieces, and with a knife only, and he should do so close to the meal, for in this manner it is not included in the melachah of tochen [2] . Likewise, he should make a change when preparing the charoset: he should not make it as he does every year, as a thick mixture in remembrance of the mortar, but rather as a thin mixture by adding much wine until it becomes liquid. He should also make a change by putting in the wine before adding the fruit, and further change from the usual manner of preparation by stirring the mixture once lengthwise and removing the spoon, then widthwise and removing the spoon again, and so on several times until it is mixed [3] .

Preparing the chrein
C. Those who customarily take horseradish for the mitzvah of maror should prepare it before Shabbat and cover it until the time of the Seder. If one forgot and did not prepare it before Shabbat, he should cut it into large pieces close to the meal, so as not to come to the melachah of tochen [4] .

Washing the lettuce leaves
D. Those who customarily take lettuce leaves for the mitzvah of maror should check the leaves for worms before Shabbat. If they forgot and did not check them, they should check them on Shabbat against the light. If insects or worms are found, one should be careful not to wash the leaf; rather, he should remove them together with a little of the leaf itself [5] .

Roasting the zeroa
E. The zeroa should be roasted before Shabbat. If one forgot, he should take it as it is, i.e., cooked without roasting.

-- Laws of lighting Shabbat and Pesach candles --
Candles should be lit on Friday afternoon, and the blessing recited should be “to kindle the light of Shabbat and of Yom Tov” [even those who follow the opinions that on every Yom Tov one should light at night before the meal — in a year when Pesach falls on Shabbat, one should light before Shabbat].

There are women who customarily recite “Shehecheyanu” at the time of candle lighting, and there are women who customarily hear or recite “Shehecheyanu” at kiddush.

Those who customarily recite “Shehecheyanu” at candle lighting: if they themselves recite kiddush, they do not say “Shehecheyanu” during kiddush. However, if they hear kiddush from their husband or from others, there is room to question whether they may answer amen after the blessing of “Shehecheyanu” and drink from the cup. The basis of the doubt is whether, since they have already fulfilled their obligation of “Shehecheyanu,” answering amen is considered an interruption, and they would need to recite a blessing over drinking from the cup, as is the law for one who interrupts between the blessing of the person reciting kiddush and drinking; or whether this 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].

-- Kabbalat Shabbat and Ma’ariv --
There are various customs regarding the recitation of “Lechu Neranena” and “Lecha Dodi” on this Shabbat. The widespread custom is not to say “Lechu Neranena” and “Lecha Dodi,” and to say “Mizmor Shir LeYom HaShabbat.” “Bameh Madlikin” is not recited. One should hasten to pray Ma’ariv on time. After the chazzan’s repetition, “Vayechulu” is recited [6] [and the blessing me’ein sheva is not recited [7] ]; afterward, it is customary to recite the full Hallel [followed by full Kaddish].

-- “Shalom Aleichem” and Shabbat zemirot --
Regarding the recitation of “Shalom Aleichem” and the other Shabbat zemirot on Seder night that falls on Shabbat, customs differ [8] , and each person should follow the custom of his fathers; the widespread custom is not to say them.

-- Kiddush (“Kadesh”) --
In addition to intending to fulfill the mitzvah of Yom Tov through kiddush, one should intend to fulfill the mitzvah of Shabbat kiddush; see note [9] . The order of kiddush is: Vayechulu, the blessing Borei Peri HaGafen, the blessing of kiddush for the day [with mention of Shabbat], and the blessing Shehecheyanu. See above for the details of these laws.

-- The order for Motza’ei Shabbat after Pesach --
“Vihi Noam” is not recited, and “Veyiten Lecha” is recited [10] , and havdalah is made as usual on every Motza’ei Shabbat, with a candle and spices [strictly speaking, one may recite the blessing “Borei Minei Besamim” over cloves, because nowadays there is no concern of chametz in the alcohol they contain. One who is concerned about chametz in cloves should recite the blessing over hadassim].

[1] Magen Avraham (siman 473, se’if katan 5) in the name of Hagahot Maimoniyot, the Taz (ibid., se’if katan 3), and Mishnah
Berurah (ibid., se’if katan 21), that in this manner there is no prohibition similar to processing, as explained in Shulchan Aruch
(siman 321, se’if 2).
[2] Shulchan Aruch (siman 321, se’if 12) and Mishnah Berurah (ibid., se’if katan 45).
[3] Magen Avraham (siman 473, se’if katan 16), and Mishnah Berurah (siman 321, se’if katan 68).
[4] As above regarding charoset.
[5] Because of the prohibition of borer, as explained in Shulchan Aruch (siman 319, se’if 1), Be’er Heitev (ibid., se’if katan 2), and Mishnah Berurah (se’if katan 61).
[6] Mishnah Berurah (siman 487, se’if katan 9).
[7] Shulchan Aruch (siman 487, se’if 1) and Biur Halachah (siman 268).
[8] Rav Pe’alim (vol. 1, Sod Yesharim, siman 13), Vayaged Moshe (siman 13), Luach Eretz Yisrael.
[9] Indeed, kiddush of Yom Tov over wine is only rabbinic, as the Maggid Mishneh wrote (Shabbat, ch. 29) and the Magen Avraham (siman 271), whereas Shabbat kiddush over wine, according to several opinions (Tosafot, Nazir 4a, and others), is biblical. Therefore, when the Seder night falls on Shabbat, it is proper that one intend to fulfill the mitzvah according to the law.
[10] Pri Megadim (siman 295); see Aruch HaShulchan (ibid.), who writes not to say it.