Feature Tidbit GUIDE TO EARLY SHABBAT In many communities, people "take Shabbat early" during the summer months when nightfall is relatively late and many families prefer to eat their Friday night meal at a more civilized hour, and to have a bit more time after supper to learn, go over the sedra, read, go for a walk, play a family game, etc. There are somehalachic points to clarify. BACKGROUND The first Mishna of Ch.4 of Brachot, contains a dispute between the Tana Kama (the first unnamed opinion in a Mishna-dispute) and Rabbi Yehuda as to when the deadline for Mincha is. The Tana Kama says that one may daven Mincha until sunset. Rabbi Yehuda says that one may daven Mincha only until Plag Mincha. PLAG is one and a quarter "halachic" hours before sunset. A halachic hour is a twelfth part of the day, calculated from sunrise to sunset. There is another way of reckoning the day - dawn to stars out, but that complicates this issue, so we will stick to the sunrise-to-sunset day for this presentation. By extension, the Talmud teaches that the deadline for Mincha for each opinion is also the earliest time for Maariv, and some other nighttime mitzvot. In other words, the T.K. says that the day ends and night begins at sunset and Rabbi Yehuda says PLAG, even though the sun is still shining. The Gemara presents us with an atypical resolution of this dispute - D'AVAD K'MAR AVAD, U'D'AVAD K'MAR AVAD - he who acts according to the one opinion, acts correctly, and he who acts according to the other opinion, acts correctly. It is ALMOST a take-your-pick situation. A corollary of this issue is that one may not "take Shabbat" before PLAG MINCHA. One may not light Shabbat candles (or Chanuka candles) before PLAG, nor say Kabbalat Shabbat & Maariv, nor make Kiddush. THE SHMA Although one may daven Maariv from PLAG (following Rabbi Yehuda's opinion), most authorities says that one does not fulfill his obligation to say the nighttime Sh'ma if it is said before sunset. (Stars-out is the proper beginning time for Shma.) Therefore, those who daven early must repeat the Sh'ma (all three passages)after stars-out. In other words, when one davens Maariv before dark (but after Plag), he says the full Sh'ma, and its brachot, as part of the davening, but not in fulfillment of the mitzva of reciting the Sh'ma at night. One objection to taking Shabbat early is that the Sh'ma in its Maariv setting is not said at its proper time. Although one will repeat it later, this is not ideal. Furthermore, it becomes too easy to forget to repeat the Sh'ma after dark. ANOTHER PROBLEM Since davening Mincha after Plag is okay according to the Tana Kama but NOT according to Rabbi Yehuda, and davening Maariv before sunset is okay according to Rabbi Yehuda but not according to the Tana Kama, it is "not ideal" (that's putting it mildly, to be kind to those shuls that do not follow the point made in this paragraph)to daven both Mincha and Maariv between Plag and sunset. It is therefore ideal to schedule an early minyan to begin Mincha about 15 minutes before PLAG. This way, Mincha can be said before PLAG (which is proper when Maariv will be before sunset), followed by Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv, after PLAG. This would be consistent with Rabbi Yehuda's opinion. CANDLE LIGHTING Women must be reminded to light candles after PLAG, never before. Women should daven Mincha on their own (this is a year-round procedure), light after PLAG, then go to shul for Kabbalat Shabbat. KIDDUSH Shuls which schedule their early minyan's Mincha after PLAG, not only enter into the internal contradiction situation mentioned above ("satisfying" neither the T.K. nor Rabbi Yehuda), but also can run into another problem (depending upon timing). Once it gets "close" to dark, one should not begin a meal (nor say Kiddush)before saying Shma. In other words, if one has not made Kiddush before sunset (maybe even 5-10 minutes before that), then he must (should?) wait until dark, say the Sh'ma, and THEN make Kiddush. The idea is to say Kiddush well enough before sunset so that one is not in the "range" of Sh'ma time. If people are "sloppy"about this issue, they make taking Shabbat early less than ideal. A minyan that starts Mincha a half hour before J'lem candle lighting time will get people home for a "problem-free" Kiddush, if the people don't linger too much after shul. (They still have the Mincha-Maariv after Plag problem.) Technically, if one begins his meal "with halachic permission", he need not stop for Sh'ma or the Omer - they can be said/counted after the meal. However, it is hereby highly recommended that when the proper time arrives, families should "interrupt" their meals for Sh'ma and the Omer. This will help prevent forgetting lateron and will also have a positive educational value for family and guests. Some say that when people say Kiddush and begin their first Shabbat Seuda before dark, they should see to it that some challah is eaten after dark as well. OTHER OBJECTIONS Some object to splitting a community by having two minyanim of Friday night. Others point out potential problems if a whole community takes Shabbat early and some individuals members don't, lighting candles and doing other "melachot" after the community accepted Shabbat. Ask your Rav. Early Shabbat should be an enhancement of Shabbat, a fulfillment of Tos'fot Shabbat - but without being careless about Shma and davening. The following chart covers the period from after Pesach 5759 until the scheduled return to "winter time". PLAG - Mincha before this time, if at all possible. Candle lighting after this time. REG - regular candle lighting time. NSS - near sunset (or near stars-out). Kiddush by this time (preferably). SHMA - Suggested to repeat the Shma at this time or soon thereafter. Follow the repeat of Shma with the Omer counting.
When the proper time arrives, say the Sh'ma with KAVANA to fulfill the mitzva of KRI'AT SHMA BIZMANA. Then count the Omer. KAVANA should be for counting days and counting weeks. KAVANA should be for a Torah mitzva (if it is, in out time) or a Rabbinic mitzva (if that opinion is correct). Before saying the bracha, one should know the count he will be making (and not just look for it after the bracha). This means "before the bracha", not just before the end of the bracha. Suggestions: Say it together with family and guests. Discuss it before or after. [The Tazria-M'tzora Homepage] |
