10:56 AM
Gil Student
Passover guides by major kosher supervision organizations:
Here are the rulings on paper towels:
- Click here to read more
- OU (link): The consensus of the OU's Poskim is that the following may be used on Pesach without certification:
31. Paper cups, plates and towels - Star-K (link-PDF): Paper Towel Rolls – Any brand may be used in the following manner: the first three sheets and the last sheet attached to the cardboard should not come into direct contact with food since a corn starch based glue may be used. The rest of the roll may be used with hot or cold.
- CRC (link): Paper Goods: All are acceptable, including all paper plates, bowls and cups, all paper and plastic table cloths, as well as all paper towels. It is suggested to not use hot foods or drinks on starched paper goods. Styrofoam products may be used instead.
- OU (link): One may use bread for "lechem mishnah" and general consumption on Friday night and Shabbat morning provided that the morning meal is eaten and finished before the end of the first four hours of the day ("sha'ot zemaniyot") . Therefore, one should rise early on such a Shabbat and pray with an early minyan. The service should be conducted with dignity, and conclude early enough to eat the second Shabbat meal before the time when the chametz is prohibited.
If one does not wish to use bread on Shabbat and has removed all chametz from the house before Shabbat, then he can use egg matzah ("matzah ashira") for the first two Shabbat meals provided that the second meal is finished before the time when the chametz becomes prohibited. Although "matzah ashirah" is not chametz, it is our custom not to eat it during that time period when we may not eat chametz...
One may use cooked matzahs for they are not included in the prohibition against eating matzah on erev Pesach...
Bread can be used for the third meal in the following manner: Immediately after the morning prayers, one washes, recites the "beracha" over "lechem mishnah" and eats the proper "shi'ur" for "birkat hamazon". He then recited the "birkat hamazon". He has thus eaten the second Shabbat meal. After waiting a short while, he commences the whole procedure again, this time eating a whole meal. This is his third Shabbat meal. This third meal must be finished before the end of the fourth hours into the day. In this manner, one fulfills the mitzvah of the three Shabbat meals "bedi'avad" since only some authorities allow the third meal to be eaten in this manner.
The third meal may consist of fruit or fish or meat to the exclusion of bread, for there are some authorities who state that these foods fulfill the requirement for the third meal. These foods can be eaten after the beginning of the 10th hour of the day provided that one partakes of then in moderation. - Star-K (link): The procedure for hamotzi for all Shabbos meals is as follows: Use small fresh rolls for lechem mishnah (there are less crumbs with fresh rolls)... Because the brocha on egg matzoh is a matter of dispute, adults should use rolls for lechem mishnah. After making hamotzi and eating a k'zayis of the roll, adults may eat egg matzoh until the sof zman achilas chometz. On Shabbos Erev Pesach, regular matzoh may not be eaten by anyone except children under six...
Shacharis on Shabbos morning should be scheduled earlier than usual because one must recite hamotzi on lechem mishnah before the sof zman achilas chometz (end of 4th halachic hour of the day)...
During Seudah Shlishis on an ordinary Shabbos one must have lechem mishnah and l'chatchila eat more than a k'baya (more than two k'zaysim) of bread after the time of mincha gedola (1/2 halachic hour after chatzos/midday). On this Shabbos, one may not eat bread or matzoh at this time. What is the solution? One must eat "other foods" during the afternoon including fish, fruit or potato starch cake any time between mincha gedola and sunset...
If time permits, it is preferable to also "split the morning meal" in the following manner: Recite hamotzi and eat rolls, recite Birchas Hamazon and take a walk outside. Then, wash for Seudah Shlishis and recite hamotzi. One must be careful to finish the bread and dispose of the crumbs by the times indicated above. If one does this, one should still eat something after mincha gedola as described above. - R. J. David Bleich's Halochos of Erev Pesach Which Occurs on Shabbos (link-PDF): Challah or bread should be eaten as part of the Shabbos meal on Friday evening and preferably Shabbos morning as well...
It is proper to eat two meals on Shabbos morning before the time during which chometz may be eaten has elapsed. In this way the mitzvah of sholosh se'udos may be fulfilled as on every Shabbos. One may not, however, simply recite the Grace after Meals and then wash a second time. There should be an "interruption," between the two meals. A period of time between the two meals may be devoted to Torah study or to a Shabbos stroll...
If the second meal cannot be completed within the prescribed time, sholosh se'udos should be eaten after noon in the form of meat or fish (preferably) or fruit. Since many authorities maintain that sholosh se'udos must be eaten after mid-day, a meal in the form of meat, fish or fruit should be eaten in the afternoon even if two meals were previously eaten during the morning hours. According to some authorities, those who do not have a custom to the contrary may use kneidlach (matzah balls) or cake made of matzah meal and a generous amount of sugar and oil, for sholosh se'udos...
No foods containing matzah meal should be eaten after the beginning of the 10th hour...
If for any reason it is feared that the use of chometz on Shabbos will in any way lead to inadvertent transgression of the laws of Pesach, egg matzah should be substituted for challah or bread... Even if egg matzah is used rather than challah or bread the meal should be completed before the period during which chometz may be eaten has elapsed...
If for some reason it is impossible to complete the chometz meal within the prescribed time, some authorities permit the meal to be eaten at a later hour using egg matzah instead of bread. The use of egg matzah after the time during which chometz may be eaten has elapsed is, however, to be discouraged since egg matzah is ordinarily permitted only to the sick and infirm.
