Why are some not particular to eat bread during the third Shabbat meal?

On Shabbat we eat three meals: one on Friday evening, the second after the Shabbat morning prayers on Saturday morning or early afternoon, and the "third meal," called Seudah Shelishit, is a light repast eaten late Shabbat afternoon, often immediately following the afternoon services, starting shortly before sunset. Technically, one is supposed to eat bread during each of these meals.

The Talmud1 relates this to the verse:2 "And Moses said, 'Eat it today, for today is a Sabbath to the L-rd; today you will not find [manna] the field.'" The verse uses the word "hayom" – "today" three times in reference to eating the manna, alluding to the three meals that we eat on Shabbat.

Notice, however, that the third time that the word "today" is used, it refers to the fact that the manna did not fall on Shabbat, "today you will not find it." Some understand this as a hint that the third meal can be commemorated with less food, or without bread, coinciding with the third time the word "today" is used – "today you will not."

This is reflected in the ruling of the Code of Jewish Law,3 that one who is uncomfortable eating bread at the third meal because he is still satisfied from his previous meal may rely on the lenient opinion that even a fruit could suffice for the third meal.

Furthermore, according to the kabbalah, the third (and holiest4) meal is a foretaste of the Messianic Era, when the human body will not gain its sustenance from physical food, rather it will thrive on spirituality alone.5

Even according to this kabalistic reasoning, however, one should not refrain entirely from eating Seudah Shelishit, and should partake of (at least) something small, a fruit or some other snack, at this meal. This is because even during the era when we will not require physical food for our sustenance, we will still exist in physical bodies. Therefore, when experiencing a taste of the Messianic Era on Shabbat afternoon, our physical bodies have to enjoy the Shabbat, which is done (until that era arrives), through eating food.

Best wishes for a sweet new year,

Rabbi Baruch S. Davidson

Footnotes

Shabbat 117b-118a.

Exodus 16:25.

Shulchan Aruch Harav, Orach Chaim 291:7.

This reflects the concept that all matters of spirituality are in a constant state of ascendancy. Thus a later meal is on a higher level than the earlier ones.

The last moments of Shabbat are similar to Yom Kippur, when we do not eat due to the great holiness of the day.

By Baruch S. Davidson

Rabbi Baruch S. Davidson serves as shliach and rabbi of the Shul Community at Chabad of the Main Line and is the writer of Lightpoints, a collection of insights on the Torah, adapted from the works of the Rebbe. Together with his wife and children, he lives in Lower Merion, in the Philadelphia suburbs.

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3 Comments

Levi Rapoport Syracuse January 22, 2016

attn Yehuda Shupin i didnt see the tzemach tzedek, but the Rebeinu Bechaya on this posuk does not say it's ok to eat fruit for Seuda shlishi. is there another R' bechaya i didn't see? Reply

Rabbi Yehuda Shurpin November 24, 2015

Re: Davka, though? Let us start at the beginning. While it is true that many hold that you need to wash, it is also true that many hold that you don’t need to wash. now, Although the Shulchan Aruch writes that one should preferably wash and only eat cake or fruits if necessary, many of those that hold you can be yotze with cake or fruit, hold that you can do so in the first instance - Lechatchilah.

[As a side note, this has practical halachic implications. The Halachah is that if one forgot to recite Retzei after Shalosh Seudos he does not repeat the Bentching (unlike the other two meals), because according to many opinions the entire meal is not obligatory. Therefore, to be on the safe side and not risk saying a blessing in vain we don’t repeat the bentching (See Shulchan Aruch and Bac”h Hilchos Birkas Hamazon 188:8]

Now, it is true what you write about the Shulchan Aruch harav. However, the Alter Rebbe himself (aka Shulchan Aruch harav) in the year 5562 gave a talk discussing the esoteric idea of the words “hayom lo” (as explained in the article), and from then on he himself stopped washing for Shalosh Seudos (See Rayatz 2nd night of Succos 5689). The fact that the Alter Rebbe changed his mind later on should not be surprising as it is known that he started working on a second edition of the Shulchan Aruch Harav which took kabalistic ideas and opinions a lot more into consideration (unfortunately only a few chapters of this second edition are existent).

Additionally, the Tzemach Tzedek in his piskei dinim (Piskei Dinim Chiddushim on Rabbeinu Yerucham p. 19 [357a]) brings from Rabeinu Bechaye on Beshalach (who elaborates on the concept of “Hayom Lo” and the messianic era) , that you can fulfill the obligation of the third meal with fruits. (See also the Levush and Chochmas Sholom Orach Chaim 291:5; and the Tzemach Tzedek’s discussion on Tosfos’s opinion). The Tzemach Tzedek himself (as well as his some, the Maharsh) would eat Mezonot for the Shalosh Seudos meal. Reply

David Reghay Flushing, NY April 17, 2012

Davka, though? It seems to me that many Chabadniks are particular about not eating bread during the third meal, rather than simply not being particular about eating it. From the above it seems that l'chatchila it would be preferable to eat bread, however, provided it would not cause discomfort. Even according to Shulchan Aruch HaRav this seems to be the case. Am I missing something? Reply

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