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Does accepting Yom Tov early detract from the days of Sefira?
Adapted from a Shiur by Rabbi Avraham Y. Cohen
Many of us look forward to the beautiful Tikkun-reading and the intense learning that fills Shavu’ot night. Rabbis and laymen alike choose an engaging topic in advance, that will allow them to experience the beauty of in-depth Torah learning on the night of Kabbalat Torah. Practically speaking, however, the night is not as long as we’d like to think. This can be attributed not-so-much to an early sunrise than to the fact that we start praying Arvit much later than we do on the usual Yom Tov night – which delays the start of our night of learning until after midnight. In this article we will review the sources of the Minhag to pray Arvit after absolute nightfall on Shavu’ot night.
The difference between a regular Yom Tov and Shavu’ot
Generally speaking, the Poskim allow a person to light candles and accept Yom Tov early. As long as the previous day is not Shabbat – in which case one would have to wait until after nightfall before lighting the Yom Tov candles – there should be no problem of accepting a Yom Tov before nightfall. [There are various issues involved with accepting the second day of Yom Tov early – pertaining to the cooking and preparation from the first day to the second. While this is the accepted practice in many shuls, one is advised to consult their rabbi in order to avoid potential Halachic issues that this arrangement may cause.]
With regards to Shavu’ot, however, there is another element we must consider. The Torah writes that we must count seven weeks from the day following the first Yom Tov of Pessah until Shavu’ot. The Torah states that this Mitzvah should be “Sheva Shabbatot Temimot Tehiyena” – a count of seven complete weeks. Thus, the Poskim write that if a person were to accept the Yom Tov of Shavu’ot early, that would detract from the complete counting of the seven weeks of the Sefira.
We must understand the logic behind this. The counting of the Omer takes place in the evening, thus, on the 49th day, it would be recited after nightfall of Erev Shavu’ot. If so, our fulfillment of this Mitzvah would be completed on the night before Shavu’ot – why then would accepting Shavu’ot early detract from the completeness of the Sefira?
An early Shemini Atzeret
There is a similar discussion regarding the Yom Tov of Shemini Atzeret. The Maharshal, cited in the Taz[1], writes that on Shemini Atzeret, one should not recite Kiddush until after nightfall, at Tzet HaKochavim. This is because if one were to recite Kiddush early, there is a concern that it is still the Yom Tov of Sukkot, in which case, one must eat in the Sukkah and recite the Beracha of “Leshev BaSukkah.” Since this Beracha should not be recited on Shemini Atzeret, the Maharshal’s rules that one should wait until after nightfall before reciting Kiddush.
Although the Taz goes on to disprove the opinion of the Maharshal, and allows one to accept an early Shemini Atzeret, as is the opinion of the Mahari Ayash[2], nevertheless, the Hida[3] and others follow the Maharshal’s opinion that one should wait until after nightfall. This is also the opinion of Hacham Ovadia Yosef זצ”ל.[4]
It is clear that just because one accepts Shemini Atzeret upon himself, nevertheless, the Yom Tov Sukkot is not over in any way. This is similar to a person who makes Havdala before Shabbat is over. Although one fulfills the Mitzvah of Havdala, the Halachot of Shabbat are still intact.
However, while reciting Havdala early is non-consequential, as the day we are attempting to usher in has no special Halachot, and therefore discussing whether the weekday has begun or not is irrelevant; accepting the Yom Tov of Shemini Atzeret early would subject us to the Halachot of Shemini Atzeret. This would create a problem with reciting the Beracha of Leshev BaSukkah.
Ending Sefirat Ha’Omer
We must then inquire if accepting the Yom Tov of Shavu’ot early would affect the completeness of the last day of Sefira, because the Kedusha of Shavu’ot – which is supposed to follow a complete Sefira – would now begin.
Whereas the practical Mitzvah of counting Sefira is to count each day after nightfall, we must also ensure not absolve that counting. Once one has declared that a specific day of the Omer is counted as that specific day, ushering in the next day would – in essence – contradict that counting. That is why, if one were to accept Shavu’ot early, he would be declaring that it is no longer Sefira, as it is impossible to have both at the same time. This would detract from the completeness of the count.
Arvit or Kiddush
We must now determine at which point are we going to declare the beginning of Shavuos in a way that would contradict the continuation of the Sefira. The Aharonim dispute this point. The Magen Avraham[5] writes that one should not recite Kiddush until after absolute nightfall at Tzet HaKochavim – star-break. This opinion is cited L’Halacha in the Ben Ish Hai[6] and the Kaf HaHayim[7].
The Taz[8] is of the opinion that one shouldn’t even pray Arvit on the first night of Shavu’ot until after Tzet HaKochavim. Although the Ohr L’Tziyon cites the Magen Avraham as the primary Halacha, he still recommends to follow the Taz if possible and delay Arvit until after nightfall[9]. Still if it is difficult for the Tzibbur to wait for so long they may pray Arvit early and recite the Kiddush after nightfall. Hacham Ovadia Yosef adds that if that in countries in which nightfall is particularly late, and delaying the Kiddush is also difficult, one may recite the Kiddush early – although if it is possible to wait until after sunset it is better to do so.[10]
The logic of the Magen Avraham would be, that although one may have prayed Arvit, which is an acceptance of the Kedusha of Shavu’ot, nevertheless, the fact that one is waiting to recite Kiddush demonstrates that one is not yet removing his mind from the count of Sefira.
According to this opinion, it is not so much about whether Kiddush or Arvit marks the beginning of Yom Tov, but rather about the fact that the previous day still lingers on until after Tzet HaKochavim, as it awaits other forms of marking the beginning of the Hag. Accordingly, if one would light candles or prays Arvit by day, and recite Kiddush after Tzet HaKochavim – or vice versa – that would not completely disregard the Sefira and would therefore not be an issue.
According to the Taz however, any form of acceptance of the Kedusha of Shavu’ot already detracts from the previous day.
The second night
It should be noted, that the question of accepting Yom Tov early should technically only apply to the first night of Shavu’ot, because of the Sefirat Ha’Omer is already done. However, the Netziv writes that there is Minhag Yisra’el is not to accept Shavu’ot early, even on the second night of Yom Tov. This can be for an entirely different reason, as the Passuk states regarding Shavu’ot that we must sanctify it “B’Etzem HaYom HaZe” – on the day itself, which would exclude an early acceptance of the Yom Tov. This reasoning would apply even to the second day of Shavu’ot.
However, the consensus of the Sephardic Poskim is not to be concerned with this issue on the second night whatsoever – so long as one ensures to avoid any issues of cooking or preparation from one Yom Tov to the next, as we mentioned above.[11]
Sources:
[1] או”ח סי’ תרסח סק”א
[2] מטה יהודה שם סק”א
[3] ברכ”י שם סק”ה
[4] חזו”ע הל’ סוכות עמ’ תסט
[5] ע”פ המשאת בנימין, וע’ עמק ברכה
[6] ש”א פר’ במדבר אות ב
[7] סי’ תצד סק”ב
[8] הובא במ”ב
[9] ח”ג פי”ח ס”ד
[10] יחוה דעת (ח”ו ס”ל) ובחזו”ע (הל’ יו”ט עמ’ דש)
[11] בא”ח (ש”א פר’ במדבר אות ב)