Yom Tov 101    

Prepared for print by Faigy Peritzman

This year Rosh Hashanah is immediately followed by Shabbos. When may I start preparing food for the second night? For the night of Shabbos? Is there anything I should say before starting to prepare at night?

On the first day of Rosh Hashanah you may not prepare any food that is going to be served exclusively on the second night of Rosh Hashanah. All preparations for the second night meal may begin immediately after nightfall, and nothing needs to be said before beginning the preparation. Preparations include cooking or warming the food, setting the table, lighting the candles, and washing the dishes. If necessary, it is permitted to merely remove frozen food from the freezer during the day [in order to give it enough time to thaw], making sure to do so early enough so that the frozen food would technically be edible during the day.

All food preparation for Shabbos is permitted on the second day of Rosh Hashanah (starting Thursday night) as long as you made a proper eiruv tavshilin on Erev Rosh Hashanah.

We just got married, and while I know my father used to do an eiruv tavshilin, I never really paid attention to when he did it, and what exactly we need to do. Could you clarify? 

On Erev Rosh Hashanah, you or your husband should put together a bit of cooked food (fish, chicken, eggs, etc.) and a loaf of challah or a piece of matzah, hold the food items in your hands, and recite the blessing and text for eiruv tavshilin, published in all siddurim and machzorim. If you forgot to do so and only remembered about it on Yom Tov, ask your rav what can be done about preparing Shabbos food.

I generally try to get to shul on Rosh Hashanah, but I never make it there in the very beginning. What are the parameters for when I should catch up in the davening, or when I should just keep up with the tzibbur?

Daven at the pace that best allows you to concentrate and focus on what you are saying. If davening along with the tzibbur elevates your davening, daven Shemoneh Esreh and then skip to where the tzibbur is holding.