When Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, may one split his meal in two, and eat bread only by the beginning of the meal?

When Erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, may one split his meal in two, and eat bread only by the beginning of the meal?:[1]

Friday night: Regarding the Chametz meal eaten on Friday night that falls on Erev Pesach, one should not split the meal, segregating the various courses served by the meal from bread, by clearing the table from the bread after eating the bread by Hamotzi, and intending to no longer eat bread during the remainder of the meal. The reason for this is because according to many opinions[2], doing so would require a new before and after blessing to be said on all the foods served from the time the bread is removed until the end of the meal. This applies even when eating the remaining courses of food on the same table that the bread was eaten and certainly applies when eating on a different table, in which case it is possible that all opinions agree that a new before and after blessing must be recited.[3] [Thus, it is especially problematic to make Kiddush and Lechem Mishneh outside one’s home, and then enter the home to eat the remaining courses of the meal.[4]] Accordingly, to solve this issue and escape the debate, one is to perform one of the following options:

1. Periodically eat Chametz also upon eating the second half of the meal. For this matter, it suffices to simply eat more bread[5] prior to reciting Birchas Hamazon, and it is not necessary to constantly eat bread during the other courses, or have bread on the actual table.[6] [Thus, one who says Kiddush and Hamotzi outside, and then enters his home to finish the rest of his meal inside, is to return back outside to eat more bread and recite Birchas Hamazon there.[7] Initially, this may only be done if at the time of reciting Hamotzi one had in mind  to eat inside the home.[8]]
2. Alternatively, one can simply recite Birchas Hamazon after eating a Kebeitza of bread, and then clear the table of bread and eat the remaining courses of the meal with a before and after blessing.[9]
3. Alternatively, one can simply eat less than a Kezayis of a Hadama and Shehakol food after Kiddush, prior to Hamotzi, and have in mind for these blessings to include all meal foods that will be served during the meal after the conclusion of eating the bread.[10] However, even in such a case, one who ate the bread outside must return there to recite Birchas Hamazon if he did not eat any bread inside the home.[11]

Despite the above initially suggested way of acting, those who are lenient to not do any of the above and continue eating the other courses of foods as usual even though they no longer intend to eat anymore bread, have upon whom to rely and are not to be protested, if the other foods are served on the same table that the bread was eaten on.[12] However, those who are eating the bread outside and then eating the meal inside their home must do one of the above alternatives.[13]

Shabbos day-until Sof Zeman Achilas Chametz: Regarding the splitting of the Chametz meal eaten on Shabbos day, prior to Sof Zeman Achilas Chametz, it follows the same debate and arbitration as explained above regarding the Friday night meal, and the above-mentioned alternatives should be followed.

Shabbos day-after Sof Zeman Achilas Chametz: Regarding if one may continue eating Kosher for Pesach meal foods after Sof Zeman Achilas Chametz, prior to reciting Birchas Hamzon, being that it is forbidden to eat anymore Chametz and one may also not eat Matzah, therefore it is possible that according to all opinions one would be required to recite a new before and after blessing when eating any remaining foods [i.e. a single Hadama blessing on all remaining Hadama foods and a single Shehakol blessing on any remaining Shehakol foods].[14] Thus, one must follow one of the remaining two alternatives mentioned above by the Friday night meal, which is to either

• Finish the entire meal prior to Sof Zeman Achilas Chametz, [making sure to eat some bread also at the end of the meal, as explained above regarding Friday night].[15]
• Conclude his meal and recite Birchas Hamazon before Sof Zeman Achilas Chametz and then eat any remaining foods with a before and after blessing.[16]
• Eat less than a Kezayis of Hadama and Shehakol food after Kiddush, prior to Hamotzi, and have in mind for these blessings to include all meal foods that will be served during the meal after the conclusion of eating the bread.[17]

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[1] See Admur 177:6-7; Michaber 177:2; Brachos 41b; Minchas Yitzchak 6:48; Piskeiy Teshuvos 177:8-10; 444:13

[2] 1^st and Stam opinion in Admur 177:6; Ideal ruling of Luach Birchas Hanehnin 5:12; Tur 177 regarding Seudos Gedolos; Levush 177:2, brought in M”A 177:7; P”M 200 A”A 3; 1^st Opinion brought in Biur Halacha 177:2 “Sheiyn”; Chazon Ish 27:3 that this applies even according to the opinion of the Rashba and others brought in Biur Halacha 177:2; M”A 208:24 regarding one who expressed his desire to recite Birchas Hamazon; Based on the following sources who rule this way regarding the Talmudic custom to serve appetizers at the end of the meal, after removing the bread table: Tosafos Brachos 41b; Rosh Brachos 6:26; Brachos 41b

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule that all of the meal foods are included and exempt with the blessing of Hamotzi said over bread even if one has no intent to eat anymore bread during those courses of food, and even if he expressed his desire to recite Birchas Hamazon, so long as one is eating those foods in the same table that the bread was eaten. [Limud Zechus opinion recorded in Admur 177:7 in defense of custom; Stam and only opinion recorded in Admur 174:9 in parentheses; Opinion recorded in Luach Birchas Hanehnin 5:12 regarding reliance of custom; M”A 177:7 based on Rabbeinu Yonah ibid; 2^nd Opinion brought in Biur Halacha 177:2 “Sheiyn” and that so is opinion of Rashba being that meal foods are the main stable of the meal and are hence always exempt even when eaten after the meal; See Chazon Ish 27:2; Cheshev Haeifod 3:10] Some Poskim rule that the meal foods are exempt the original blessing over the bread even when eaten on another table. [Piskeiy Teshuvos 177:9 and 444:13 based on Biur Halacha ibid in name of Rashba]

[3] Implication of Admur ibid who writes in the justification of the lenient opinion “As whatever they eat and drink on the table that they ate the bread on is considered like one meal.” This implies that if it is eaten on another table than everyone agrees a new blessing must be said.

[4] An additional issue to ponder in such a case besides for the above is the issue of switching areas during the meal which is only initially allowed to be done if one intends to also eat bread in the second area, and likewise due to the issue of that if he does not eat bread in the second area than he would be required to return to outside to recite Birchas Hamazon. [See Admur 178:4-5; P”M 178 M”Z 7; Kaf Hachaim 178:23; Minchas Yitzchak 6:48 and Piskeiy Teshuvos 177:9 footnote 59]

[5] How much bread must one eat? Some opinions rule that one must eat a Kezayis of bread again. [Minchas Yitzchak 6:48; Piskeiy Teshuvos 444:13] However, based on Admur 184:1 it suffices for him to eat there even a little more bread, even less than a Kezayis.

Must everyone eat more bread? Initially, everyone is to eat more bread. However, some write that it suffices even if only the leader of the home needs more bread. [Nitei Gavriel 19 footnote 8, based on Kaf Hachaim 177:14, brought in Piskeiy Teshuvos 444:13]

[6] Minchas Yitzchak 6:48; Piskeiy Teshuvos 177:9 and 444:13

[7] See Admur 178:4-5; Minchas Yitzchak 6:48 and Piskeiy Teshuvos 444:13 footnote 89

[8] Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid

[9] 2^nd option in Piskeiy Teshuvos 177:10

[10] 3^rd option in Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid footnote 64 and 2^nd option in Piskeiy Teshuvos 444:13; Nitei Gavriel 19 footnote 8 regaridng Shehakol

[11] See Admur 178:4-5; P”M 178 M”Z 7; Kaf Hachaim 178:23; Piskeiy Teshuvos 444:13

[12] Admur ibid; Cheshev Haeifod 3:10; Kinyan Torah 3:55 [even regarding different table]

[13] As explained above that according to the opinion of Admur ibid it is possible that in such a case according to all opinions one will be required to recite a before and after blessing.

[14] Implication of Admur 177:6-7; Piskeiy Teshuvos 177:10

The reason: Being that it is forbidden to eat anymore Chametz after the start of the 5^th hour of the day, it is possible that according to all opinions one would be required to recite a new before and after blessing when eating any remaining foods, as past this time he is prohibited from eating Chametz, and it is likewise forbidden to eat Matzah, hence it should possibly be viewed as one who has already washed Mayim Achronim of which we rule that according to all opinions a new before and after blessing must be recited. The reason for this is because there is no greater removal of one’s mind from the bread then an inability to eat it due to a prohibition, and hence if Mayim Achronim is defined as a removal of one’s mind according to all opinions then certainly would a prohibition of eating anymore bread be defined as such. Now, although one can suggest that perhaps Mayim Achronim is only defined as total a removal of one’s mind because he removes his mind from eating any more food and not just bread, while the prohibition of eating anymore bread simply removes his mind from the bread and not from the other foods, nonetheless from the wording of Admur it seems clear that even the removal of one’s mind only from the bread suffices according to all opinions to require a new before and after blessing to be recited on the other foods. [Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid and footnote 63, based on Admur ibid, Chazon Ish ibid, P”M ibid, Taz 178:10, M”A 472:7]

Ruling of Admur: Implication of Admur ibid who rules that washing Mayim Achronim is considered a complete removal of the mind which requires new blessings to be recited a meal foods even according to the lenient opinion, and likewise rules that even removal of one’s mind from bread requires new blessings to be recited over meal foods. Accordingly, certainly if it becomes forbidden to eat more bread there is no greater removal of the mind than this and new blessings must be recited according to all opinions.

Other opinions: Some suggest that there is a difference between one who does an action to remove his mind from the bread versus one who was Halachically forced to do so. [Opinion based on Tosafus Rav Yehuda Hachassid in Brachos 41b, brought in Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid footnote 63 who brings and negates this approach]

[15] 1^st option in Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid

[16] 2^nd option in Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid

[17] 3^rd option in Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid footnote 64 and 2^nd option in Piskeiy Teshuvos 444:13; Nitei Gavriel 19 footnote 8 regarding Shehakol