Pesach - Eruv Tavshilin

QUESTION: What is the reason for Eruv Tavshilin?

ANSWER: When the second day of Yom Tov falls on Shabbos, or if Shabbos falls immediately after Yom Tov, as it does this year, it is rabbinically forbidden to cook or prepare on Yom Tov for Shabbos. When executed properly, Eruv Tavshilin allows one to prepare on Yom Tov for Shabbos.

Interestingly, there is no Torah prohibition to cook or bake on Yom Tov for Shabbos, even though ostensibly one may only cook on Yom Tov for Yom Tov itself. The Gemara (Pesachim 46b) offers two reasons why this does not constitute a Torah prohibition:

Shabbos and Yom Tov are considered to be one unit since Yom Tov is referred to as Shabbos in the Torah. Just as it is permitted to cook and bake on Yom Tov for Yom Tov, it is permitted to cook and bake on Yom Tov for Shabbos.

When one cooks or bakes additional food on Yom Tov, it is not a Torah violation because it is possible that one will need the food for unexpected guests who might arrive on Yom Tov.

If the Torah permits the preparation of food on Yom Tov for Shabbos, why did the Rabbis institute the Eruv Tavshilin in the first place? The Gemara (Beitzah 15b) gives two explanations:

When Yom Tov precedes Shabbos, one is prone to overlook the needs of Shabbos. The Rabbis therefore created a special tangible preparation for Shabbos that must be attended to before the start of the Yom Tov so people will remember Shabbos as well.

If we were to permit cooking on Yom Tov for Shabbos without any reminder, one might come to cook on Yom Tov for the subsequent weekdays, which would violate a Torah prohibition.

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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.