Part I: Overview of Practical Guidance for Erev Pesach that Occurs on Shabbat
Part II: History of Erev Pesach on Shabbat
Part III: Erev Pesach and Pesach 5781
(Based on guidance written by Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner)
Issue 1: Sale of Hametz
We cannot sell our Hametz in the normal manner, since we cannot arrange sales on Shabbat.
If we were to sell our Hametz on Friday, we would run into a different problem – if we were to then eat Hametz on Shabbat, we could not add Hametz and utensils to the area containing the pre-sold Hametz.
Two solutions:
1. The sale will be transacted before Shabbat, stipulating that the sale will include Hametz that is in the designated locations as of Shabbat morning, at a time right before ownership of Hametz becomes prohibited.
2. Some halakhic sholars do not accept the idea of a sale which becomes binding on Shabbat. Therefore, they create sales that are effective before Shabbat, and they do not permit Hametz to be added to the sold areas during Shabbat. The sale of Hametz that ASBI will arrange with the Chicago Rabbinical Council will take effect before the onset of Shabbat. You will not be able to add additional hametz to the items you are selling once Shabbat begins.
Issue 2: Search for Hametz
We cannot conduct the search on Friday night, since the search involves moving a light from room to room.
We cannot conduct the search on Friday before Shabbat since the Talmud teaches that the search should be via candlelight which is most effective at night.
The solution:
We search on Thursday night, March 25th, when the stars emerge. Before searching we recite the blessing of “Al Biur Hametz,” and the “Kol Hamira.” The blessing marks the beginning of our destruction of Hametz; the “Kol Hamira” paragraph (the first one printed in the Siddur) annuls our ownership of any Hametz which has escaped our notice.
Issue 3: Burning Hametz
We cannot burn Hametz on Shabbat.
Technically, one may destroy Hametz by other means, even on Shabbat, but there is a desire to preserve the practice of burning Hametz.
The solution:
To preserve the practice of burning Hametz, we burn our Hametz on Friday, March 26th, before the sixth daylight hour. We do not recite any blessing at that time.
On Shabbat, after we finish eating Hametz, we dispose of the remaining Hametz in the manner recorded in Section 7 below.
Issue 4: Annulling Hametz
In an ordinary year, we recite one version of the “Kol Hamira” paragraph when searching for Hametz at night, and a second version when burning the Hametz on the next morning. (Both versions may be found on the first pages of most Haggadot and in the Artscroll and Koren siddurim). The language we use at night allows us to save some Hametz to use at breakfast. The language we use when we burn the Hametz states that we annul our ownership of all Hametz.
This year’s problem:
We cannot recite the second version of “Kol Hamira” when burning our Hametz, because we are keeping some Hametz for use on Shabbat.
The solution:
We do not recite “Kol Hamira” when burning our Hametz. We recite the first version when we search for Hametz, on Thursday night. We recite the second version of “Kol Hamira” on Shabbat morning, before the sixth daylight hour, after having disposed of Hametz as described below.
Issue 5: Shabbat Meals with Hametz
Utensils which are used with Hametz may not be washed on Shabbat, unless there is no other way to remove Hametz. This is because rinsing the utensils of Hametz would be an act of preparation for Pesah, and one may not prepare for Pesah during Shabbat.
Therefore, one should use disposable utensils, and dispose of them in the manner described below.
One who is eating Hametz should eat at a table which will not be used for food on Pesah. The standards for cleaning a surface which will not come into contact with food on Pesah are relatively lax; one need only clean off all visible Hametz, and the job is done.
Alternatively, prepare the table for Pesah before Shabbat and cover it with a disposable plastic cover. After the meal, dispose of the tablecloth in the manner described in Section 7 below. (Remember to place the candlesticks somewhere other than the table before lighting the Shabbat candles.)
All hot foods should be prepared as Pesah foods, with Pesah utensils, which should be kept apart from Hametz and from Hametz utensils.
Issue 6: Discarding Hametz on Shabbat
The Hametz which remains may be disposed of in one of three ways, before the sixth daylight hour:
1. Allow someone who is not Jewish to remove it for himself or herself.
2. Flush very small quantities down the toilet. (Some avoid this, because it is degrading to food).
3. Dispose of Hametz in a trash can or bag, declaring the can or bag “ownerless,” and leaving it outside one’s private property (e.g. in a dumster), and avoiding it during Pesah.
Please note that the options for disposal also apply to utensils used with Hametz.
We wash out our mouths once we have finished eating hametz.
We then recite the “Kol Hamira” paragraph, as explained above.
Issue 7: Se'udah Shlishit
We face competing mandates governing our Shabbat meals:
A. On one hand, many authorities rule that the third meal of Shabbat must be bread-based, like the first two meals.
B. On the other hand, the third meal is ideally eaten on Shabbat afternoon, at which time Hametz is forbidden!
Why not simply eat Matzah for the third meal? Because we do not eat Matzah on the day before Pesah, to increase excitement for Matzah at the Seder.
Three solutions:
Arrange an early Shacharit service, and then eat lunch as breakfast. Then:
1. Finish the Hametz “lunch” before the fifth daylight hour. During the afternoon (after the middle of the daylight hours), ideally after minchah, eat a third meal of matzah balls, meat, fish or fruit. It is important to be careful not to eat this third meal so close to Pesah that it diminishes one’s Seder appetite.
2. The first solution does not satisfy the view that the third meal must be bread-based. Those who wish to satisfy this view should split their “lunch” into two parts, reciting the “blessing after meals” and then taking a twenty minute break before starting to eat again, and completing both meals before the fifth daylight hour. Of course, this solution will not satisfy the view that the third meal should be after minchah, or at least after midday.
3. One can eat two "Third-Meals" one in the morning containing bread and one in the afternoon without bread.
(ב) זמנה משיגיע זמן המנחה דהיינו משש שעות ומחצה ולמעלה ואם עשאה קודם לכן לא קיים מצות סעודה שלישית: הגה י"א דאסור לשתות מים בין מנחה למעריב בשבת דאז חוזרים הנשמות לגיהנם וע"כ אין לאכול סעודה שלישית בין מנחה למעריב אלא יאכל אותה קודם מנחה (תוס' והרא"ש ומרדכי פ' ע"פ) וי"א דיותר טוב להתפלל מנחה תחלה (רמב"ם וטור והגהות מרדכי והגהות מיי' פ"ל ואגור) וכן נוהגים לכתחלה בכל מדינות אלו מ"מ אין לשתות מים מן הנהרות אבל בבית שרי וכ"ש שאר משקין דשרי (הגהות מיי' פ"ל) וי"א דאין אסור אלא תוך י"ב חודש של אביו ואמו (אגודה ומרדכי פ' ע"פ) וי"א דאיסור זה של שתיית מים אינו רק בע"ש (תוס' והרא"ש ומרדכי בשם רבי משולם והגהות מיי'):
(ג) אם נמשכה סעודת הבוקר עד שמגיע זמן המנחה יפסיק הסעודה ויברך ברכת המזון ויטול ידיו ויברך ברכת המוציא ויסעוד ונכון הדבר שאם לא היה עושה כן מאחר שנמשכה סעודת הבוקר עד אותה שעה לא היה יכול לאכול אח"כ אלא אכילה גסה: הגה אבל מי שיודע שאפשר לאכול אחר שיתפלל מנחה עם הצבור לא יעשה סעודה שלישית קודם מנחה מיהו אם עשאה יצא:
(ד) א"צ לקדש בסעודה שלישית אבל צריך לבצוע על שתי ככרות: הגה ואם סועד הרבה פעמים בשבת צריך לכל סעודה שתי ככרות (אבודרהם ומיי') ולפחות לא יהיה לו בסעודה שלישית פחות מככר א' שלם [טור ומרדכי פ' כ"כ] ומזה פשט המנהג להקל לבצוע בסעודה שלישית רק בככר אחד שלם אבל יש להחמיר ליקח שנים:
(ה) צריך לעשותה בפת ויש אומרים שיכול לעשותה בכל מאכל העשוי באחד מחמשת מיני דגן וי"א שיכול לעשותה בדברים שמלפתים בהם הפת כבשר ודגים אבל לא בפירות וי"א דאפילו בפירות יכול לעשותה וסברא ראשונה עיקר שצריך לעשותה בפת אא"כ הוא שבע ביותר: הגה או במקום שאי אפשר לו לאכול פת כגון בערב פסח שחל להיות בשבת שאסור לו לאכול פת לאחר מנחה כדלקמן בהלכות פסח: [מהרי"ל הלכות פסח]:
(2) 2. The time [of this meal] is from the time of minchah, which is from the sixth and a half hour onward. And if he does this earlier, he has not fulfilled the mitzvah of the third meal. RAMA: There are those who say that it is prohibited to drink water from Minhah until Maariv on Shabbat for that is when the souls return to Gehinom. And therefore one should not eat the third meal between Minhah and Maariv. Instead he should eat it before Minhah (Tosafot; the Rosh and Mordecai, chapter ten of Pesahim). And there are those who say that it is is preferable to pray Minhah first (Rambam, Tur, Hagahot Mordecai, Hagahot Maimoni, chapter 30 and Agur). And this is our preferred custom in all of these lands. And in any case one should not drink water from the rivers, but it is permissible in one's house. And all the more so other liquids are permissible (Hagahot Maimoni, chapter 30). And there are those who say that this is prohibited only during the twelve months after one's mother or father died (Agudah and Mordecai, chapter 10 of Pesahim). And there are those who say that this prohibition of drinking water is only on Friday eve (Tosafot, Rosh, and Mordecai in the name of R. Meshulam, and Hagahot Maimoni.)
(3) 3. If one’s morning meal is extended until the time of minchah, one should stop the meal, bless birkat hamazon, wash one's hands, say Hamotzei and then eat (the third meal). If one does not conduct himself in this manner, since the morning meal was extended this late, he will not be able to partake of the third meal except by eating uncomfortably. RAMA: However, one who knows that he is able to eat after saying Minchah with the congregation does not eat the third meal before Minchah; but if he did so, he has fulfilled his obligation.
(4) 4. It is not necessary to make kiddush during the third meal, but one must break bread over two loaves. RAMA: Even if one partakes of many meals on Shabbos, it is necessary to have two loaves for every meal (Avudraham; Maimoni). There are, however, authorities who maintain that even for the third meal, it is sufficient to have one complete loaf [Tur; Mordechai]. Accordingly, it has become widespread custom in these countries to rule leniently and to break bread for the third meal on one whole loaf. But there is what to be stringent in, to take two (loaves).
(5) 5. One must use bread. And there are those who say that one may use whatever food is made from the five types of grain (i.e. Wheat, barley, rye, oats, and spelt). And there are those who say that one may use things that go with bread, such as mean and fish, but not with fruit. There are some who say that even fruit may be used. The first opinion is the essence, that one must use bread unless he is really full. RAMA: Or in a place where it is impossible for one to eat bread, like on Erev Pesach that falls on Shabbat, where it is forbidden to eat bread after Minchah, as was brought in the laws of Pesach [Mahar"il, Laws of Pesach].
(א) דין ערב פסח שחל להיות בשבת. ובו ח' סעיפים:
י"ד שחל להיות בשבת בודקין ליל י"ג ומבערים הכל לפני השבת ומשיירין מזון שני סעודות לצורך השבת דסעודה שלישית זמנה אחר המנחה ואז אינו יכול לעשותה לא במצה ולא בחמץ אלא במצה עשירה וצריך לעשותה קודם שעה עשירית: הגה ובמדינות אלו שאין נוהגין לאכול מצה עשירה כדלקמן סימן תס"ב סעיף ד' בהג"ה יקיים סעודה שלישית במיני פירות או בבשר ודגים כדלעיל סי' רצ"א סעיף ה' בהגה:
When the 14th of Nissan occurs on Shabbat we search for Hametz on the 13th and burn everything before Shabbat and we leave over enough food for the first two Shabbat meals for the timing of the third meal is after Mincha time and at that time we are not able to have the meal with either matzah or hametz rather with matzah ashirah (egg matzah) and the meal should be eaten before the tenth hour.
Rema: And in our lands where we don't eat matzah ashirah (egg matzah) as said above in section 462:4 we have the third meal with fruit or meat or fish as is found above in 291:5.
(ה) וכתב רבינו הרמ"א: ובמדינות אלו שאין נוהגין לאכול מצה עשירה, כדלקמן סימן תסב – יקיים סעודה שלישית במיני פירות, או בבשר ודגים. עד כאן לשונו. ונראה שאין הכוונה דגם בערב פסח אין לאכול מצה עשירה לפי המנהג, דאין שום טעם בזה. אלא הכוונה כיון שאין מנהגינו לאכול בפסח מצה עשירה – ממילא דאין מכינין אצלינו מצה עשירה, ולהכין רק על סעודה שלישית – אין דרך בני אדם להטריח על מאכל קטן כזה. והנה גם אצלינו יכולין לעשות סעודה שלישית במצה מבושלת, והרבה נוהגין אצלינו כן. והקדים "מיני פירות" ל"בשר ודגים", אף על גב דבשר ודגים עדיפא מפירות לענין סעודה שלישית כמו שכתבתי לעיל סימן רצא, מכל מקום בערב פסח פירות עדיפי כדי שלא ישבע ויאכל מצה לתיאבון. ואולי מפני זה לא הזכיר גם מצה מבושלת, מפני שהיא משביע הרבה כידוע בחוש. ויש אומרים להפסיק סעודת שחרית לשנים, דיש אומרים דיוצא בזה (מגן אברהם).
And our teacher the Rema writes that in our lands we don't have the practice to eat matzah ashirah (egg matah) as is found earlier in section 462 the third meal should be eaten with fruit or with meat and fish. And, it seems that his intention is not to claim that one should not eat mazah ashirah on erev Pesach according to custom, for there is no reason whatsoever for this. Rather, his intention is that since it is not our custom to eat matzah ashirah, so automatically we don't prepare it among us and to prepare it just for the third meal is not a reasonable expectation to go through such efforts for such a small quantithy of food. And indeed in our lands it is customary to prepare a third meal from cooked matzah and many do this. And Rema writes "fruit" before "meat and fish" even though meat and fish is a preferable se'udah shlishit than fruit as I wrote earlier in section 291. Nonetheless, on erev Pesach fruit are better so that one does not get too full to eat matzah with an appetite. And perhaps for this reason he does not mention cooked matzah because it is very filling as is known. And some say to divide the morning meal into two and some say this works (such as Magan Avraham).
תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: הֲלָכָה זוֹ נִתְעַלְּמָה מִבְּנֵי בְתִירָא. פַּעַם אַחַת חָל אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר לִהְיוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת, שָׁכְחוּ וְלֹא יָדְעוּ אִם פֶּסַח דּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת אִם לָאו. אָמְרוּ: כְּלוּם יֵשׁ אָדָם שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ אִם פֶּסַח דּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת אִם לָאו? אָמְרוּ לָהֶם: אָדָם אֶחָד יֵשׁ שֶׁעָלָה מִבָּבֶל וְהִלֵּל הַבַּבְלִי שְׁמוֹ, שֶׁשִּׁימֵּשׁ שְׁנֵי גְּדוֹלֵי הַדּוֹר שְׁמַעְיָה וְאַבְטַלְיוֹן, וְיוֹדֵעַ אִם פֶּסַח דּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת אִם לָאו. שָׁלְחוּ וְקָרְאוּ לוֹ, אָמְרוּ לוֹ: כְּלוּם אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ אִם הַפֶּסַח דּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת אִם לָאו? אָמַר לָהֶם: וְכִי פֶּסַח אֶחָד יֵשׁ לָנוּ בַּשָּׁנָה שֶׁדּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת? וַהֲלֹא הַרְבֵּה יוֹתֵר מִמָּאתַיִם פְּסָחִים יֵשׁ לָנוּ בַּשָּׁנָה שֶׁדּוֹחִין אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: מִנַּיִן לְךָ? אָמַר לָהֶם: נֶאֱמַר ״מוֹעֲדוֹ״ בַּפֶּסַח, וְנֶאֱמַר ״מוֹעֲדוֹ״ בַּתָּמִיד: מָה ״מוֹעֲדוֹ״ הָאָמוּר בַּתָּמִיד דּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, אַף ״מוֹעֲדוֹ״ הָאָמוּר בַּפֶּסַח דּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. וְעוֹד, קַל וָחוֹמֶר הוּא: וּמָה תָּמִיד שֶׁאֵין עָנוּשׁ כָּרֵת דּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, פֶּסַח שֶׁעָנוּשׁ כָּרֵת — אֵינוֹ דִּין שֶׁדּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. מִיָּד הוֹשִׁיבוּהוּ בָּרֹאשׁ, וּמִינּוּהוּ נָשִׂיא עֲלֵיהֶם, וְהָיָה דּוֹרֵשׁ כׇּל הַיּוֹם כּוּלּוֹ בְּהִלְכוֹת הַפֶּסַח. הִתְחִיל מְקַנְטְרָן בִּדְבָרִים. אָמַר לָהֶן: מִי גָּרַם לָכֶם שֶׁאֶעְלֶה מִבָּבֶל וְאֶהְיֶה נָשִׂיא עֲלֵיכֶם — עַצְלוּת שֶׁהָיְתָה בָּכֶם, שֶׁלֹּא שִׁמַּשְׁתֶּם שְׁנֵי גְּדוֹלֵי הַדּוֹר, שְׁמַעְיָה וְאַבְטַלְיוֹן. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: רַבִּי, שָׁכַח וְלֹא הֵבִיא סַכִּין מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת, מַהוּ? אָמַר לָהֶן: הֲלָכָה זוֹ שָׁמַעְתִּי וְשָׁכַחְתִּי, אֶלָּא הַנַּח לָהֶן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, אִם אֵין נְבִיאִים הֵן — בְּנֵי נְבִיאִים הֵן. לְמָחָר, מִי שֶׁפִּסְחוֹ טָלֶה — תּוֹחֲבוֹ בְּצַמְרוֹ, מִי שֶׁפִּסְחוֹ גְּדִי — תּוֹחֲבוֹ בֵּין קַרְנָיו. רָאָה מַעֲשֶׂה וְנִזְכַּר הֲלָכָה, וְאָמַר: כָּךְ מְקוּבְּלַנִי מִפִּי שְׁמַעְיָה וְאַבְטַלְיוֹן.
The Sages taught a baraita with regard to the basic halakha governing the eve of Passover that occurs on Shabbat: This law was forgotten by the sons of Beteira, who were the leaders of their generation. The fourteenth of Nisan once occurred on Shabbat, and they forgot and did not know whether the Paschal lamb overrides Shabbat or not. They said: Is there any person who knows whether the Paschal lamb overrides Shabbat or not? They said to them: There is a certain man in Jerusalem who came up from Babylonia, and Hillel the Babylonian is his name. At one point, he served the two most eminent scholars of the generation, Shemaya and Avtalyon, and he certainly knows whether the Paschal lamb overrides Shabbat or not. The sons of Beteira sent messengers and called for him. They said to him: Do you know whether the Paschal lamb overrides Shabbat or not? He said to them: Have we but one Paschal lamb during the year that overrides Shabbat? Do we not have many more than two hundred Paschal lambs, i.e., sacrifices, during the year that override Shabbat? They said to him: From where do you know this? He said to them: “Its appointed time” is stated with regard to the Paschal lamb and “its appointed time” is also stated with regard to the daily offering, for the verse says: “Command the children of Israel and say to them, My offering, the provision of My sacrifice made with fire, for a sweet savor to Me, shall you observe to offer Me at its appointed time” (Numbers 28:2). From here we learn that the daily offering is brought even on Shabbat. Thus, the daily morning and afternoon offerings are brought on more than fifty Shabbatot over the course of the year, and two sheep are offered every Shabbat as additional offerings, for a total of more than two hundred sacrifices a year that override Shabbat. Just as the expression “its appointed time,” which is stated with regard to the daily offering, indicates that it overrides Shabbat, so too “its appointed time,” which is stated with regard to the Paschal lamb, indicates that it overrides Shabbat. And furthermore, it is an a fortiori inference: If the daily offering, the neglect of which is not punishable by karet, overrides Shabbat, is it not right that the Paschal lamb, the neglect of which is punishable by karet, should override Shabbat? After Hillel brought these proofs, they immediately seated him at the head and appointed him Nasi over them, and he expounded the laws of Passover that entire day. In the course of his teaching, he began rebuking them [mekanteran] them with words. He said to them: What caused this to happen to you, that I should come up from Babylonia and become Nasi over you? It was the laziness in you that you did not serve the two most eminent scholars of the generation living in Eretz Yisrael, Shemaya and Avtalyon. They said to Hillel: Our teacher, if one forgot and did not bring a knife on the eve of Shabbat and cannot slaughter his Paschal lamb, what is the law? Since he could have brought the knife before Shabbat, he cannot bring it on Shabbat; but what should he do in this situation? He said to them: I once heard this halakha from my teachers but I have forgotten it. But leave it to the Jewish people; if they are not prophets to whom God has revealed His secrets, they are the sons of prophets, and will certainly do the right thing on their own. The next day, on Shabbat that was the eve of Passover, one whose Paschal offering was a lamb took the knife and stuck it in its wool; and one whose Paschal offering was a goat, which does not have wool, stuck it between its horns. Hillel saw the incident and remembered the halakha that he had once learned and said: This is the tradition I received from the mouths of Shemaya and Avtalyon, meaning that this is in fact the proper course of action. This concludes the text of the baraita and the Gemara will begin to elucidate it.
(יא) פעם אחת חל י"ד להיות בשבת שאלו את הלל הזקן פסח מהו שידחה את השבת אמר להם וכי פסח אחד יש לנו בשנה שדוחה [את השבת] הרבה מג' מאות פסחים יש לנו [בשנה ודוחין] את השבת חברו עליו כל העזרה אמר להם תמיד קרבן צבור דוחה את השבת אף פסח קרבן צבור דוחה את השבת דבר אחר נאמר [בתמיד] (במדבר כח) מועדו ונאמר [בפסח] (במדבר ט) מועדו [מה תמיד שנאמר בו מועדו] דוחה את השבת אף [פסח שנא' בו מועדו] דוחה את השבת ועוד ק"ו ומה תמיד שאין חייבין עליו כרת דוחה את השבת פסח שחייבין עליו כרת אינו דין שידחה את השבת ועוד מקובלני מרבותי שפסח דוחה את השבת [ולא פסח ראשון אלא פסח שני ולא פסח צבור אלא פסח יחיד] אמרו לו מה יהא [על העם] שלא הביאו סכינין ופסחים למקדש אמר להם [הניחו להם רוה"ק עליהן] אם אין נביאים הן בני נביאים הן מה עשו ישראל באותה שעה מי שפסחו טלה טמנו בצמרו גדי קשרו בין קרניו והביאו סכינין ופסחים למקדש [ושחטו את פסחיהן] בו ביום מנו את הלל [נשיא והיה מורה] להם בהלכות הפסח.
It happened once that the fourteenth of Nisan coincided with Shabbat. They asked Hillel the Elder, "Does the Paschal offering override Shabbat?" He replied, "Do we have only a single Paschal offering during the course of the year which overrides Shabbat? We have many more than three hundred Paschal offerings during the year, and they all override Shabbat." All the people in the courtyard ganged up on him. He said to the, "The daily burnt-offering is a public offering and the Paschal offering is a public offering. Just as the daily offering is a public offering and overrides Shabbat, so too, the paschal offering is a public offering and overrides Shabbat.
"Alternatively: Regarding the daily offering it says 'its appointed time' [Numbers 28:2] and regarding the Paschal offering it says: 'its appointed time' [Numbers 9:2]; Just as the daily offering, regarding which it states 'its appointed time, overrides Shabbat, so too, the Paschal offering, regarding which it says 'its appointed time,' overrides Shabbat.
"Furthermore, there is an a fortiori [kal vahomer] argument: If the daily offering, on account of which people are not liable to karet overrides Shabbat; the Paschal offering on account of which the people are liable to karet - is it not logical that it, too, should override Shabbat?
"Moreover: I have received a tradition from my masters that the Paschal offering overrides Shabbat; not only the first Passover but the second Passover [Pesah Sheni], and not only the communal Paschal offering, but even the Paschal offering of the individual."
They asked him, "What will the people who did not bring their knives and Paschal lambs to the Temple do?"
He replied, "Let them be, for the divine spirit rests on them. If they are not prophets, they are the disciples of prophets."
What did the Israelites do in that hour: He whose Paschal offering was a lamb, stuc, [the knife] in the wool. He whose Paschal offering was a goat, tied it between its horns. Thus they brought their knives and Paschal offerings to the Temple and slaughtered their Paschal offerings .On that very day, they appointed Hillel as patriarch, and he instructed them on the laws of Passover.
(א) שאלה קכו ערב פסח שחל להיות בשבת מתענין הבכורות או לאו ואם מתענין באיזה יום מתענין:
(ב) תשובה יראה דמתענין ביום חמישי שלפני השבת וכן ראיתי בימי חורפי בספר רוקח וכן שמעתי דחד מרבוותא רצה להוכיח דלא מתענין כלל מהא דמייתי מרדכי פ' מקום שנהגו דפליגי אמוראי בירושלמי איתא דרבי לא אכל בערב פסח. חד סבר משום דבוכרא הוא וחד סבר דהוה מתענה משום דאיסטניס הוה והשתא אי סבירא לן דלמ"ד משום בוכרא מתענין צריכין להתענות אף כשחל בשבת לפני השבת. א"כ אמאי פליגי אמוראי משום מאי התענה רבי תפשוט להו מהיכא דחל בשבת אם התענה ביום שלפניו דודאי בשבת אין מתענין. א"כ ודאי משום בוכרא התענה בכל שנה דאי משום איסטניס מה היה מועיל לו התענית שלפני ע"פ שלא יהא איסטניס מלאכול מצה בליל פסח באכילת תאוה ואם לא התענה רבי לפני השבת תיפשוט איפכא דע"כ לאו משום בוכרא התענה בכל שנה אע"כ גם למ"ד משום בוכרא סבירא דאין מתענין כלל כשחל ע"פ בשבת ותו ליכא למיפשט מידי. ונראה לדחות דאיכא למימר דלא ידעי אמוראי היאך עביד בשבת ואין זה דוחק דכה"ג אשכחן פ' אלו דברים בבני בתירה שהיו נשיאים ונתעלמה מהן כשחל ע"פ בשבת אם קרבן פסח דוחה שבת או לאו והיאך שכחו מה עשו בשנים הראשונים אע"כ בשנים מרובות לא חל להם ע"פ בשבת ונשתכח מהן הדבר אע"פ שהיתה מילתא דצבור כו' כ"ש שנוכל לומר מילתא דיחידאי דנשתכח גם בימיו לא חל כ"כ בשנים מרובות:
Question: Erev Pesach that occurs on Shabbat, do the firstborn fast or not and if so on what day do they fast?
Answer: It seems that they should fast on the Thursday before Shabbat and I saw this in my youth in Sefer Roke'ah and I also heard from one of my rabbis who wanted to prove that we do not fast at all from that which is brought by the Mordechai in Chapter "Makom She'Nahagu" that the Amora'im argue in the Yerushalmi about why Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi fasted on Erev Pesach. One was of the opinion that he was a first born and one was of the opinion that he was very sensitive. And now, if we maintain that the one who is of the opinion that he would fast as a first born even if erev Pesach was Shabbat, how could there be a dispute about the cause of his fast. Just resolve it from the situation when erev Pesach occured on Shabbat. If he fasted the day before (for surely he would not fast on Shabbat). If so, certainly his fasts were because he was a first born. And if he normally fasted because he was sensitive, what help would occur if he fasted the day before erev Pesach to make him less sensitive about eating matzah on Pesach. And if he would not fast on the day before Erev Pesach, we could resolve the opposite. Unless it is the case that according to the one who thought he fasted as a first born would also maintain that there is no fast of the first born when erev Pesach is on Shabbat and then we can't learn anything from his practice.
But this can be pushed off because it could be that the Amora'im did not know how he acted when erev Pesach occurred on Shabbat and this is not such a far fetched thing to suggest for the story of B'nei Bateirah who were nisi'im nad yet forgot what to do regarding the korban Pesach when Erev Pesach was on Shabbat. How could they forget something that occured in earlier years if not for the fact that for many years it never happened that erev Pesach was on Shabbat and so they forgot even though it concerned a public matter and even the more so would they not know something that concerned an individual alone.