Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Rimon - Shabbat Bi-shabbato Vayigash
Eating Before Shabbos
"A person should not eat before Shabbat from the time of Mincha or later so that he will enter Shabbat with a desire for food – this is the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Yossi says that a person can continue to eat up to the time that it gets dark." [Berachot 5b].
The Tosefta rules according to Rabbi Yossi, and the early commentators accept that one is allowed to set the time for a regular meal even after the time of Mincha (an obligatory meal, connected to a mitzva, is a different matter and will not be discussed here). However, the principle behind Rabbi Yehuda's opinion remains valid, and in order to begin Shabbat with a desire to eat it is considered a mitzva to refrain from setting a late time for a meal on Friday afternoon (Rambam, Hilchot Shabbat 30:4; Shulchan Aruch 249:2). In principle the time when a meal should not be started is after the ninth hour of the day. However, during the winter, when the day is very short, a longer time should be set aside for not eating, to make sure that the people will be hungry at the start of Shabbat (Mishna Berura, 17).
A Fast Day before Shabbat
At first glance, in view of the above considerations, the best thing to do would be to fast on Friday and thus to begin Shabbat very hungry. This in fact appears as an act worthy of praise: "The path of people who perform good acts is to fast every Friday" [Shulchan Aruch 249:3]. However, this may in fact not be the best path to follow. The reason for Rabbi Yehuda's ruling is given in the Tosefta – to enter Shabbat with a hungry feeling. However, there is a problem. In the Tosefta of Taanit (2:7) another dispute between Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yossi appears, where Rabbi Yehuda gives the opposite opinion. In this case, the discussion is about breaking the fast before darkness on Tisha B'Av which occurs on Friday (this cannot happen with the permanent calendar which we now use). "If Tisha B'Av occurs on Friday, a person should eat an amount equivalent to a 'beitza' and drink in order not to begin Shabbat in a state of suffering, according to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda. Rabbi Yossi says, one should fast the whole day."
Thus, according to Rabbi Yehuda a person must prepare properly for Shabbat and keep his desire for food in check. Eating very close to the time of Shabbat is forbidden in order to feel some degree of hunger, but one is not allowed to begin Shabbat in a state of suffering, since this too would harm the atmosphere of Shabbat. Because of this, commentators objected to the practice of those "who perform good acts," which might indeed cause people to enter Shabbat in a state of suffering (Mishna Berura 18).
When should a Fast Day End on Friday?
In the Tosefta quoted above, Rabbi Yossi and Rabbi Yehuda dispute the above topic. Here too the Talmud rules according to Rabbi Yossi, in this case that the Fast Day should be completed until the end (Eiruvin 41). However, the commentators disagree whether the Talmud rules that it is an obligation to complete the Fast Day because we do not accept the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda (Ravia; Rokeyach) or if one is permitted but required to do so without any fear of entering Shabbat while fasting (Tosafot). That is, while fasting at the start of Shabbat is allowed in principle, it is not good practice because it shows disrespect for Shabbat. The Mordechai writes that the R"I tasted some food before the end of the day when the Tenth of Tevet occurred on Friday. He also writes in the name of the Maharam of Rottenberg that if Shabbat was started early eating is permitted, and there is no need to wait until after the sun sets.
The RAMA follows the Maharil (157) but he differentiates between a fast by an individual and a public fast day. He writes that for an individual fast (which must be formally accepted beforehand) the ruling of the Maharam can be followed, but that a public fast day should be completed, until the sun has set.
Summary: On a regular Friday, one is permitted to eat a short time before Shabbat begins, but it is good practice to avoid doing this, in order to enter Shabbat with a desire for food. The Shulchan Aruch discusses a custom to fast every Friday, but recent rabbis object to entering Shabbat while suffering from a fast.
With respect to a fast day that occurs on Shabbat: The fast should be completed until the stars come out at the end of the day. The fast will be broken with the Kiddush. Therefore the prayers should be recited quickly to avoid unnecessary hardship for the people who are fasting.
Let us hope and pray that the Fast of the Tenth Month will become a day of happiness and joy for all of the House of Yehuda and as a time of a holiday, and that truth and peace will be achieved (see Zecharia 8:19).
What is the Proper Time for the Shabbat Meal?
Answer: It is written, "Declare Shabbat as a pleasure, holy for G-d, respect it, and refrain from engaging in your own affairs, seeking your needs, and speaking forbidden matters" [Yeshayahu 58:13]. The sages understood that special foods are an important facet of the pleasure and honor that we are required to show, and they went very far to emphasize the importance of these matters (Shabbat 118b; Shulchan Aruch 242).
However, there is a dispute in the Talmud about the best time for the morning meal, the meal during the day of Shabbat. "'Respect it' – Rav said, make it early, and Shmuel said, make it late" [Shabbat 119a]. Rashi explains that the basic argument between Rav and Shmuel is how to best show respect for Shabbat. Is it best to begin to eat early or to wait and thereby enhance the feeling of anticipation and hunger? Other commentators feel that there is no disagreement in this passage (see Tosafot). The Shulchan Aruch rules following the TUR that the matter is subjective and every person should act in a way that gives him or her most pleasure. "If eating early gives him pleasure, because for example he has digested the meal from the night, then he should eat early. But if he most enjoys being late, because he has not yet digested the first meal, let him eat later" (Shulchan Aruch 288:7).
However, one should take care not to fast on Shabbat. The Talmud Yerushalmi prohibits even fasting until noon (Taanit 3:11), and this is also the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch (288:1). This is especially important when daylight time is not in effect, since noontime is quite early (about 11:30). If the prayers and the sermon take too much time, the hour of noon can be reached without it being noticed.
