The search for Chametz is done on Thursday night after nightfall (8:21 PM). The burning of chametz is done Friday by 12:02 PM (Baltimore, MD).
Although you may eat chametz until Shabbos morning at 10:56 AM, the sale of chametz takes place on Friday morning. Any chametz you plan on eating on Friday and Shabbos morning should be placed apart from the chametz that will be sold.
Shabbos meals should be completely Kosher for Pesach with the exception of the bread (explained below).
Technically, you can set aside an entire chametz meal but due to the logistical challenges it is not recommended.
One should set aside two pitas or soft rolls that do not generate substantial crumbs for every Shabbos meal. They can be eaten at the table if one is using disposable utensils and a plastic sheet. Alternatively, one may eat the bread outside on their porch and then come back inside to eat the rest of the meal.
There are those who allow eating Matza on Friday night, many do not. All agree Matza cannot be eaten Shabbos day.
The bread must be eaten before 10:56 AM. The meal may continue afterward.
In order to enable eating challah before this, most shuls start davening on Shabbos morning earlier than usual.
One is obligated to have Lechem Mishna, double bread, at every Shabbos meal, to commemorate the double portion of man that fell every Friday while the Jewish People traveled in the desert. It is meant to remind us that G-d takes care of all our needs.
According to some opinions, one may use Egg Matzah for Lechem Mishnah. If one relies on this opinion, Shabbos meals need not be eaten early. One should not eat egg matzah on Pesach.
Some are of the opinion that egg matzah is chametz and therefore can be eaten on Erev Pesach as it is not matzah but cannot be eaten after the morning (Rav Moshe Feinstein). Others (Aruch Hashulchan) are of the opinion that it is not matzah or chametz and therefore can be eaten all day. Others, due to the uncertainty around egg matzah, do not eat it on Erev Pesach/ Pesach. And others allow eating it on Erev Pesach alone.
Seudah Shlishi – One is obligated to have three meals every Shabbos. There are three ways to do so on Erev Pesach that falls out on Shabbos.
- Start the first meal really early. Finish the meal and take a little break by reading a short book, or going on a short walk. Then return and eat the third meal with two rolls of bread. Of course this must be eaten before 10:56 AM.
- There is an opinion that one can fulfill the obligation of eating the third meal with fruit, meat, or fish. One can then eat this meal at any point during the day but should not eat too late so they have an appetite for the seder.
- There is an opinion recorded by the Magen Avraham that one can fulfill their obligation by learning Torah. This is not a conventional view. Nonetheless, one can rely on it if need be.
Leftover bread should be broken up and flushed down the toilet before 12:02 PM.
It cannot be placed with the other chametz as that chametz has been sold already. Placing it in the garbage is not sufficient.
At 12:02 PM all chametz becomes muktzah and cannot be handled. One should say Kol Chamira (found in a siddur in the Pesach section), nullifying any remaining chametz, before this time.
One may not start preparing for the Seder on Shabbos. One may only start after Shabbos concludes at 8:23.
Before beginning to do anything for Pesach, one should say, Baruch hamavdil bein kodesh l’kodesh/ daven Maariv.
One lights Yom Tov candles from a pre-existing flame.
*Pro Tip: Set your dining room table for the Seder on Friday. Eat the Shabbos meal at a kitchen table. This enables you to start your Pesach Seder as soon as Shabbos ends.*