Having gentile guests Yom Tov

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Having gentile guests Yom Tov:[1]

It is forbidden to invite gentile guests for a Yom Tov meal.[2] This applies even if all one’s food is already cooked.[3] If, however, the gentile arrived on his own, one may give him food to eat[4], although it is forbidden to invite and press on the gentile to eat [if he does not accept the initial offer[5]].[6]

Housemaid:[7]  It is permitted to have a gentile housemaid eat the Yom Tov meals with one’s family and to even add more food to the pot prior to placing it on the fire, so long as one does not cook an extra pot of food just for her.

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[1] See Admur 512:1-3; Kaf Hachaim 512:5-15

[2] Admur 512:1; 325:1; Michaber 512:1; Beitza 21b

The reason: It is forbidden to invite gentile guests on Yom Tov due to a decree that one may come to cook another pot of food on behalf of the gentile, and Meleches Ochel Nefesh was only permitted to be done on Yom Tov on behalf of a Jew and not on behalf of a gentile. [Admur ibid; Taz 512:2]

[3] Admur 512:2; Taz 512:4; See Kaf Hachaim 512:5

[4] Admur 512:2; Michaber ibid; Beitza ibid

[5] See Kaf Hachaim 512:5

[6] Admur ibid; Taz 512:4

The reason: It is permitted to offer him to eat if he has arrived uninvited is in such a case there is no worry that one may be pressured into cooking him a separate pot of food as one is not pressed to honor and respect him. However, it is forbidden to oppress upon the gentile to eat by him as this shows that he is trying to honor him and we thus suspect that he may come to cook something else on his behalf. [Admur ibid]

[7] Admur 512:3-4; Michaber and Rama ibid

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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