Must seudah sh’lishis be eaten after mincha?

This question was pertinent this year when erev Pesach was on Shabbos and eating bread was only permitted in the morning. The usual seudah sh’lishis with bread was not possible after mincha. Likewise, one who prefers to eat seudah sh’lishis at home and go to shul to learn for the remainder of the day?

The Tur writes [1] that the time for seudah sh’lishis is not before mincha gedola, which is 6.5 hours into the day. [2] The Beis Yosef writes that this view is shared by many Rishonim although there are those who say that seudah sh’lishis may be eaten in the morning.

This does not mean that one must actually daven mincha beforehand, as we will soon see. Therefore, splitting the morning seudah, i.e. bentching, waiting a short while and washing for bread again, is not a viable solution, but this issue should be dealt with before the next time erev Pesach falls on Shabbos, which is five years.

Well, what about davening mincha beforehand?

The Rambam depicts (30:10) the schedule of tzaddikim on Shabbos: “One davens shacharis and mussaf in shul and goes home to eat the second meal. One then goes back to shul and learns until mincha. One then davens mincha and eats seudah sh’lishis”.

The Tur understands that one must daven mincha before seudah sh’lishis and so do other Rishonim. [3] Rabeinu Tam however preferred that seudah sh’lishis be eaten before mincha as he held that water may not be consumed between mincha and ma’ariv for kabalistic reasons. The poskim explain that he was referring to river water only and therefore the custom to first daven mincha prevails.

The Kaf Hachaim [4] cites many poskim who hold that one should preferably eat seudah sh’lishis after mincha. The Ari HaKadosh held the same. If it is difficult for one to first daven mincha, one may first eat seudah sh’lishis [5] and then daven mincha. [6]

Must one eat bread at seudah sh’lishis?

We mentioned in the past that optimally one must wash and eat bread for seudah sh’lishis. [7] When one is satiated to the point that he will not enjoy the meal one may eat other foods, preferably from the five grains.

Should the challos be covered at seudah sh’lishis as well?

We should first understand why the challos need be covered and then discuss seudah sh’lishis.

The Tur [8] cites two reasons for covering the challos.

The first is a Yerushalmi that says that challos should not be embarrassed during kiddush. One usually recites hamotzi before hagefen being that wheat - chitah is mentioned in the possuk “eretz chitah us’orah gefen…” before the gefen. It is only when the kiddush is recited over wine that the boreh p’ri hagefen is recited before the hamotzi and since the b’racha is out of order the challos must be covered.

The second is to imitate the manna, which was covered beneath and above with dew. We therefore place a cloth beneath (the table cloth) and above the challos.

The nafka mina (difference) between the two reasons is when the b’racha of wine is not recited prior to hamotzi, that is when kiddush is not recited. Since we are not accustomed to make kiddush at seudah sh’lishis, only the reason of the manna applies and not the reason of wine.

Consequently one l’chatchila should cover the challos at seudah sh’lishis as well, [9] but apparently custom is not so.

How long after sunset may one begin eating seudah sh’lishis, if at all?

Preferably one must commence eating before sunset. [10] Rav Sternbuch shlita relates that the Chazon Ish would not permit household members to wash after sunset and yet the Brisker Rav permitted washing up to 10 minutes after sunset.

One should definitely try to wash beforehand for various reasons. One is because it is a mitzvah to eat the three Shabbos meals during the actual Shabbos day, based on the possuk "ichluhu hayom" - three meals must be eaten on this day. [11]