The Handy Torah Tidbits Guide to Early Shabbat

Note to electronic-TT recipients:
Since Israel is going over to summer time on Friday morning, March 28, this guide was included in this week's TT. If you are in the States (or elsewhere), your Daylight Savings Time probably arrives at a different date. That is the context of this piece. We will try to leave it on the website for the duration, so that it can be timely and helpful when you go onto DST. This is the text of an 8-page pull-out of the hard-copy TT. It included Kiddush for Friday night, the SH'MA, and a Friday only Omer chart for the convenience of those who take Shabbat early. Even if you don't, you should find some of the material educational.

It's that time of year again. This TT Pull-Out contains practical information, detailed explanations, and helpful, handy texts for enjoying your Early Shabbat.

In many communities, people "take Shabbat early" during the summer months when nightfall is relatively late and they would prefer to eat their Friday night meal at a more civilized hour, and to have a bit more time after supper to learn Torah, go over the sedra, read (things that are permitted to read on Shabbat), go for a walk, play with the children, etc. There are some halachic points to clarify about the topic of "taking Shabbat early".

BACKGROUND
The first mishna in chapter 4 of Brachot contains a dispute between the Tana Kama (the first unnamed opinion in a Mishna-dispute) and R’ Yehuda as to when the deadline for Mincha is. The T”K says that one may daven Mincha until sunset. R’ Yehuda says that one may daven Mincha only until Plag Mincha. [PLAG is 1¼ "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 - namely, dawn to stars out; we will stick to the sunrise-to-sunset day.)] 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 (or stars-out) and R’ Yehuda say PLAG begins evening, 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’s ALMOST take-your-pick.

Halachically, none of the nighttime mitzvot may be performed before Plag Mincha. Consequently, one may not "take Shababat" before PLAG MINCHA. One may not light Shabbat candles (or Chanuka candles) before PLAG, nor say Kabbalat Shabbat & Maariv, nor make Kiddush. But one MAY light candles, take Shabbat, daven Maariv, make Kiddush and begin the first Shabbat Seuda after PLAG.

SHMA
Davening Maariv and reciting the “nighttime Sh’ma” have been conveniently and meaningfully combined by our Sages, but each of those two mitzvot has its own rules of timing. Although one may daven Maariv from PLAG (according to R’ Yehuda), most authorities say 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 (after Plag but before sunset) will say the Sh’ma and its brachot as part of Maariv, but they must repeat the Sh'ma (all three passages) after stars-out. In other words, when one davens Maariv before dark (after Plag, of course), he says the full Sh'ma twice; once, with its brachot, as part of the davening, and a second time to fulfill the mitzva of reciting Sh’ma at night.

Some object to taking Shabbat early because 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.
This pull-out and announcements at the end of "early minyan" are your reminders to say the Shma (and count the Omer) at the proper time. Try to remind each other in your family so that no one will forget these important mitzvot. Taking Shabbat early can be a positive experience, but not if it results in neglect of a Torah mitzva or two. [Personal suggestion: If you have the right kind of watchband, flip your watch over with the back facing you. Keep it that way until you say the Sh’ma at the proper time. It’s an annoying reminder, but it works well. If you don’t have the right kind of band, try switching your watch to the other hand until you say Sh’ma.]

Another Problem
Since davening Mincha after Plag is fine according to T”K but NOT according to R’ Yehuda, and davening Maariv before sunset is okay according to R’ Yehuda but not according to T”K, it is not proper to daven both Mincha & Maariv between Plag and sunset.

Therefore, it is best to schedule an early minyan to begin Mincha about 15 minutes before PLAG. This way, Mincha can be said before PLAG followed by Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv, after PLAG. This would be consistent with R’ Yehuda's opinion. To begin an “early Friday” mincha after Plag is problematic, to say the least, and makes “taking Shabbat early” less than ideal.

CANDLES
Women must be reminded to light after PLAG, never before. Women should daven Mincha on their own (this is preferable year-round), light after PLAG, then go to shul (if they do) for Kabbalat Shabbat. This can be a problematic situation for some families.

KIDDUSH
Shuls that schedule their early minyan's Mincha after PLAG, not only enter into the contradictory situation mentioned above ("satisfying" neither the T”K nor R’ 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 by sunset (maybe even 5-10 minutes before that), then he must (should?) wait until dark, say the Sh'ma, and THEN make Kiddush (thereby defeating the purpose of "taking Shabbat early"). The idea is to say Kiddush well enough before sunset so that one does not even enter the time-range of Sh'ma. If people are "sloppy" about this issue, they make taking Shabbat less ideal. This is another point of objection by those who speak unfavorably about the whole idea of early Shabbat.

A minyan that starts Mincha a half hour before Jerusalem 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 be said/counted after the meal). However, it is highly desirable and recommended that when the proper time arrives, families should interrupt their meals for Sh'ma and the Omer. This helps prevent forgetting later on, and also has a positive educational value for family and guests.

Another point to keep in mind... Some say that when people say Kiddush and begin their first Shabbat meal before dark, they should make sure that some challah is eaten after dark too.

More Problems
Some object to splitting a community by having two minyanim on Friday night. Others point out potential problems if a whole community takes Shabbat early and some individual members don't, specifically, lighting candles and doing other "melachot" after the community accepted Shabbat. Ask your Rav.

Early Shabbat should be an enhancement of Shabbat and a fulfillment of Tos'fot Shabbat - but without being careless about Shma and davening.
This handy pull-out will hopefully make things easier for you. Bring it to your Shabbat table and use it for the Sh'ma and then for counting the Omer (during Omer season, that is). Remain sitting for the Sh'ma; stand for counting the Omer.

POINT in FAVOR
Aruch HaShulchan (R’ Yechiel Michel HaLevi Epstein) introduces another factor into the equation which adds an additional positive spin to taking Shabbat early. He points out that we daven Maariv corresponding to the HECTEIR CHALAVIM V'EIVARIM, the slow burning of fats and certain parts of the day's korbanot on the Mizbei'ach all night. That's why we may daven Maariv all night long. But on Friday, the burning had to be done before Shabbat, i.e. earlier than the rest of the week. By davening Maariv earlier on Friday evening, we nicely match the corresponding service of the Beit HaMikdash. (It's not a perfect match because we're beginning Shabbat at that point, and the Hecteir Chalavim v'Eivarim was specifically before Shabbat. Also, to be consistent, we'd have to daven Maariv early on Friday throughout the year, which we don't. But it's a nice point anyway.)
Taking Shabbat early can enhance one’s Oneg Shabbat, as mentioned earlier, by allowing for dinner to be at a more “civilized” hour, and being able to have young children join the rest of the family at the table. It can be an enhancement of Shalom Bayit for various reasons. But it should not involve compromising the standards of davening and other halachic matters.

Friday PLAG REG NST SH Leil Shabbat
Mar 28 5:38 6:20 6:50 7:25 Sh'mini
Apr 4 5:42 6:25 6:55 7:30 Tazria
Apr 11 5:45 6:30 7:00 7:35 M'tzora
Apr 18 5:48 6:35 7:05 7:40 Chol HaMoed (O)
Apr 25 5:52 6:40 7:10 7:45 Ach'rei (O)
May 2 5:56 6:45 7:15 7:50 K'doshim (O)
May 9 5:59 6:50 7:20 7:55 Emor (O)
May 16 6:03 6:54 7:24 7:59 B'har (O)
May 23 6:07 6:59 7:29 8:04 B'chu'kotai (O)
May 30 6:11 7:04 7:34 8:09 BaMidbar (O)
Jun 6 6:14 7:07 7:37 8:11 Naso
Jun 13 6:17 7:110 7:41 8:15 B'ha'a'lotcha
Jun 20 6:19 7:13 7:42 8:17 Shlach
Jun 27 6:20 7:14 7:43 8:18 Korach
July 4 6:20 7:14 7:43 8:18 Chukat
July 11 6:19 7:13 7:42 8:17 Balak
July 18 6:17 7:10 7:39 8:14 Pinchas
July 25 6:15 7:06 7:35 8:10 Matot-Masei
Aug 1 6:11 7:01 7:30 8:05 D'varim
Aug 8 6:06 6:55 7:24 7:59 V'etchana
Aug 15 6:00 6:48 7:17 7:52 Eikev
Aug 22 5:54 6:41 7:10 7:45 R'eh
Aug 29 5:47 6:32 7:01 7:36 Shoftim
Sep 5 5:40 6:24 6:53 7:28 Ki Teitze
Sep 12 5:32 6:15 6:44 7:19 Ki Tavo
Sep 19 5:24 6:05 6:34 7:09 Netzavim Vayelech

FRIDAY TIMES
The chart above covers the period from the beginning of SHA’ON KAYITZ (Summer Time, Daylight Savings Time) until the Rosh HaShana.
Here is the key to under- standing the different times in the chart:
PLAG
Mincha before this time, if at all possible. Candle lighting, etc. MUST be after this time. (It's a good idea to "pad" this time with 2-3 minutes on either side.)
REG
Regular candle lighting time (Jerusalem). This is 40 minutes before the sunset as calculated for an elevation of 825m.
NST
Near Sh'ma Time. Kiddush should (preferably) be said before this time. This time is 30 minutes after regular candle lighting time, which is 10 minutes before the later sunset time and 5 minutes or so before the earlier sunset (calculated as if Jerusalem were at sea level).
SH
Recommended to say Shma at this time or soon thereafter. (Then count the Omer.) 25 minutes after the later sunset. (This is earlier than Shabbat-out time.)
When the proper time arrives (see chart on previous page), say the Sh'ma with KAVANA to fulfill the mitzva of KRI'AT SHMA BIZMANA (Sh’ma at its proper time). Also, KAVANA to accept upon yourself the “Yoke of Heaven” and the “Yoke of Mitzvot” (second passage). For the last pasuk, have KAVANA to remember Y’tzi’at Mitzrayim (the Exodus) “all the days of your life”.

The saying of SHMA is a mitzva from the Torah and we should seize the first opportunity after dark to say it, even during our Shabbat meal. Since it is not now being said in the davening, [1] there is no need to say intb lkn k‘t at the beginning, nor to attach ,nt to the end; and [2] we can (should?) say ,umn oak
vbnzc gna ,thre (for the sake of saying Sh’ma on time) before we begin.
The Sh’ma is presented in Torah font and with TROP for those who prefer reading it that way. Even if you don’t read the Sh’ma with TROP, the TROP helps by indicating which syllable of each word gets accented.
Then — between Pesach and Shavuot — count the Omer

S'firat HaOmer
For Friday nights between Pesach and Shavuot, remember to count the Omer after saying the Sh’ma. Sh’ma should go first because it is TADIR (more frequent) and because it is a D’ORAITA (fulfillment of a Torah mitzva), whereas Counting the Omer is less frequent and it’s status as D’ORAITA or D’RABANAN in our time (without the Beit HaMikdash and the Omer & Two Loaves offerings) is disputed.
Count the Omer with KAVANA, standing...
BEFORE the bracha, know the count
(Count even if you are no longer saying a bracha)
For the post-counting passages, use your TT Omer Chart or your favorite Siddur.