Hachona - Daber Davar

Q. Is one allowed to say, “I am taking a nap on Shabbos in order to stay up late on Motzo’ei Shabbos”? Is this a violation of hachona (preparing for after Shabbos)?

A. One may certainly nap on Shabbos. In fact, Rema (290:1) writes that napping on Shabbos is a fulfillment of oneg Shabbos (making Shabbos enjoyable). However, there is a discussion among poskim if one may say “I am napping so I can stay up after Shabbos”. By saying these words, perhaps the nap is considered an act of hachona for the weekday.

Sefer Chasidim (266) writes that on Shabbos, one may not say “I am taking a nap so I can stay up and write a sefer Torah after Shabbos”. The Magen Avrohom (307:1) cites the Sefer Chasidim in the section where he discusses the Halachos of “daber davar”. (“Daber davar” is a phrase found in the navi Yeshaya 58:13. In discussing the proper way to observe the Shabbos, Yeshaya says, daber dovor. Literally it means, speak the matter, and the rabbis understood this to mean that speech on Shabbos should be appropriate. One limitation derived from daber davar is that a person should not say on Shabbos that I plan to do an action after Shabbos, that is prohibited on Shabbos.) The Magen Avrohom seemingly understood that saying “I will write a sefer Torah after Shabbos” is a violation of “daber davar”. It would follow that according to the Magen Avrohom, one may say, “I am napping so I won’t be tired after Shabbos”, since there is no discussion of melacha. However, the Elya Rabba (307:1) disagrees with the Magen Avrohom because in his opinion, daber davar does not apply when discussing the performance of a mitzvah. Rather, the Elya Rabba explains, the concern of the Sefer Chasidim is hachona. By saying you are napping to write a sefer Torah, you are preparing for after Shabbos, and one may not prepare on Shabbos, even to do a mitzvah. According to the Elya Rabba, saying “I am napping so I can stay up after Shabbos” is prohibited because of hachona. The Mishnah Berurah (290:4) follows the explanation of the Elya Rabba. Similarly, the Aruch Hashulchan (OC 290:1) writes that one may not say, “I am taking a nap on Shabbos, so I can learn Torah all night”. Even though this is hachona for a mitzva and there is no discussion of melacha, it is not allowed.

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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.