In an article in the sefer Zeved Tov (a compilation of torah essays in honor of Rav Zevulun Charlop, former dean of RIETS, available here in .pdf format), Rav Hershel Shachter cites (p. 245) a number of insights from Rav Soloveitchik in connection with the Ramban’s comments to the pasuk “Zachor es yom hashabbos.” Ramban mentions that Shabbos must be distinct from other days in the week, similar to the Rambam’s psak (Shabbos 30:3) that one must have different, better food for Shabbos, nicer clothes for Shabbos, and even if one eats lavish meals all week one should change the time of the meal so as to mark Shabbos as special. Based on this idea Rav Soloveitchik frowned on the practice of making early Shabbos. The Rav felt that the motive behind early Shabbos is to have dinner at the same time as usual, to make Shabbos more like the rest of the week, contrary to the theme developed by the Ramban and Rambam. Making early Shabbos does not necessarily pose a problem in terms of hilchos tefilah, assuming one davens mincha before plag and ma’ariv only afterwards, but it does pose a problem in this are of hilchos shabbos.
As someone whose kids still grow cranky waiting too long for dinner, I sympathize with those who make early Shabbos. Looking at the Rambam, it is in the context of discussing what to do if you eat lavish meals during the week that the Rambam says to eat at a different time. If nothing else distinguishes the seudas Shabbos, than the time the meal is served will have to do. But for most of us the Shabbos meal is distinguished from regular weekday dinner in various ways, e.g. by what is served, how it is served, the fact that the family is eating together, etc. Where the meal is defined as special in other ways, I am not so sure eating earlier, even at the same time as usual, to avoid cranky kids is an issue, b'frat if it will be a more peaceful seudah in keeping with the Shabbos spirit. Hard to know what RYBS would hold without more information. (Haleva'i anyway that I should get home from work in time to make early Shabbos.)
(Update: By coincidence I saw in a local paper that RHS is a guest rabbi-in-residence somewhere and he is scheduled to speak between mincha and ma'ariv at their Friday night early kabbolas shabbos minyan. I think it's a fair guess that he is davening at the minyan he is speaking at, despite the sevara in the article. Make of it what you will.)
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I know someone that makes the seudah and then davens ma'ariv. This avoids the tefilah problems but not the Rav's problem.
ReplyDeleteThey tell me that in Winnipeg, where shkia can be quite late, and I imagine in Anchorage, where the latest shkia is 11:21, they make kiddush, eat the meal, all without being mekabel shabbos, as the Rambam allows, go to a movie, come home and bentch licht and go to sleep.
ReplyDelete>>>I know someone that makes the seudah and then davens ma'ariv.
ReplyDeleteSee Ma'aseh Rav #117 quoting R' Chaim Volozhiner that this is not correct to do -- you can only be mekadesh after ma'ariv (quoted as well in Shu"T Pri Yitzchak by R' Y. Blazer, I:9). The question is why this should be so (see the tshuvah and the footnotes to Ma'aseh Rav)...
Just so you know, Rav Shechter does not always follow the Rav's halachic opinion. One main example is techailes. The Rav was vehemently against it and Rav Shechter wears it every day on his talis katan and gadol. Maybe in this case he also disagrees and sees no problem with making early shabbos.
ReplyDeleteRHS is a guest rabbi-in-residence somewhere and he is scheduled to speak between mincha and ma'ariv at their Friday night early kabbolas shabbos minyan. I think it's a fair guess that he is davening at the minyan he is speaking at, despite the sevara in the article.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't his place so he doesn't set policy there.Rav Ahron Kotler felt very strongly about not making an early Shabbos and being Machmir on Rabbanu Tam's zman.Yet when he first came to America and lived in Washington Heights he would daven in a Shul that davened Mariv twenty minutes after Skiah even on Yom Kippur.
On another note.Everyone agrees that one can't make an early Yom Tov on Shvouas.Yet the Ben Ish Chai writes that on the second night Shovoas it is better to make an early Yom Tov then to wait for night when the bugs come out (in Baghdad)
Chaim B.(6:19 PM): See Ma'aseh Rav #117 quoting R' Chaim Volozhiner that this is not correct to do -- you can only be mekadesh after ma'ariv (quoted as well in Shu"T Pri Yitzchak by R' Y. Blazer, I:9). The question is why this should be so (see the tshuvah and the footnotes to Ma'aseh Rav)...
ReplyDeleteI understand you're referring to the 'Ma'aseh Rav' brought here, and the 'Shu"T Pri Yitzchak' who mentions it here( middle of left column, starting with: "veHineh beSefer Ma'aseh Rav"). The analyses in the footnote in 'Ma'aseh Rav', and in 'Shu"T Pri Yitzchak', are above my head, but I would like to mention that the 'Mishna Berura', Siman 271, Se'if 4, Se'if Qatan 11( towards the end) says:
ואם רוצה לקבל שבת מבע"י ולקדש ולאכול ולהתפלל ערבית אח"כ בלילה רשאי ובתנאי שיהיה חצי שעה קודם זמן מעריב כדלעיל בסימן רל"ה ס"ב [א"ר].
Maybe Chaim Markowitz's acquaintance relies on the 'Mishnah Berurah' rather than the 'Ma'aseh Rav'( or RYBS, for that matter) on this matter.
According to the Rav's argument would it not make a difference what is motivating the making of the early shabbas. For example if it is so your kids will be able to join you at the meal or not be grumpy or hungry and thereby enjoy the begining of shabbas more. Then why wouldnt that be allowed. It would seem to me that the only ones that are making shabbas like the week are nursing homes and the like who always serve supper at a set time and make early shabbos to fit into that schedule. But many ppl make early shabbos so that they can eat the meal at a normal time and enjoy it more and also so that there is time after the meal to enjoy shabbos.
ReplyDelete