When the Sabbath bumps into Passover
This year, Passover starts as the Sabbath ends --- the Passover Seder is on Saturday night. This causes some unusual changes in preparations. First of all, we do everything a day earlier than usual:
The Fast of the Firstborn begins at dawn on Thursday (April 10), and the Search for Chametz is Thursday night (April 10) after nightfall (7:51 PM). We burn our chametz on Friday, April 11, and must finish this by 11:39 AM.
But after the burning, we do not make the usual declaration nullifying chametz (the second Kol Chamira). In fact, we can still eat chametz after the burning, and we will need to save some for the Sabbath.
On the Sabbath, to minimize crumbs, we can use small, soft challah-rolls, eating carefully over napkins (or outside). Any remaining remnants of chametz can be crumbled to bits and flushed away. Or given to a non-Jew. Or removed to a garbage can in a public area away from your property, and declared ownerless.
The last time to eat chametz is 10:32 AM on Saturday (April 12), and we recite the second Kol Chamira before 11:39 AM, after disposing of any remaining chametz. .
Seudah Shelishit
For the Sabbath Third Meal on Erev Pesach, we can (before 4:37 PM) eat fruits, vegetables, fish, or meat, but without bread.
Candle-lighting
Light the Passover candles after Shabbat ends (8:05 PM) from an existing flame. (Before Shabbat, light a yahrzeit candle to keep a flame burning all through Shabbat and the Yom Tov.)
The Seder Gets a Late Start
No preparations for the Seder should occur on Shabbat. This includes setting the table, preparing food, or arranging the Seder plate. After Shabbat ends at 8:05 PM, say "Ba-ruch Ha-mav-dil bein ko-desh le-ko-desh" and then begin preparations.
Havdalah Erev Pesach
Havdalah is in the Passover Haggadah, integrated into the Kiddush (the first cup of the Seder). This havdalah omits the spices, and uses the holiday candles for the flame.
Sell Your Chametz!
Siyyum for the Firstborn
Attending a siyyum (the communal meal celebrating the completion of study of a tractate of the Talmud) exempts a firstborn from fasting. The nearest siyyum is at Congregation Shaarei Tefilah in Newton.
in memory of his father, Philip Shore, Shraga Mordechai ben Chayim Dov whose 20th yahrtzeit was
on Shabbat the 7th of Nisan.
The weekday service begins at 6:20 AM and the siyyum commences right after, at about 7:00 AM, on Thursday morning April 10.