This year, 2025, is one of those rare years when Passover begins on Saturday evening, as Shabbat departs. While Passover can technically begin on four of the week’s seven evenings—Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday—this one is by far the most rare, occurring just 11.512 percent of the time. Having Passover begin after Shabbat presents us with a host of unique observances and opportunities to be aware of.
The Fast of the Firstborn is Advanced
It is customary for all firstborn males to fast (and the prevailing custom is actually to break the fast by participating in a religious celebratory meal) on the morning before Passover. This year, the day of the fast coincides with Shabbat, when fasting is prohibited, so the fast is advanced to Thursday.
We Search for and Burn The Chametz a Day Early
Normally, we search for chametz the night before Passover and burn it the following morning. This year, however, that will be Shabbat, when lighting fires is not allowed. Instead, we search for chametz on Thursday night and burn it on Friday morning, completing both rituals a day earlier than usual.
We Have an Almost Chametz-Free Shabbat
Normally, we stop eating (or evening owning) chametz from just before the burning until after Passover. But in this case, the chametz was burned a day in advance and we still need to have some chametz upon which to recite Hamotzi at our Shabbat meals. So even though our homes are entirely chametz-free, we keep just a few small rolls (pitas are an easy, less crumbly option), which we will very carefully use for our Shabbat meals.
We Eat the Shabbat Meal Early in the Day
To keep things practical, our Shabbat meals are entirely kosher for Passover, aside from the bread which we eat very carefully so as not to leave any crumbs behind. In fact, only after we finish munching our bread, either outside or somewhere else we can be sure not to leave crumbs behind, we sit at our kosher-for-Passover table and finish the meal.
The Shabbat daytime meal must be consumed earlier than usual to ensure that we have eaten any bits of bread before the deadline (any remaining bread must be flushed down the toilet by the prescribed time).
We Prepare for the Seder on Friday
Since we may not prepare on Shabbat for anything that will happen after Shabbat, we prepare for the Seder on Friday, washing and drying lettuce, grating the horseradish, preparing the charoset, cooking our favorite dishes, and getting everything else ready for the Seders.
Everyone Chants the Same Haftarah
The Shabbat before Passover is known as “Shabbat Hagadol,” the Great Shabbat. There is a special Haftarah associated with this day, but many communities, including Chabad, only read it in years like this one, when Shabbat Hagadol is immediately before Passover. So this year, no matter what your custom is, you’ll be hearing Malachi chapter 3 during your (extra early) Shabbat morning services.
Read: On the Haftarah of Shabbat Hagadol: To Touch the Essence
We Get to Rest Up for the Seder
It’s no secret that it’s hard work getting ready for Passover. Many of us are exhausted by the time we finally reach Seder night. But this year, with all the work finishing on Friday, we have a blessedly quiet Shabbat to rest, rejuvenate and be ready for the Seder.
We Light Candles Three Times in a Row!
This year, we light candles three nights in a row, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings. In other years, the candles of the first night of Passover should ideally be lit before the onset of the holiday, just like Shabbat candles. This year, however, we may not handle fire until Shabbat has ended. We, therefore, light the candles (from a pre-existing flame) only after night has fallen, the same time we begin other Seder preparations, and include the special Shehecheyanu blessing. This is the case the following night as well.
We Do Yaknehaz
When we lift our wine glasses at the start of the Seder, we are doing triple duty, as we are both saying Kiddush (which welcomes in Passover) and Havdalah (which ushers out Shabbat) AND it is the first of the Four Cups. This unique composite is known as Yaknehaz, an acronym for the order of the blessings said:
- Yayin: Blessing over wine
- Kiddush: Blessing sanctifying Passover
- Ner: Blessing over fire, said while glancing at the festival candles
- Havdalah: Blessing marking the end of Shabbat
- Zeman: Shehecheyanu blessing, marking the milestone
We Have a Long Chol Hamoed
The intermediate days of Passover are reserved for outings, family gatherings, and delicious Passover meals together. Since Passover begins and ends on consecutive Sundays, there is no Shabbat in the intermediate days, leaving more time for outings and other activities.
It’s Now!
The Kabbalists teach us that every moment G‑d creates the world anew. This year brings with it new significance and fresh opportunities that have never existed before and will never exist again. Grab the moment and make this a Passover to remember!
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