Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 262 - To Sanctify Shabbos by Preparing [One’s] Table and [Wearing] Clean Garments

SECTION 262 To Sanctify the Shabbos by Preparing [One’s] Table and [Wearing] Clean Garments (1-5)

סימן רסב לְקַדֵּשׁ הַשַּׁבָּת בְּשֻׁלְחָן עָרוּךְ וּבִכְסוּת נְקִיָּה וּבוֹ ה׳ סְעִיפִים׃

1 A person must prepare his table on Friday for the Shabbos night [meal]. He must arrange the couches on which [those who dine] will sit1 and prepare all the matters of the house, so that he will find everything arranged and in order when he comes [home] from the synagogue [on Friday night]. This is an expression of honor for the Shabbos.

It is customary that the table be covered with a tablecloth throughout the entire Shabbos day as an expression of honoring the Shabbos.2 One should not deviate [from this custom].

There are those who are accustomed to placing two tablecloths on the table besides the upper [cloth] that covers the bread.3 [The second tablecloth is necessary] for, [otherwise,] when [the upper tablecloth is lifted] to shake off the bread [crumbs],4 the table will be uncovered.

א צָרִיךְ אָדָם לְסַדֵּר שֻׁלְחָנוֹ בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת א לְלֵילֵי שַׁבָּת, ב וְיַצִּיעַ הַמִּטּוֹת ג שֶׁיּוֹשְׁבִים עֲלֵיהֶם, ד^,1 וִיתַקֵּן כָּל עִנְיְנֵי הַבַּיִת, שֶׁיִּמְצָאֶנּוּ עָרוּךְ וּמְסֻדָּר בְּבוֹאוֹ מִבֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת, שֶׁזֶהוּ כְּבוֹד הַשַּׁבָּת. ה

וְנוֹהֲגִין שֶׁהַשֻּׁלְחָן הוּא עָרוּךְ בְּמַפָּה כָּל יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת לִכְבוֹד הַשַּׁבָּת. ו^,2 וְאֵין לְשַׁנּוֹת. ז

וְיֵשׁ נוֹהֲגִין לִהְיוֹת ב' מַפּוֹת עַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן מִלְּבַד הָעֶלְיוֹנָה שֶׁעַל הַלֶּחֶם, ח^,3 מִשּׁוּם שֶׁכְּשֶׁמְּנַעֲרִין הַפַּת ט^,4 – נִמְצָא הַשֻּׁלְחָן מְגֻלֶּה: י

2 It is desirable to remove cobwebs from the home while it is still day [on Friday], cleaning the house in honor of Shabbos.5

It is also desirable to be careful during the night meal not to cast [peels of fruit, bones, or the like on the floor] of the house instead of [leaving them] on the table,6 if the person is not accustomed to sweep the house with a permitted entity (see sec. 337[:2])7 after this meal, so that the house does not become filthy. Instead, he should cast them on the tablecloth and then shake out [the tablecloth] outside the house. Similar [guidelines] apply with regard to the morning meal, if one does not sweep the house afterwards.

ב טוֹב לְפַנּוֹת קוּרֵי עַכָּבִישׁ מֵהַבַּיִת מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם,יא לְנַקּוֹת אֶת הַבַּיִת לִכְבוֹד שַׁבָּת.5 (א)

וְטוֹב לִזָּהֵר בִּסְעֻדַּת הַלַּיְלָה שֶׁלֹּא לִזְרוֹק דָּבָר בַּבַּיִת חוּץ לַשֻּׁלְחָן6 אִם אֵין דַּרְכּוֹ לְכַבֵּד הַבַּיִת בְּדָבָר הַמֻּתָּריב (עַיֵּן סִמָּן של"זיג)7 אַחַר סְעֻדָּה זוֹ, שֶׁלֹא יְנַוֵּל אֶת הַבַּיִת, אֶלָּא יִזְרוֹק עַל הַמַּפָּה שֶׁעַל הַשֻּׁלְחָן, וְאַחַר כָּךְ יְנַעֲרָהּ חוּץ לַבַּיִת, וְכֵן בִּסְעֻדַּת שַׁחֲרִית אִם אֵינוֹ מְכַבְּדוֹ אַחַר כָּךְ:

3 Every person is obligated to endeavor to have attractive garments for Shabbos according to his capacity, since one must honor the Shabbos with clean garments, as stated in sec. 242[:1]. Also, in the [prophetic] tradition, it is stated:8 “And you honor it [by refraining from] following your [ordinary] ways.” Our Sages interpreted9 [that phrase, stating]: “‘You shall honor it’ – [this implies that] your Shabbos garment should not be the same as your weekday garment.”10 [Instead,] you should change to another (that is more attractive). [The basis for this interpretation is that] a garment is called “one’s honor,”11 because it brings honor to a person. For when a person comes to a place where people do not know him, if they see him dressed in distinguished garments, they will honor him.

If a person cannot change [his garments for Shabbos],12 he should at least lower his garments, so that they will appear long. For this is the practice of the wealthy who stay at home and do not need to lift up their garments from the ground because of the work [they perform. Wearing such garments] is an expression of honor for the Shabbos. If it is possible for him, it is desirable that he have a second tallis [for Shabbos prayer].13

There are men [renowned for their good] deeds who are meticulous not to wear anything on Shabbos that they wore during the week, not even a belt,14 pants, or an undershirt.15 It is desirable to wear [at least] some of one’s Shabbos clothing throughout the day until after Havdalah on Saturday night.16

ג חַיָּב כָּל אָדָם לְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לוֹ בְּגָדִים נָאִים לְשַׁבָּתיד כְּפִי יְכָלְתּוֹ, שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לְכַבֵּד הַשַׁבָּת בִּכְסוּת נְקִיָּה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנִּתְבָּאֵר בְּסִמָּן רמ"ב.טו

וּבְדִבְרֵי קַבָּלָהטז נֶאֱמַריז^,8 "וְכִבַּדְתּוֹ מֵעֲשׂוֹת דְּרָכֶיךָ", וְדָרְשׁוּ חֲכָמִיםיח^,9 "וְכִבַּדְתּוֹ", שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא מַלְבּוּשְׁךָ שֶׁל שַׁבָּת כְּמַלְבּוּשְׁךָ שֶׁל חֹל,10 שֶׁיַּחֲלִיפֶנּוּ בְּאַחֵר (שֶׁהוּא נָאֶה מִמֶּנּוּיט), שֶׁהַמַּלְבּוּשׁ נִקְרָא כָּבוֹד, כ^,11 שֶׁהוּא מְכַבֵּד אֶת הָאָדָם,כא כְּשֶׁבָּא לְמָקוֹם שֶׁאֵין מַכִּירִים אוֹתוֹ וְרוֹאִים אוֹתוֹ לָבוּשׁ בִּגְדֵי חֲמוּדוֹת – אֲזַי הֵם מְכַבְּדִים אוֹתוֹ.

וְאִם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לוֹ לְהַחֲלִיף12 – לְפָחוֹת יְשַׁלְשֵׁל בְּגָדָיוכב כְּלַפֵּי מַטָּה, שֶׁיֵּרָאוּ אֲרֻכִּים.9 וְהוּא מִדַּת עֲשִׁירִים הַיּוֹשְׁבִים בְּבֵיתָם וְאֵינָם צְרִיכִים לְסַלֵּק בִּגְדֵיהֶם מִן הָאָרֶץ בִּשְׁבִיל מְלָאכָה, וּכְבוֹד שַׁבָּת הוּא.כג

וּמִי שֶׁאֶפְשָׁר לוֹ טוֹב שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ גַם טַלִּית אַחֵר.כד^,13

וְיֵשׁ אַנְשֵׁי מַעֲשֶׂה מְדַקְדְּקִים שֶׁלֹּא לִלְבּוֹשׁ בְּשַׁבָּת מִכָּל מַה שֶּׁלָּבַשׁ בְּחֹל,כה אֲפִלּוּ אֵזוֹר14 וּמִכְנָסַיִם וְחָלוּק.15 וְטוֹב לֵילֵךְ בִּקְצָת בִּגְדֵי שַׁבָּת כָּל הַיּוֹם עַד אַחַר הַבְדָּלָה בְּמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת:כו^,16

4 One should don these attractive garments and rejoice at the onset of Shabbos as one who goes out to greet a king, or a groom and a bride. Our great Sages would conduct themselves in this manner. They would robe themselves in attractive garments and say: “Let us go out and greet the Shabbos queen.”17 They would say: “Come, my bride. Come, my bride.” In some places, it is customary to go out from the synagogue to the courtyard and say this. There are others whose custom was to go out to the fields.18

ד יִלְבַּשׁ בְּגָדִים הַנָּאִים וְיִשְׂמַח בְּבִיאַת שַׁבָּת כְּיוֹצֵא לִקְרַאת הַמֶּלֶךְכז וּכְיוֹצֵא לִקְרַאת חָתָן וְכַלָּה,כח כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹשִׂים גְּדוֹלֵי הַחֲכָמִים, שֶׁהָיוּ מִתְעַטְּפִים בִּבְגָדִים נָאִים וְאוֹמְרִים "בֹּאוּ וְנֵצֵא לִקְרַאת שַׁבָּת הַמַּלְכָּה",כט^,17 וְהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים "בּוֹאִי כַלָּה בּוֹאִי כַלָּה". ל^,17

וּבִקְצָת מְקוֹמוֹת נוֹהֲגִים לָצֵאת מִבֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת לְחָצֵר, וְלוֹמַר כֵּן.לא וְיֵשׁ נוֹהֲגִין לָצֵאת הַשָּׂדֶה:לב^,18

5 It is desirable to put on one’s Shabbos clothing directly after bathing oneself. Accordingly, it is desirable to bathe close to the evening19 and put on one’s Shabbos clothing directly afterwards, so that he will be putting them on close to the onset of Shabbos. It will thus be evident that he is putting them on in honor of the Shabbos.

ה וְטוֹב לִלְבּוֹשׁ בִּגְדֵי שַׁבָּת מִיָּד אַחַר שֶׁרָחַץ עַצְמוֹ, לָכֵן טוֹב לִרְחוֹץ סָמוּךְ לָעֶרֶב19 וְלִלְבּוֹשׁ בִּגְדֵי שַׁבָּת מִיָּד,לג כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּלְבּוֹשׁ אוֹתָם סָמוּךְ לִכְנִיסַת הַשַּׁבָּת, וְיִהְיֶה נִכָּר שֶׁבִּשְׁבִיל כְּבוֹד הַשַּׁבָּת הוּא לוֹבְשָׁם:

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Footnotes

Shabbos 119b. The Alter Rebbe has borrowed the wording of his source, which described an era when people would eat while reclining on couches.

We have translated מטות as “couches,” because the focus of this subsection is clearly dining. That term also means “beds,” and making the beds in a house on Friday is also an expression of honoring Shabbos (see sec. 302:10; Pri Megadim, Eshel Avraham 262:1).

Mishnah Berurah, Biur Halachah, states that it is fitting to cover other tables in the house as well. Similarly, it is customary to cover the tables in synagogues and houses of study.

See sec. 271:17.

Kuntreis HaShulchan suggests that an error crept into the text and the proper wording is “to shake off the tablecloth.” That understanding is borne out by the following subsection which speaks of taking the tablecloth outside to be shaken out.

Removing cobwebs on Shabbos itself presents a problem of muktzeh (see Tehilah LeDavid 328:29), although some suggest removing them in an unusual manner (see Tzitz Eliezer, Vol. 8, responsum 15:14:17). The Alter Rebbe is suggesting removing them before Shabbos, not because of a prohibition, but simply as an expression of honor for the Shabbos. See Toras Shmuel 5632, Vol. 1, p. 151, and Kaf HaChayim 250:10, which provide mystical reasons for the removal of cobwebs, since spiders are analogies for the forces of kelipah.

In his Kuntreis Acharon (note 1), the Alter Rebbe explains the rationale for the wording: “It is desirable to be careful….” Magen Avraham 262:1 states that in a place where it is not customary to sweep the floor, “it is forbidden” to throw the refuse on the floor. The Alter Rebbe states that his choice of wording is based on Rama (Orach Chayim 262:1) and his source Mahari Veil, who do not state that casting refuse on the floor is forbidden. Moreover, as support for his ruling that there is no actual prohibition, the Alter Rebbe cites a narrative from the Talmud(Shabbos 143a), which relates that Rav Sheshes would cast date pits on the floor of a home.

In the Alter Rebbe’s era, homes had dirt floors. Hence, there were halachic difficulties involved in sweeping them, as explained in the source cited. Even at present, when floors are made of wood, stone, or linoleum, there are certain stringencies that apply. The custom is to sweep floors with a soft-haired or plastic-bristled broom.

Yeshayahu 58:13.

Shabbos 113a. See sec. 242:1, which also mentions the mitzvah of honoring the Shabbos.

10.

See also sec. 301:14, where the Alter Rebbe states that wearing unique Shabbos garments will remind a person of the holiness of the day and thus prevent him from desecrating it.

Kaf HaChayim 262:29 mentions that one should wear his Shabbos clothing even when he is forced to spend Shabbos among non-Jews. Magen Avraham 262:2 states that even during the week of mourning, on Shabbos, one should wear his Shabbos clothing.

11.

Shabbos, op. cit., relates that Rabbi Yochanan would call his garments “those who honor me.”

12.

Because he cannot afford special Shabbos garments or is prevented from wearing his Shabbos garments for other reasons.

13.

Reference to this recommendation is also made in sec. 300:4.

14.

In that vein, it is customary for many to have a special Shabbos gartel. Also, the Rebbe advised chassidim to wear a silk kapote on Shabbos (Toras Menachem, Vol. 2, p. 53).

15.

In one of his maamarim (Maamarei Admur HaZakein HaKetzarim, p. 59), the Alter Rebbe mentions the practice of having special shoes designated for Shabbos.

16.

Indeed, it is common practice to wear one’s Shabbos garments on Saturday night as well, in recognition of the continuing influence of Shabbos (see Kaf HaChayim 262:28).

17.

Shabbos 119a. This is the basis of the Kabbalas Shabbos service.

18.

Pri Etz Chayim, Shaar Shabbos, ch. 8, cites the AriZal’s instructions to do so. Pri Megadim, Eshel Avraham 262:3 states that in place of going out to the field, we turn to the west (i.e., the back of the synagogue) when reciting “Come O bride.” Lubavitch custom is to turn around to the left until one faces the rear of the synagogue. When first saying “Come, O bride,” he should bow forward, inclining to the right; when saying “Come, O bride” the second time, he should bow forward, inclining towards the left. He should then continue to rotate leftward until he faces the front of the synagogue. He should then bow forward and complete the stanza in an undertone: “Come O bride, Shabbos queen” (Sefer HaMinhagim).

19.

Similarly, the AriZal advises that one should immerse himself in a mikveh close to the evening (Shaar HaKavannos).

Sources

א.

ר' אלעזר שבת קיט, ב. רמב"ם פ"ל ה"ה. טור ושו"ע ס"א. וראה גם לקמן סי' רעא סי"ז.

ב.

רש"י שם ד"ה יסדר.

ג.

טור ושו"ע שם. וראה גם לקמן סי' רפט ס"א.

ד.

פרישה ס"ק א. מ"א ס"ק א. וראה לקמן סי' שב סוף ס"י, שטוב להציע מערב שבת גם המטות שישנים עליהם בשבת.

ה.

ראה לקו"ש חט"ו ע' 528 הערה ד"ה נר. שלחן המלך ע' קפא. מ”מ וציונים.

ו.

מרדכי רמז תח. טור רס"י רפט. דרכי משה ס"ק א. רמ"א ס"א.

ז.

רמ"א ס"א.

ח.

דלקמן סי' רעא סי"ז.

ט.

בקונטרס השלחן הגיה: המפה.

י.

רש"ל. מטה משה סי' תעב. מ"א סק"א.

יא.

תוצאות חיים הוא קיצור ראשית חכמה אות צ. של"ה (עמק הברכה) ריש מסכת שבת (קל, ב). עולת שבת סי' רנ. מ"א ריש הסי'.

יב.

דרכי משה. מ"א סק"א.

יג.

סעיף ב.

יד.

טור ושו”ע ס"ב. וראה לקמן סי' שא סי"ד טעם נוסף לבגדים מיוחדים בשבת.

טו.

סעיף א.

טז.

ראה לעיל שם ב' דיעות אם עיקרן מן התורה.

יז.

ישעי' נח, יג. וראה קונ' נרות שבת קודש ח"א הע' 12.

יח.

שבת קיג, א.

יט.

ראה לקמן סי' תקכט סוף ס"ז. וראה תורת מנחם ח"ב ע' 53. התוועדויות תשמ"ח ח"ד ע' 304 (אודות המנהג ללבוש בגד העליון ממשי).

כ.

רבי יוחנן שם.

כא.

רש"י שם ד"ה מכבדותי.

כב.

רב הונא שם. טור ושו"ע שם.

כג.

רש"י שם ד"ה ישלשל. רמ"א ס"א. רמב"ם פ"ה מהל' דעות ה"ט.

כד.

יש נוחלין ריש הזהרות שבת הובא במ"א סק"ב. וראה לקמן סי' ש ס"ד.

כה.

מ"א שם בשם כתבי האר"י ז"ל. פרי עץ חיים שער יח פ"ד. שער הכוונות ענין רחיצת פיו בע"ש. וראה תהלה לדוד ס"ב. קיצור הלכות משו"ע אדה"ז מילואים ע' נז. חקרי מנהגים ע' קמד.

כו.

אגודה סי' קמג. מ"א שם. וראה חקרי מנהגים ע' קמב ואילך.

כז.

רש"י ב"ק לב, רע"ב.

כח.

טור ושו”ע ס"ג.

כט.

ר' חנינא שבת קיט, א. רש"י שם ד"ה מתעטף. טור ושו”ע ס"ג.

ל.

ר' ינאי שם. וראה מ”מ וציונים.

לא.

סדר היום (סדר קבלת שבת). כנסת הגדולה. הובא במ"א סק"ג.

לב.

מ"א שם בשם האר"י ז"ל. פרי עץ חיים שער יח פ"ו. שער הכונות (ענין קבלת שבת דרוש א). והמנהג לומר זאת בסוף הפיוט לכה דודי, ובעת אמירתו מסתובבים (דרך שמאל) כלפי מערב. ומנהג חב"ד לשוח בעת אמירת בואי כלה, הא' לימין והב' לשמאל, והג' (אומרים בלחש, ושוחין) לאמצע כשפניו למזרח (ס' המנהגים – חב"ד ע' 26. וראה שער הכולל פי"ז ס"ק ז).

לג.

שלטי גבורים על מרדכי סוף רמז רפו. רמ"א ס"ג.

By Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi

Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (18 Elul 1745-24 Tevet 1812), known as "the Alter Rebbe," was one of the main disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch, and the founder of the Chabad Chassidism. He is the author of Shulchan Aruch HaRav and Tanya as well as many other major works in both Jewish law and the mystical teachings.

Translated by Eliyahu Touger and Sholom B Wineberg.

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By Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi

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