Please verify your minhagim with your Rabbi.

Since Erev Pesach this year falls on Shabbat, the times of Bedikat Chametz and Biur Chametz are different.  Bedikat Chametz takes place on Thursday night before Shabbat in the same manner as any other year and with the recitation of the bracha.  In order not to distinguish the burning of the chametz from any other year, it is destroyed on Friday morning.  The bitul formula, which is normally recited at the time of Biur Chametz, or the burning of the chametz, is recited on Shabbat as if it would be in a normal year on the morning of Erev Pesach.

Although the Shulchan Aruch states that we perform the procedure of Biur Chametz of Friday, nevertheless enough chametz food can be left over for the Shabbat meals on Friday night and Shabbat morning.

For Ashkenazim concerned with the problem of having chametz on Shabbat, after the procedure of Biur Chametz was completed, egg Matzah may be substituted for bread on Friday night and Shabbat morning (See Igros Moshe I, paragraph 155).  Although Ashkenazi Jews are prohibited from egg Matzah during Pesach, that does not include the morning of Erev Pesach.  The eating of egg Matzah according to HaRav Moshe Feinstein, OBM, should stop at the same time it is forbidden to eat chametz.

For Sepharadim (who do not consider Matzah to be bread except on Pesach and therefore cannot use it for lechem mishnah - the required bread – on Shabbat, and Ashkenazim who choose to eat chametz and these first two meals, it is imperative to dispose of any leftover chametz by the time of Biur Chametz by flushing it down the toilet or giving it to a non-Jew.

In order to eat the Shabbat morning meal before the prohibited time for eating chametz, it is customary to rise very early and daven.  In order to fulfill the requirement to eat three meals on Shabbat before the prohibited time for eating chametz, it is advised to divide the morning meal in half, with a brief recess, approximately the time it would take for one to walk around the block, to separate the two “meals”.  If this is not feasible, since bread of Matzah of any kind may not be used after the prohibited time, one may fulfill Seudah Shelishit by eating Passover cake, fruits, and similar non-mezonot (regular cake and crackers) or non-bread items.

Adapted from www.crcweb.org

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