by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for the Five Towns Jewish Times “Hi. Have the Gabbai roll the Torah right after Friday morning Shacharis so it will be ready for Shabbos morning Shacharis.” “Yes, but it’s Yom Tov – isn’t that hachana?” “Ma, Ta, thanks for having us for this afternoon Seudah. Do you think I can take my Tallis back home for tomorrow or is that a problem of Hachana?” These questions and more are often asked on Yom Tov, and unfortunately, the laws of hachana – preparing on Yom Tov or on Shabbos for another day are not so well understood. What follows is an attempt to clarify some of the underlying concepts. Hachana can be defined as the preparing of something from Yom Tov to Shabbos or another day, or from Shabbos to Yom Tov or another day. SOURCES The Mishna in Meseches Shabbos (113a) tells us that although beds may be moved on Friday night for the needs of Shabbos day, they may not be moved on Shabbos day for the needs of Motzei Shabbos. This Mishna is cited authoritatively in the Mogain Avrohom (302:6). The Gemorah (Eiruvin 38b) understands the posuk in Shmos (16:5), And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare that which they shall bring” to mean that one prepares on a weekday for Yom Tov but not from Yom Tov to Shabbos. Nor may Shabbos prepare for a Yom Tov. PLEASE HELP A VERY CHOSHUV HACHNASSAS KALLAH SITUATION https://thechesedfund.com/zechornilah/hachnasaskallah The Ran (cited in Shaar HaMelech Hilchos Yom Tov 1:4) explains that if it is forbidden to prepare on Yom Tov for Shabbos – it is certainly forbidden to prepare on Yom Tov for a weekday. The Ran’s view is therefore that it is a Torah prohibition to prepare foods (or other items) on Yom Tov for a weekday. Although the TaZ, however, seems to understand it as a Rabbinic prohibition, the Mishna Brurah does not indicate that it is Rabbinic. It may be that some types of Hachana are forbidden biblically while others are only Rabbinically proscribed. DIFFERENT LEVELS OF HACHANA There are different levels of hachana, preparation described in the Rishonim. The Rashba (Eiruvin38b) and other Rishonim list three different levels of Hachana. 1. Complete Hachana – such as placing an Eiruv Techumim or cooking and the like. 2. Light Hachana – such as making an Eiruv Chatzeiros where one is not acquiring a dwelling place 3. A hachana that happens by itself – such as an egg being laid on Yom Tov and the next day is Shabbos. Poskim use these different categories in discussing what may or may not be permitted in terms of hachana. REASONS Why might the Rabbis have created new prohibitions in Hachana? Perhaps the Rambam’s explanations of the reasons why Chazal created the halachos of Muktzah are instructive. The Rambam (Hilchos Shabbos 24:12-13) lists three reasons why the sages enacted Muktzah -two of them apply o the notion of Hachana as well. SPIRITUAL ELEVATION REASON The first reason is so that the nation of Israel could attain the state of rest necessary for the spiritual elevation that Shabbos can provide. The verse in Yishayahu (58:13) tells us, “Restrain, on account of the Shabbos, your feet..from seeking your personal needs or discussing the forbidden.” […]

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