An eruv tavshilin (cooking eruv) is, according to rabbinical decree, prepared in order to cook for the Sabbath during a festival immediately preceding it. Before the festival, bread and a cooked food (some feel the former is unnecessary) are put aside for the Sabbath. Since the preparation of food for the Sabbath begins before the festival, it may be continued during the holidays. The preparation of food for the festival and that for the Sabbath are thus "mixed." The food prepared before the holiday is "mixed" with that prepared within the day, and the use of both is permitted. The term eruv tavshilin is applied both to the act of setting aside the food and to the food itself. This practice also evidently dates from an early period, since a controversy is recorded between the schools of Shammai and Hillel regarding one detail: Bet Shammai held that not one but two cooked dishes must be set aside. Eruv tavshilin is made by every householder, although, in principle, one man's eruv (e.g., that of the rabbi) can dispense the whole congregation or city. The making of the eruv is preceded by the standard benediction "Blessed art Thou . . . Who hast sanctified us with Thy commandments and hast commanded us concerning the ordinance of the eruv" followed by an Aramaic sentence to the effect that "by virtue of this eruv it is permitted to bake, to cook, and to kindle light as well as to provide for our necessary wants on this festival day for the succeeding Sabbath; for us and for all the Israelites living in this town." In some congregations it is customary to announce before the evening service of the festival that those who have forgotten to make eruv tavshilin are dispensed by the rabbi's eruv. In the Portuguese rite of Amsterdam the congregation was reminded by the hazzan on the day preceding the eve of the festival of the obligation to make eruv. The rules regarding eruv tavshilin are discussed in the Talmud (cf. Mishnah Bezah 2:1; TB, Bezah 16a–17b; TJ, Bezah 2:1) and the codes (Sh. Ar., OH 527).

The ushpizin, according to kabbalistic tradition, the mystical seven "guests," are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph, and David, who visit the sukkah during the seven days of Tabernacles (cf. Zohar, 5:103b). According to the Zohar Joseph comes after Moses and Aaron, but in most Ashkenazi mahzorim and prayer books the order is chronological. The spiritual guest of each day is invited before the meal and the text of this invitation, "Enter, exalted holy guests...," is found in several Ashkenazi and Sephardi prayer books. The custom was adopted by the Hasidim and many pamphlets entitled Seder-Ushpiz, including liturgy based upon the practices of certain zaddikim (e.g., the rabbis of Belz, Zanz, etc.), began to be published in the 19th century. Decorating the sukkah wall with a plaque which bears an inscription including the names of the seven guests has also become an accepted practice. Moroccan Jews have a special compilation of prayers in honor of the ushpizin, called Hamad Elohim, from which special sections are recited each day of the festival.

שער-מעטפת. בשער: "תחת השגחת המדפיס והמנהל הראשי ה"ר יצחק בן שלום חדאד". מעבר לשער: "שיר התקוה". הדינים בערבית-יהודית. עם סדר ההקפות בעריכת החיד"א ופזמונים לשמחת תורה. טקסט גם במעטפת השמאלית.