Q. For the people who have the minhag to make a special seuda on Tu Bishvat, eat shivas haminim fruits and sing the fifteen shir hamaalos, on this year that it falls on Shabbos, should this be done earlier on Friday night, or berov am during shalosh seudos in shul?
A. Nitei Gavriel (Purim 9: 2) mentions that when Tu Bishvat coincides with Shabbos there are those (such as Minhag Tzanz) who eat fruits in all the Shabbos seudos. Massa Bavel (p. 226) cites that the minhag of the Baghdad community was to eat the special seuda of Tu Bishvat during the day, since they were careful not to go out at night. S'fas Hayom (s. 20) agrees but mentions that the reason is that that the honour of Shabbos during the day is greater than at night. However from Imrois Tehorois (Shemos P. 116) is seems that their minhag was to eat the special seuda on leil Shabbos. Some Sepharadic communities make the special seuda during shalosh seudos, since that seuda is done in shul with the attendance of a greater number of people.
Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit'a opinion is that each one should follow the traditions of his community.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as advised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
Important Numbers
