An Early Start to Shabbos
During the summer months, when the sun sets late in the evening, it is common practice in many — but not all — communities to daven Ma’ariv and begin Shabbos early, long before sunset. There are a number of halachic issues associated with this practice that require review and clarification.
Is it “proper” to begin Shabbos early?
The idea of extending Shabbos by ushering it in earlier than required has its roots in the Biblical mitzvah of tosefes Shabbos.[1] Ushering Shabbos in early does not necessarily entail davening Ma’ariv before nightfall.[2] However, the poskim did permit davening Ma’ariv before its proper time in order to begin Shabbos early.[3] Indeed, as far back as the Rishonim, Shabbos was ushered in early,[4] and the custom persisted in many European communities for centuries.[5] Many people feel that an early Shabbos enhances their oneg Shabbos and shalom bayis, as it allows the family to enjoy the Shabbos meal at a reasonable hour and thus be imbued with the spirit of Shabbos.[6]
Early Shabbos begins when the congregation recites Mizmor shir l’yom ha-Shabbos in shul.[7] Once that psalm is recited, it is considered as if Shabbos in all its aspects has begun even though it is still broad daylight outside.[8] At that point, therefore, one may no longer do any of the forbidden Shabbos Labors – whether Biblical or Rabbinic;[9] he may no longer daven the Friday Minchah,[10] and he may daven the Shabbos Ma’ariv, recite Kiddush and eat the Shabbos meal.[11] It is permitted, however, to instruct a non-Jew — or even another Jew who has not yet begun Shabbos — to do a forbidden Shabbos Labor on one’s behalf until sunset.[12]
Women accept Shabbos when they light the Shabbos candles at home. L’chatchilah, they should daven the Friday Minchah before lighting candles, but b’diavad they may rely on the poskim who permit women to daven Minchah even after lighting candles.[13]
Note that starting Shabbos early means that one accepts upon himself the sanctity and all of the halachos of Shabbos; it does not necessarily that the calendar day of Friday has actually ended and that the next calendar day has begun. Therefore:
- The Friday evening Kerias Shema, which was recited during Ma’ariv, must be repeated at home after tzeis ha-kochavim, since the evening Kerias Shema is invalid if recited before nightfall.[14]
- The Shabbos Sefiras ha-omer should not be counted until night falls,[15] so one should count the omer at home after tzeis ha-kochavim.
- B’diavad, Friday’s Sefiras ha-omer may be counted (without a blessing) after davening Ma’ariv on Friday night, if it is not yet sunset.[16]
- L’chatchilah, one should eat a k’zayis of bread after tzeis ha-kochavim.[17]
- A woman who failed to make her hefsek taharah before ushering in Shabbos may, b’diavad, do so until sunset.[18]
- A baby born on Friday evening before sunset but after the parents began Shabbos, will still have his bris the following Friday morning. His bar mitzvah, and a girl’s bas mitzvah, will be based on their Friday birth date.
- The yahrzeit of a parent who died before sunset on Friday but after Shabbos was begun, will be held on the Hebrew date of that Friday.[19]
Question: How early may Shabbos begin?
Discussion: Early Shabbos may begin at any time after plag ha-minchah. Shabbos candles which were mistakenly lit before plag ha-minchah are not valid even b’diavad;[20] they must be extinguished and rekindled, and the proper blessing repeated.[21] One who davened Ma’ariv before plag ha-minchah must repeat his Ma’ariv.[22]
When is plag ha-minchah? While it is agreed upon that plag ha-minchah takes place one and a quarter seasonal hours (a seasonal hour is one twelfth of the day) before the end of the day, there is disagreement as to what exactly is considered “day.” Some poskim[23] maintain that the day begins at alos ha-shachar and ends at tzeis ha-kochavim. Plag ha-minchah, then, is an hour and a quarter before tzeis ha-kochavim.[24] But others[25] hold that “day” begins at sunrise and ends at sunset, which makes plag ha-minchah an hour and a quarter before sunset. Most calendars have adopted the second opinion as basic halachah,[26] and this is the custom today in many communities.[27]
Question: What is the rationale for not beginning Shabbos early?
Discussion: Many communities, especially in Eretz Yisrael and in Chassidic circles, do not begin Shabbos early under any circumstances.[28] There are several halachic reasons for their stance. To name but a few:
- Vilna Gaon[29] and other poskim hold that even on Friday night, Ma’ariv should be davened only[30] after tzeis ha-kochavim.[31]
- As stated earlier, there is a difference of opinion as to the exact time of plag ha-minchah. According to the first opinion quoted, plag ha-minchah is actually much later than the one which is published in most calendars. Thus, a woman who lights candles after the earlier plag but before the later one, and men who recite Ma’ariv and Kiddush at that time, subject themselves to questionable fulfillment of the mitzvah, and a possible berachah levatalah.[32] (Some communities therefore make a point of davening Minchah before the earlier plag ha-minchah, and then wait with Kabbolas Shabbos until the later plag ha-minchah.)
- Some authorities hold that the Shabbos meal must be eaten on Shabbos proper, not on the extended part of Shabbos.[33]
In addition to the basic rationale for starting Shabbos on time, there are a number of specific situations where some poskim recommend — as an extra stringency — that Shabbos not begin early. Among them:
- When Rosh Chodesh falls on Friday night, since it is questionable whether or not Ya’aleh v’Yavo should be said before nightfall.[34]
- One who is commemorating a Shabbos yahrzeit by reciting Kaddish and serving as the sheliach tzibbur should do so on Shabbos proper and not on the extended period of Shabbos.[35]
- A bar mitzvah boy who is turning thirteen on Shabbos should wait until he becomes a certified adult — which does not take place until Shabbos proper sets in — before reciting Kerias Shema and davening Ma’ariv.[36]
[1] See O.C. 261:2 and Beiur Halachah (s.v. yesh). [Although not all Rishonim require tosefes Shabbos, all would agree that one may begin Shabbos early; see explanation in Meishiv Davar 1:18.]
[2] See Sha’ar ha-Tziyun 256:5, citing Peri Megadim who suggested that Kabbolas Shabbos be recited early, while Ma’ariv be davened later at the proper time.
[3] See Mishnah Berurah 267:3, Sha’ar Hatziyun 256:5.
[4] See Terumas ha-Deshen 1. See also Tosafos, Berachos 2a (s.v. m’eimasai).
[5] See Aruch ha-Shulchan 235:8 and 267:8.
[6] See Chayei Adam 6:1.
[7] Some poskim maintain that Shabbos begins when the last stanza of Lechah Dodi is recited; see Mishnah Berurah 261:31 and Mevakshei Torah, vol. 41, pgs. 42-46.
[8] The poskim debate whether an early Shabbos is considered Shabbos min ha-Torah or only mi-deRabanan; see Rav Akiva Eiger’s commentary to Magen Avraham 253:26 and Beiur Halachah 261:2 (s.v. miplag).
[9] O.C. 261:4. Once Shabbos was accepted (by reciting Mizmor shir or the like), it cannot be retracted in any way; see Minchas Shabbos (Minchah Chadashah 76:1); Aruch ha-Shulchan 263:28, Kaf ha-Chayim 263:22, and Igros Moshe (Orach Chaim III, chapter 38).
[10] O.C. 263:15.
[11] O.C. 267:2.
[12] O.C. 261:1 and 263:17.
[13] See Minchas Yitzchak 9:20 and Shemiras Shabbos k’Hilchasah 43, note 128. The Mishnah Berurah, though, rules that a woman who lit candles before davening Minchah should daven the Shabbos Ma’ariv twice (263:43).
[14] Mishnah Berurah 267:6.
[15] See O.C. 489:3 and Beiur Halachah (s.v. v’yevarech) and Aruch ha-Shulchan 489:7.
[16] Igros Moshe, O.C. 4:99-3.
[17] Mishnah Berurah 267:5
[18] Chochmas Adam 117:5; Aruch ha-Shulchan, Y.D. 196:21.
[19] Pischei Teshuvah, Y.D. 375:6. Concerning sitting shivah, however, the halachah is that a mourner who found out about the death of a relative after davening Ma’ariv, does not start sitting shivah until the following morning; Y.D. 375:11 and Shach 14.
[20] Mishnah Berurah 261:25 and 263:18
[21] Beiur Halachah 263:4 (s.v. kodem). See dissenting view in Eretz Tzvi 113.
[22] Mishnah Berurah 267:4. See Aruch ha-Shulchan 263:19 for a dissenting opinion.
[23] O.C. 263:4, as explained by Mishnah Berurah 19.
[24] According to this opinion, the day beginning with alos ha-shachar and ending with tzeis ha-kochavim is divided into twelve parts, and one and a quarter parts before tzeis ha-kochavim is plag ha-minchah. But the exact moment of plag ha-minchah will depend on two more unresolved factors: 1) When, exactly, is alos ha-shachar: is it always seventy-two minutes before sunrise, or is it when the center of the sun is 16.1 degrees below the horizon? 2) When, exactly, is tzeis ha-kochavim: is it forty-two, fifty, sixty or seventy-two minutes after sunset?
[25] This is the view of the Levush and strongly endorsed by Beiur ha-Gra, O.C. 459.
[26] While Chayei Adam 33:1 and Mishnah Berurah 233:4, 261:25, 263:19 and 443:8 quote both views without rendering a clear decision, Shulchan Aruch ha-Rav 443:4, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 69:2 and Aruch ha-Shulchan 233:14, 267:3, and 443:5 rule in accordance with the second opinion.
[27] Rav M. Feinstein (oral ruling, quoted in Sefer Hilchos Chanukah, pg. 21). See Minchas Yitzchak 4:53.
[28] Indeed, Rav Y.S. Elyashiv (Koveitz Teshuvos 1:23) writes that he advises against making Shabbos in Eretz Yisrael early except in special cases. This was also the view of Rav S.Z. Auerbach; see Shemiras Shabbos k’Hilchasah 43, note 63 and Halichos Shelomo 1:14, Orchos Halachah 10. See also Orchos Rabbeinu, vol. 1, pg. 108.
[29] Ma’aseh Rav 15, quoted in Beiur Halachah 235:1 (s.v. v’im). See Kol ha-Torah, vol. 42, pg. 19, quoting Rav Y.Y. Weiss.
[30] Even if it means davening without a minyan.
[31] Still, in order to satisfy this opinion, one can begin Shabbos early and daven Ma’ariv after Kiddush and the Shabbos meal; Mishnah Berurah 271:11. See Ma’aseh Rav 117 and Peulos Sachir.
[32] See Mishnah Berurah 261:25, who seems to rule like the second opinion only l’chumra but not l’kula.
[33] See Mishnah Berurah 267:5. This can be resolved by extending the meal past tzeis hakochavim, and eating a k’zayis of bread then, as mentioned above.
[34] Eretz Tzvi 1:25, quoting the Imrei Emes. See also Teshuvos v’Hanhagos 1:87.
[35] Chelkas Yaakov 3:149.
[36] Minchas Yitzchak 10:17.