Preparing for Shabbat: Difference between revisions

# Some great Rabbis have the practice to honor [[Shabbat]] by ensuring that the [[Shabbat]] table is set early in the day and some even set it on Thursday nights. <ref>[http://www.eichlers.com/Product/Books/Halachah_-_Jewish_Law/General_Issues/Amot-Shel-Halacha---Halachic-Insights---The-Dalet-Amot-Halacha-Series:-1-_H028-3.html Amot Shel Halacha] (by Rabbi Ari Enkin) </ref>

# One should begin one's [[Shabbat]] preparations as early as possible on Friday.  <Ref> Gemara [[Shabbat]] 117b, Tur and S"A 250:1, [http://www.eichlers.com/Product/Books/Halachah_-_Jewish_Law/General_Issues/Amot-Shel-Halacha---Halachic-Insights---The-Dalet-Amot-Halacha-Series:-1-_H028-3.html Amot Shel Halacha] (by Rabbi Ari Enkin) </ref>

# One should make sure to buy one's food for [[Shabbat]] on Friday and not before unless one feels that one won't be able to find those items if one only goes to the store on Friday. <ref>Gemara [[Shabbat]] 117b writes that a person should get up early on Friday to prepare for [[Shabbat]]. So rules S"A 250:1. Mishna Brurah 250:2 explains that the reason is that by purchasing food for [[Shabbat]] on Friday it's more recognizable that one is preparing for [[Shabbat]] than if one were to buy the food on Thursday. He adds that if there's a fear that one won't be able to buy one's food on Friday then one may do so on Thursday. So rules Menuchat Ahava (vol 1, 2:1). </ref>

# Indeed, one should endeavor to do something every day of the week in honor of [[Shabbat]], as did Shammai. Whenever Shammai would go shopping and come across a tasty piece of meat, he would purchase it in honor of [[Shabbat]]. If later in the week he came across an even more attractive piece of meat, he would eat the first one and save the nicer one in honor of [[Shabbat]]. <ref>[http://www.eichlers.com/Product/Books/Halachah_-_Jewish_Law/General_Issues/Amot-Shel-Halacha---Halachic-Insights---The-Dalet-Amot-Halacha-Series:-1-_H028-3.html Amot Shel Halacha] (by Rabbi Ari Enkin) quoting Beitza 16a. See also Pesikta Rabati 23. </ref>

# Even if one has already prepared Friday morning preferably one should prepare just before [[Shabbat]] starts. <ref>Mishna Brurah 250:2, Kaf HaChaim 250:4 </ref>

# The custom is to knead a [[Shiur Challah]] of dough when baking Challah on Friday for [[Shabbat]].<ref>Rama 242:1 </ref>

# It is considered a great a mitzva to taste the [[Shabbat]] food every Friday afternoon.  <ref>Torat Menachem (Rav Menachem Mendel Shneerson, vol 18, pg 104) discusses the importance of this minhag as a symbol for the coming of Mashiach. </ref> in order to ensure that it is tasty and fit to be served at the [[Shabbat]] meal.<ref>Magan Avraham 250:1 writes that there's a righteous practice to taste the food for [[Shabbat]] on Friday in order to know whether it's spiced and tasty. This is quoted by the achronim including Menuchat Ahava (vol 1, 2:3), Aruch Hashulchan, OC 250:4; Kaf Hachaim, OC 250:8; Mishna Berura 250:2; Rivevot Ephraim 2:115:37. Mishna Berura 250:2 writes that one should taste the [[Shabbat]] food on Friday in order to ensure that the is is tasty and fit for [[Shabbat]]. There's a number of source of this custom:  

* A hint for this custom can be found in the [[Shabbat]] Mussaf prayers which include the words "Those who taste it will merit long life". Although "taste it" in this context refers to [[Shabbat]] observance, poetic license allows these words to be interpreted as referring to the [[Shabbat]] foods, as well. There are those who take this teaching quite literally and insist that those who taste the [[Shabbat]] foods are assured a long life! (Machzor Vitri 181; Shibolei Haleket 82; Beit Yosef, OC 286, Elya Rabba 250:6)

# There have even been individuals who would fast each and every Friday in order to ensure that they would have an appetite for the [[Shabbat]] meal. <ref>Yerushalmi Ta'anit 2:12; S"A OC 249:3, [http://www.eichlers.com/Product/Books/Halachah_-_Jewish_Law/General_Issues/Amot-Shel-Halacha---Halachic-Insights---The-Dalet-Amot-Halacha-Series:-1-_H028-3.html Amot Shel Halacha] (by Rabbi Ari Enkin)</ref> While such a practice is simply not possible for the masses, it is recommended, however, that one not eat an actual meal (but rather  a light meal or a snack) on Friday, especially during the winter months when [[Shabbat]] arrives early. <ref>Aruch HaShulchan 249:6, [http://www.eichlers.com/Product/Books/Halachah_-_Jewish_Law/General_Issues/Amot-Shel-Halacha---Halachic-Insights---The-Dalet-Amot-Halacha-Series:-1-_H028-3.html Amot Shel Halacha] (by Rabbi Ari Enkin) </ref>

# It is also a big mitzva to shower on Fridays, in honor of [[Shabbat]], preferably late in the day. <ref> Mishna Brurah 260:1, [http://www.eichlers.com/Product/Books/Halachah_-_Jewish_Law/General_Issues/Amot-Shel-Halacha---Halachic-Insights---The-Dalet-Amot-Halacha-Series:-1-_H028-3.html Amot Shel Halacha] (by Rabbi Ari Enkin). The Elya Rabba 262:6 explains that the reason that one should shower later rather than earlier is because we are taught that the pleasure one derives from a shower and being clean is only appreciated an hour or so afterwards. Delaying the shower closer to [[Shabbat]] will ensure that one enjoys this pleasure on [[Shabbat]] itself. </ref>

# The mitzva of showering can only be fulfilled with warm to hot water. <ref>S"A OC 260:1; Biur Halacha 260 s.v. “Bechamin” and "Lechof Harosh". But see Devar Chevron 2:229 </ref>

# It is also meritorious to immerse in a mikva, if possible. <ref>[http://www.eichlers.com/Product/Books/Halachah_-_Jewish_Law/General_Issues/Amot-Shel-Halacha---Halachic-Insights---The-Dalet-Amot-Halacha-Series:-1-_H028-3.html Amot Shel Halacha] (by Rabbi Ari Enkin), Mekor Chaim (Chavot Ya'ir) 260</ref>

# One is required to inspect one's [[Shabbat]] clothes before the onset of [[Shabbat]] to ensure that there is nothing muktza in the pockets. This is especially crucial for one who lives in a place without an Eruv in which case it is forbidden to go outside on [[Shabbat]] with anything at all in one's pockets. <ref> S"A OC 252:7; Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 72:23; Aruch Hashulchan, S"A OC 252:18, [http://www.eichlers.com/Product/Books/Halachah_-_Jewish_Law/General_Issues/Amot-Shel-Halacha---Halachic-Insights---The-Dalet-Amot-Halacha-Series:-1-_H028-3.html Amot Shel Halacha] (by Rabbi Ari Enkin) </ref>

# One should don one's [[Shabbat]] clothes late Friday afternoon in honor of [[Shabbat]].<ref>S"A OC 262:2 and 3, [http://www.eichlers.com/Product/Books/Halachah_-_Jewish_Law/General_Issues/Amot-Shel-Halacha---Halachic-Insights---The-Dalet-Amot-Halacha-Series:-1-_H028-3.html Amot Shel Halacha] (by Rabbi Ari Enkin) </ref>