(a) The Mishna says a wedding must take place on Wednesday. The Briasah on 3B that if there is an "Oneis", you can make the wedding on Monday. What is an accident? When the food was prepared and the father of the Chassan died.
I guess that in the times of the Gomorrah, wedding food was prepared on Monday, which seemed strange to me because they had no refrigeration, but I guess food lasted for two days. I would have preferred if the Biraisa said, "even on Monday".
(b) Then we come to 4B at the bottom. The first night cannot be on Friday night or Motzai Shabbos. I always assumed this meant that the wedding has to be on Wednesday and for whatever reason, the first night was either Friday or Saturday. However, it seems as if the wedding takes place on Friday or after Shabbos. What about our Mishne. Is the answer that we are talking when Bais Din meets every day?
Mitch Morgenstern, Chicago, USA
Dear Mitch,
(a) Concerning preparing food on Monday - the Gemara 4a is speaking about soaking the meat before cooking, not having the meat prepared to be eaten. The preparation was normally completed on Wednesday. However, it is nevertheless possible to make the wedding on Monday by speeding up the final preparation and cooking of the food.
(b) The wedding took place on Wednesday. However, for whatever reason, the Bi'as Mitzvah did not occur that day. It is not required to postpone the Bi'ah until next Sunday or Wednesday (a day before Beis Din is open) in such a situation (Tosfos 5b DH Mahu).
The Se'udah that the Gemara refers to is not the wedding meal. It is the meal that was customarily made for the groom's close acquaintances and relatives following the Be'ilas Mitzvah (see Rabeinu Yonah in the Shitah Mekubetzes 5a).
All the best,
Reuven Weiner