Hachona - Mitzvah Preparation

Q. Is one permitted to prepare on Shabbos for a mitzvah that will take place after Shabbos?

A. In general, hachona is forbidden on Shabbos even for a mitzvah that will take place after Shabbos. For example, if you are hosting a melaveh Malka after Shabbos, you may not begin any of the preparations until after Shabbos. You may not even set up besamim, wine or a kos for Havdalah until Shabbos is over. If you do not have wine, and must borrow from a neighbor, you may not do so until after Shabbos. However, the Chayei Adam (153:6) writes that if you anticipate that if you wait until the night, you might have difficulty finding wine, you may borrow wine on Shabbos. However, you must bring the wine early in the day, so that it is not obvious that you are preparing for havdalah. Although ordinarily hachona is forbidden even if no one can tell that you are preparing for after Shabbos, regarding mitzvos we are lenient, provided there is no other solution.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.