Holidays
Is it Permissible to Have a Barbecue on Shavuot?
Question
On the upcoming holiday of Shavuot, is it permissible to have a barbecue not on the eve of the holiday, but on the next day? I also heard that on Rosh Hashanah it is also prohibited to do so. Is this true? Or is there a halachic explanation for it? Thank you
Answer
Greetings,
According to halacha, it is permissible to have a barbecue on Shavuot, provided that the fire is kindled from a flame that was already burning from the eve of the holiday. One must also take care not to extinguish the coals. Nevertheless, one should be cautious not to detract from the sanctity of the holiday, and therefore, on Rosh Hashanah, it is even more advisable to avoid having a barbecue due to the fear of judgment.
Sources: Similar to what is stated by the poskim, even according to those who permit smoking on Yom Tov, it is advisable to refrain from smoking on Rosh Hashanah due to the "fear of judgment". See Mateh Ephraim (Siman 496, Section 1). Also, in the responsa of the Tza'irush Teshuva (Part Orach Chaim, Siman 238), it is noted that his father, the venerable author of the Ksav Sofer, was careful not to smoke on Rosh Hashanah because of the fear of judgment, and this is cited in the responsa of Yabia Omer, Part 5 (Orach Chaim, Siman 39, Note 3, end of the paragraph). This was also the practice of the venerable Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, as noted in Orachot Rabbeinu, Part 2, page 106. Also see in the book Netai Gavriel on the laws of Rosh Hashanah (Chapter 22, Note 13), which mentions that even the revered Rabbi Rayatz of Lubavitch warned about this. Likewise, the venerable Rabbi Yaakov Kanievsky was careful about this, as noted in Orachot Rabbeinu there.
Best regards,
Hillel Meirs
