I was reading an email from R. Eli J. Mansour, the Syrian rabbi of Cong. Bet Yaakob, who writes - citing his sources - that it is permitted to drink wine or grape juice on erev Pesach.
R. Mansour writes that the authorities rule that the amount to be consumed must be either (a) less than 1.7 oz or (b) more than 3.2 oz. (See http://www.dailyhalacha.com/Display.asp?PageIndex=&ClipID=2296 for the entire article.)
No matzah?
The email reminds me that there is one day during the year when matzah (מצה) is prohibited.
That day? The day before Passover; in 2012, that is from sundown Wednesday, 4 April until sundown Thursday, 5 April (just before bedikat hametz [בדיקת חמץ] ).
It is amazing how great the desire for "just one piece" of matzah can become on the day before Pesach. It's similar to putting a heavy smoker into a No Smoking area (so I'm told).
The problem is aggravated by the fact that after around 10 a.m. (depends on location, check at a local observant congregation) of the day before Pesach, right after the hametz is burned (העור חמץ), all hametz is forbidden as well.
Here the diet is potatoes and eggs until the seder.
Home from synagogue
Rabbi Ya'aqob Menashe's daily email (see http://www.atorahminute.com/2012-03-21) from Midrash Ben Ish Hai notes that "When returning from Synagogue on the first night of Pesah, one should come home happy and radiant and should greet the members of one's household with (for Sephardim) "Tizkoo LeShaneem Rabboth", or (for Ashkenazim) "Hagh Kasher WeSameah. After that one should start singing, "Qaddesh Urhas."
"When the first night of Pesah falls on Friday night, Shabbath takes precedence and one should greet the members of one's household with, "Shabbath Shalom" and then afterwards the greeting for the Yom Tob."
The email notes that "According to Rab Mordekhai Eliyahu, 'a"h, the Sephardi custom is to recite all the portions of Shabbath, but not to lengthen the tune."
חג פסח כשר ושמח
הריני מקבל עלי מצוה עשה של ואהבת לרעך כמוך, והריני אוהב כל אחד מבני ישראל כנפשי ומאודי
