Seif 2 (Contd.)

The Magen Avraham writes that if one starts Shaalos Seudos before the

Time of Mincha, but the meal stretches and goes into the time of Shaalos

Seudos, he is Yoitze Shaalos Seudos. The Elya Rabba, however, quotes the Sefer

Chasidim which holds that a person cannot split a meal so that half of it

should be considered  Shaalos Seudos. He holds that a full meal needs to

be eaten at the time when Shaalos Seudos may be eaten.

The Magen Avraham writes that one is not allowed to start a meal if it is

known that the meal will stretch past Chatzos (refer to the Halacha in

Simon 471). The Machtzes Hashekel explains this is the same Halacha as we see

On Erev Pesach.  On Erev Pesach a person cannot eat a meal if he knows it

Will stretch past the tenth hour. Therefore, in our case one cannot eat if he

knows the meal will stretch past Chatzos (i.e. one should rather wait and

eat the meal after Mincha). The Shaar Hatzion says that this applies only according to the Shita of the Shulchon Orech that forbids even a small meal after Chatzos. However, we follow the Rama who permits small meals after Chatzos and classifies a Shabbos meal as a small meal.