Chapter 72 : The Great Holiness of the Shabbos — One Who Desecrates It is Like an Idolator. Laws Dealing with the Commencement of Shabbos

---

§1

The holy Shabbos is the great sign and covenant which the Holy One Blessed is He gave to us, to know that in six days the Almighty made the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, and abstained from work on the seventh day. This is the foundation of our faith. Our Sages of blessed memory said: "Shabbos is equivalent to all the mitzvos.", "Whoever keeps the Shabbos in accordance with its laws is regarded as though he fulfilled the entire Torah;", and "whoever desecrates the Shabbos is like one who completely denies the whole Torah." And so it is said in Ezra: "And You came down on Mount Sinai and You gave Your people righteous judgments and true laws... and Your holy Shabbos You made known to them."

---

§2

Anyone who desecrates the Shabbos publicly is regarded as a non-Jew in every respect. If he touches wine you are forbidden to drink it; the bread he bakes is like the bread of a non-Jew; the food he cooks is like the food cooked by a non-Jew. "Publicly" means in the presence of ten Jews and it is not necessary that he actually desecrates the Shabbos in their presence, but [even] if they know of the desecration it is considered public. This law is derived from the Talmud and poskim. The Talmud asks, "Was not the incident of Queen Esther public knowledge?" The Pen Megadim ruled that "publicly" means in the presence of ten Jewish men, or when the desecration is public knowledge.

---

§3

Therefore the prophet offers praise and says, "Fortunate is the man who does this, and the son of man who maintains this, he who preserves the Shabbos from desecration etc." The prophet describes the reward of one who keeps the Shabbos in accordance with Halachah, and honors it and delights in it to his utmost ability, He will be rewarded in this world besides the great reward reserved for him in the World to Come, as it is said: "If you restrain your feet [from going out of the techum] and abstain from doing your business on My holy day and you proclaim Shabbos a delightful day, and the sanctified of God, honored, and honor it by not engaging in your weekday activities, and abstain from pursuing your business affairs and (from) speaking words [pertaining to your weekday needs]; then you will delight yourself before Hashem, and I will cause you to ride over the heights of the earth, and will nourish you with the inheritance of Jacob, your father, for the mouth of God has spoken."

---

§4

It is written, "Remember the Shabbos day to keep it holy," which means: you must remember the Shabbos every day of the week to keep it holy. Thus, if you happen to find a rare delicacy which is not available every day, and which will not spoil, you should buy it in honor of Shabbos. On the eve of Shabbos it is a mitzvah to rise early in the morning to purchase your Shabbos needs. You may shop for them even before saying the [morning] prayers, provided that doing so will not cause you to miss praying with the congregation. It is preferable to make purchases on Friday in honor of Shabbos rather than on Thursday. But something that requires preparation should be purchased on Thursday. With each purchase you make you should say, "This is in honor of Shabbos." In accordance with the ordinance of Ezra, clothes should be laundered on Thursday in honor of Shabbos, and not on Friday, because on Friday you must be engaged in preparations for Shabbos.

---

§5

Even though he has many servants, it is a mitzvah for every person to do something himself in honor of Shabbos, in order to honor it, as was the custom of Amoraim. Rav Chisda used to cut the vegetables very fine, Rabba and Rav Yosef used to chop wood [for cooking], and Rav Zeira used to light the fire. Rav Nachman used to put the house in order, and would bring in the vessels needed for Shabbos and remove the weekday vessels. Everyone should learn from them and not say "I will not blemish my honor," for by honoring the Shabbos, he honors himself.

---

§6

It is the custom among Jews everywhere, to bake breads (Challos) at home in honor of Shabbos. Certainly if on weekdays you eat bread from a non-Jewish (kosher) bakery, you should take care to eat bread baked in a Jewish bakery on the holy day of Shabbos. But even if on weekdays you eat bread from a Jewish bakery, nevertheless, in honor of Shabbos, the bread should be baked at home to give the woman of the house the opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah of separating challah. This is especially important for the woman because Adam was created on Erev Shabbos (Friday) and he was the challah of the world. The woman (Eve), through her sin caused him to lose (much of his spiritual greatness); she, therefore, must rectify this loss (through the mitzvah of challah) . Three challahs should be made: a large one, a medium one, and a small one. The medium one for the evening meal, the large one for the daytime meal, to show that the honor of the daytime meal is of greater importance; and the small one for the third meal.

---

§7

You should prepare choice meats, and fish, and fine wine according to your means. It is a mitzvah to eat fish at every Shabbos meal if it agrees with you. But if it does not agree with you or if it isn't pleasing to your taste you should not eat it, for the Shabbos was given for enjoyment and not for discomfort. You should sharpen the knives, for this is also included in honoring the Shabbos. You should put the house in order, make the beds, and cover the table with a tablecloth. The table should remain covered the entire Shabbos. Some people are meticulous to spread out two tablecloths. You should rejoice in the coming of the Shabbos. Imagine how you would put the house in order in honor of the arrival of a dear and distinguished person, all the more so [should you exert yourself] in honor of the Shabbos Queen. In some places they make meat pies, also called mulyesa for the Shabbos evening meal, in remembrance of the Manna which lay as if in a box, dew on the bottom and dew on top. On Eruv Shabbos, you should taste the food that was cooked for Shabbos.

---

§8

Even a poor Jew should endeavor and make every effort to delight in the Shabbos. He should economize all week in order to have enough money to honor the Shabbos. And if he doesn't have money he should borrow, even if he must give security, in order to provide the needs of Shabbos. Regarding this, our Rabbis of blessed memory said, "My children, borrow for My sake and I will repay you." On Rosh Hashana all of man's needs are apportioned for him except his expenses for Shabbos and Yom Toy, for if he spends more for Shabbos and Yom Toy, Heaven adds more to his (allotment). If he is in extremely poor financial straits, our Rabbis of blessed memory said, "Make your Shabbos simple (like the weekdays) rather than depend on people." Nevertheless, if at all possible, he should at least try to do something to honor the Shabbos, even a minor thing, like [purchasing] small fish or the like. If something is sent to you to eat on Shabbos, you should eat it on Shabbos and not leave it for a weekday.

---

§9

Regular work should not be done on Erev Shabbos, from the time of Minchah Ketanah and thereafter, but on a provisional basis it is permitted. If one must work in order to provide for Shabbos meals, it is permitted even after that. It is forbidden to make clothes for someone for money, but if he is poor and wants to earn enough for Shabbos needs (meals), he is permitted to work all day [Friday]; just the same as on Chol Hamoed. Giving a haircut to a Jew is permissible all day [on Friday], and even a professional haircut for pay [is permitted] because it is obvious that the haircut is given now for Shabbos. Stores should be closed [at least) one hour before the Shabbos.

---

§10

From nine hours, shaos zemanios and thereafter, it is a mitzvah to refrain from eating a regular meal, even the kind you regularly eat during the week. A type of meal that is not usually eaten during the week, even a meal that is considered a mitzvah that can be eaten on another day must not be eaten at any time on Friday, (not) even in the morning. But a meal that is considered a mitzvah which must be eaten specifically (on that) day, such as the meal given at a circumcision, or at the redemption of the first born son, and the like, is permitted. But, nevertheless, it is proper to (make it) early in the morning and not to prolong it, and certainly not to indulge in overeating, so that you will be able to eat the Shabbos meal with appetite.

---

§11

Every man must complete the Parshah of the week with the congregation; that is, you should read the weekly portion (of the Torah) twice and the Targum (Onkelos) once. From Sunday and after, it is considered [reading] 'with the congregation' (for the congregation has already started reading this portion at Minchah on Shabbos). But the mitzvah done in its perfection is to read it on Erev Shabbos in the afternoon. You should [first] read each chapter two times and after that the Targum. It makes no difference if the Chapter is a closed or open one. And even if the chapter ends in the middle of a verse, you should stop there. After finishing the Targum you should read one verse from the Torah in order to conclude with the Torah. It is best not to interrupt the reading with conversation. It is also customary to read the Haftarah, and some are accustomed also to say Shir HaShirim after that. If you are traveling and you have only a Chumash without Targum, you should read the weekly Torah portion two times, and when you come to a place where a Targum is available you should read the Targum. [Every God fearing Jew should also study Rashi's commentary on the Sidrah. If you are not capable [of learning Rashi], you should study a commentary in Yiddish such as the seifer Tze'enah Ure'enah in order to understand the subject matter of the Sidrah].

---

§12

It is a mitzvah for everyone to wash his face, hands, and feet with hot water every Friday. And if possible you should wash your whole body with hot water, and immerse yourself in the mikveh [ritualarium].

---

§13

It is forbidden to bathe with your father, father-in-law, your mother's husband, or your sister's husband. And in places where it is customary to cover their nakedness in the bath house, it is permitted. And also the student should not bathe with his (teacher) Rebbe, but if he needs him to assist him, it is permitted.

---

§14

It is a mitzvah to wash your hair and to cut your nails and to have your hair cut if it is too long. You should not cut your fingernails and toenails on the same day, and you should not cut your nails or your hair on Rosh Chodesh, even if it occurs on Erev Shabbos. Some are particular not to cut their nails in consecutive order but to alternate: beginning with the right hand, you start with the finger next to the thumb, and the symbol is 2, 4, 1, 3, 5. On the left (hand) you start with the fourth finger, and the symbol is 4, 2, 5, 3, 1. Some are also particular not to cut their nails on Thursday because they start growing on Shabbos which is the third day. It is proper to take care to burn your nails after they are cut.

---

§15

Every Erev Shabbos you should examine your deeds, arouse yourself to repent and make amends for all the misdeeds you did in the six weekdays; because Erev Shabbos incorporates all the days of the week, just as Erev Rosh Chodesh incorporates the whole month.

---

§16

You should try to wear fine clothing and also a nice tallis in honor of Shabbos, as it is written "And you shall honor it;" and it is explained [by the Sages] that your Shabbos clothes should not be like your weekday clothes. And even if you are traveling amongst non-Jews, you should wear Shabbos clothes, because the clothes are not for the honor of those who see them but for the honor of the Shabbos.

---

§17

Cooked foods must be removed from the coals before Shabbos. If you forgot, and did not remove them, you are forbidden to remove the pot while coals are burning around it; since by taking the pot the coals will be moved. But it is permissible through a non-Jevv.

---

§18

Cooked food [may be] placed in the oven [on Friday] to be eaten on Shabbos, as is our custom. Even though the door is not sealed with mortar, it is permitted. However, it is forbidden to open the oven at night, for there may be food which is not thoroughly cooked, and by closing the oven afterwards you will cause the cooking to be accelerated.

---

§19

The law which permits us to place cooked food in the oven even when the oven door is not sealed with mortar applies only to meat, and also to various kinds of legumes [peas, etc.], and also to various types of dough, provided you put them in the oven a long time before nightfall, so that the food will be cooked a little before nightfall, until it reaches the stage when it can be eaten with difficulty. But if you place legumes or types of dough in the oven close to nightfall you must seal the oven door with mortar. (For probably the coals were not removed or were not covered and cooled with ashes properly.) You must be careful about this; for if you failed to do this, the food is forbidden even bediavad (post factum) until after Shabbos, until enough time has elapsed to accomplish what was done (on Shabbos).

---

§20

On Shabbos, opening the oven door that is sealed with mortar, should be done by a non-Jew, and if a non-Jew is not available, it should be opened by a minor. If a minor is unavailable, even an adult may open it, but in a way that is different than on a weekday.

---

§21

Erev Shabbos, when you put a pot of coffee, into a hole [in the ground], [to retain its warmth,] so that it can be used on Shabbos, and cover it with pillows or similar things to keep it warm; if you put it into sand, it is forbidden to insert the whole vessel into the sand. Even if you don't insert the whole vessel but only part of it, and you cover the remainder with clothing or similar things, so that the whole vessel is covered on all sides, this too is forbidden. You must do it in such a way that the pot of coffee is inserted so that only one half or one third is in the sand, and the remainder exposed to the air (in the hole). You may then place a board or inverted vessel to cover the hole so that there is air space between it (the cover) and the pot of coffee. After doing this you may put over them clothing, pillows or similar items. (For more laws pertaining to hatmanah see Shulchan Aruch, Chapters 257, 258, 259.)

---

§22

Before dark on Friday you should gently ask your household: "Did you separate Challah?" And you should tell them to light the (Shabbos) candles.

---

§23

You must examine your clothing on Friday before dark (to see) whether a needle is stuck in them or if there is anything in the pockets. Even in a place where there is an eiruv [it is necessary to check clothing] because the pockets might contain something that is muktzeh.