Pre-Yom Tov Considerations

Richard B. Aiken

Dateline Considerations

If unsure which day to start the Jewish festival because you are near the International Dateline, follow guidelines for Shabbat.

One Day or Two?

Outside of Eretz Yisrael, Jewish festivals are observed for two days instead of one.

REASON: In ancient Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin declared the new month based on testimony of at least two witnesses. Since Jews who lived far from Jerusalem did not find out when the Jewish festivals began until as much as two weeks after the fact, a two-day festival was declared and we continue to observe that two-day holiday outside of Eretz Yisrael.

SITUATION: You are in Eretz Yisrael for any of the Jewish festivals. You want melacha done for you on the second day of the festival.

WHAT TO DO: You may ask a resident of Eretz Yisrael to do melacha for you. (You may not ask a non-Jew to do melacha for you!)

REASON: It is no longer a Jewish festival for him/her.

NOTE: If you are outside of Eretz Yisrael, you may not ask a resident of Eretz Yisrael (who is visting you) to do melacha for you on the second day of the Jewish festival, even though he/she is no longer observing the festival.

REASON: He/she may not do any melacha d'oraita even in private and not even for him/herself.

One Day in Eretz Yisrael

To keep one day only of a Jewish festival in Eretz Yisrael, you must live most of year in Eretz Yisrael and fulfill certain other requirements. Consult a rabbi for details.

One Day for a Year Plus in Eretz Yisrael

If you are living in Eretz Yisrael for one year and might stay longer, ask a rabbi if you must keep one or two days of the Jewish festival.

Transportation

Non-Jew Driving Vehicle Nefore Dark Starting Jewish Festival

You may continue riding in a car or taxi driven by a non-Jew between sunset and dark (tzeit ha'kochavim) beginning a Jewish festival, even if the vehicle is driven just for you. You:

May not do this on Shabbat.

Must have already paid before sunset.

May not open a door that will cause a light to turn on or do any other melachot.

If you have already traveled outside the techum, you may move only 4 amot (85” or 116 cm) away from the vehicle, unless the driver leaves you off in an enclosed domain (any area surrounded by walls or an eruv), in which case you may go anywhere in that domain.

If you had not gone outside of techum, you may go anywhere in the domain and you may also go up to 2000 amot (3,542 ft. or 1,080 m) outside of the domain.

NOTE: Since this is a d'oraita case, we use a smaller measurement for ama--21 ¼” (54 cm).

Leaving the World of Work

Sole or Majority Business Ownership on Jewish Festivals

For sole or majority ownership of a business on Jewish festivals, see Jewish Festivals: Business Ownership.

Refraining from Distracting Work

You may not do any work or get involved in any project that might distract you from preparing for a Jewish festival, beginning from twice the duration of plag ha'mincha. So allow 2 1/2 halachic hours (sha'ot zmaniyot) before sunset to prepare for the Jewish festival.

Eating Before Yom Tov

Appetite for Jewish Festival Dinner

Do not eat a full meal (meaning, do not eat bread or a lot of mezonot) after halachic midday on the afternoon before a Jewish festival.

REASON: To have an appetite for Jewish festival dinner.

NOTE: You may eat other food after halachic midday the afternoon of (before) the Jewish festival but you should not eat foods which are filling.

Pre-Yom Tov Considerations

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