Legal-Ease By Ari Z. Zivotofsky

WHAT’S THE TRUTH ABOUT . . . Seudah Shelishit?

MISCONCEPTION: One can fulfill the (Petach Aynayim, 118b) re- Two meals at night and one in the day- obligation to eat Seudah Shelishit (The jected this explanation and suggests time fail to satisfy the requirement Third Meal) on Shabbat by studying that although one can fulfill the obliga- (Halichot Shlomo 8, note 64). The in lieu of eating. tion of Seudah Shelishit without eating Berurah (334:2, in the name bread, Rav Nachman was careful to al- of the Bach) and Aruch Hashulchan FACT: The third Shabbat meal, Seudah ways eat bread at the Third Meal, and (OC 288:2) state that the second meal Shelishit (colloquially termed “sha- hence he is worthy of merit. The Ktav must be eaten on Shabbat morning be- lashudas”) is an obligatory meal that Sofer (Shu”t, OC 39), however, under- fore chatzot. should ideally include bread. stood the gemara differently. He ob- Regarding the Third Meal, the ma- serves that oftentimes mitzvot jority opinion is that it must be eaten in BACKGROUND: There is an obligation involving eating are difficult to per- the afternoon. The Behag, however, to eat three meals on Shabbat (Ram- form with the proper intentions or ka- does permit it to take place in the bam, Shabbat 30:9; , vanah; therefore, Rav Nachman was morning. The Tur (OC 291) maintains OC 291) that (Shabbat 117b) de- asserting that he ate three meals for the that those who split the morning meal rive from the three-fold occurrence of purpose of fulfilling the mitzvah and into two do not fulfill the obligation. the word “ha’yom” (today) in Shemot not for the physical enjoyment. It would seem that Seudah Shelishit 16:25:1 “Moshe said ‘Eat it today, for It is universally agreed (Shulchan should take place in the afternoon. But today it is Shabbat for Hashem; today Aruch, OC 291:6) that the obligation to should it be held before or after Min- you will not find it [manna] in the eat three meals on Shabbat is incum- chah? Rabbeinu Tam (Tosafot Pesachim field.’” In Talmudic times, generally bent upon women as well.2 Despite it 105a, s.v. “v’hani mili”) rules that one only two meals were eaten each day; being a time-bound mitzvah, women should not eat between Minchah and hence a third meal was unique are obligated either because of “af hen Maariv on Shabbat. The Rema (OC to Shabbat. hayu be’oto hanes,” they too benefited 291:2), however, rules like many Ris- The Gemara goes on to praise those from the miracle of the manna, which honim that Seudah Shelishit should be who fulfill this obligation. Rav Shimon is the source of the mitzvah, or be- eaten specifically between Minchah ben Pazi (Shabbat 118a) says that such a cause women are obligated in the and Maariv. The accepted opinion is person is spared from three tribula- Shabbat prohibitions and all who are that it is preferable to have the Third tions: the birth pangs of Mashiach, obligated in the negative prohibitions Meal after Minchah, but one should judgment in gehenom, and the War of of Shabbat are obligated in its positive begin before sunset (Shemirat Shabbat Gog and Magog. Rav Nachman says requirements as well. The Aruch Kehilchata 56:4). (Shabbat 118b) that he is worthy of Hashulchan (OC 291:4) thus states that Another debate centers around merit because he eats three Shabbat women should be encouraged to fulfill which foods should be included in the meals. Noting that this is a strange this mitzvah. Third Meal. The Shulchan Aruch (OC statement regarding one fulfilling an Having established the obligation, 291:5) quotes a range of opinions— obligation, Tosafot (Bechorot 2b, s.v. the codifiers go on to address two re- those who require bread, those who ac- “Shema”) suggests that although eating lated issues: when the Third Meal cept any food upon which the berachah the Third Meal is obligatory, people should be eaten and what exactly of mezonot is recited, and those who were lax in its performance. The Chida should be eaten. allow just fruit. He rules that one Ideally, the three Shabbat meals should eat bread unless one feels too Dr. Ari Zivotofsky is on the faculty of should be arranged in the following full from the previous meal. Further- the Brain Science Program at Bar-Ilan Uni- manner: one Friday night, one Shabbat more, he states (OC 291:4) that lechem versity in . morning, and one Shabbat afternoon. mishnah is required, although the

Winter 5772/2011 JEWISH ACTION I 77 Rema observes that there is a common there is no obligation to eat Seudah The Shulchan Aruch (OC 291:1) practice to have only one whole loaf at Shelishit. This position is elaborated on stresses the importance of the mitzvah Seudah Shelishit (see Taz 291:4). by the Aruch Hashulchan (OC 444:6), of eating Seudah Shelishit, writing that A prevalent misconception is that who explains that just like when Yom a person should be “very careful to ful- one can fulfill the obligation of having a Kippur falls out on Shabbat there is no fill this obligation” and should not Third Meal with words of Torah. obligation of Seudah Shelishit, similarly, overeat at the second Shabbat meal to Where did this misconception come on erev Pesach that falls out on Shabbat ensure that he will have an appetite at from? Most likely from the unique ha- the obligation is canceled. the Third Meal. In fact, Seudah Shel- lachot of erev Pesach that falls out on Others disagree with the Gra and ishit is deemed so important that one Shabbat. When this occurs, and neither Aruch Hashulchan, maintaining that is obligated to give charity in order to bread nor matzah may be eaten in the there is an obligation of Seduah Shel- provide a poor person with three afternoon, the obligation to eat Seudah ishit on erev Pesach. The Kaf HaChaim meals on Shabbat (Shulchan Aruch, Shelishit is difficult to fulfill. The Tal- (444:18) says that Rav Shimon Bar YD 250:4). mud (Pesachim 13a) records that when Yochai did fulfill his obligation to eat Interestingly, one often finds peo- erev Pesach falls out on Shabbat, one Seudah Shelishit via learning because ple who are not conscientious about should leave over chometz for two he understood the kabbalistic meaning eating Seudah Shelishit all year long Shabbat meals—Friday night and Shab- behind the obligation and could ac- engaging in all kinds of halachic con- bat morning. Rashi explains that food complish the purpose of the mitzvah tortions to eat Seudah Shelishit on erev for three meals is not needed because through his learning. The rest of us, Pesach. Better to rely on divrei Torah to the afternoon meal cannot be eaten; writes the Kaf HaChaim, are obligated fulfill one’s obligation of having Three thus, when erev Pesach falls on Shab- to eat a meal. It is best, he adds, to eat Meals on erev Pesach and be scrupu- bat, there is a requirement for two Seudah Shelishit and learn as well. lous about eating Seudah Shelishit the meals only. Erev Pesach Shechal B’Shabbat rest of the year. g Some rabbinic authorities, however, (Rabbi Zvi Cohen [Bnei Brak, 5754], do not endorse canceling the Third chap. 21, note 30) states that based on Notes Meal, and they offer numerous sugges- the , the Chatam Sofer fulfilled 1. Note that the Yerushalmi tions on how to fulfill the obligation: 3 the mitzvah of Seudah Shelishit on yom (Ta’anit 1:1) cites this verse as proof 1. Divide the morning meal into two tov with . But, he then that if all of the observed meals; 2. Have the third meal in the af- quotes the K’tzeh Hamateh as pointing one Shabbat properly, Mashiach ternoon with cooked or fried matzah out that the Chatam Sofer did this only would come. meal or matzah ashirah; 3. Have the on yom tov when there is no obligation meal in the afternoon with fruit, meat, of Seudah Shelishit!4 2. Some Chassidic sources quote or products made from potato starch. A story mentioned in Pardes Yosef the Arizal as stating that women are The Magen Avraham (444:2) cites a (Parashat Emor, p. 272; cf. Shu”t Divrei exempt from this mitzvah. There does radically different option. He quotes Yatziv, Likutim v’Hashmatot, siman not seem to be a halachic basis for this. the Shlah, who writes in the name of 126) relates to this topic. Rav Yoshe has a custom of not eating the Zohar (Parashat Emor, on the verse Ber Soloveichik of Brisk (the great- Seudah Shelishit, despite the fact that “eleh moadei,” 95a), that Rav Shimon grandfather of Rabbi Joseph B. the Shulchan Aruch Harav (OC 291) bar Yochai (Rashbi) studied Ma’aseh Soloveitchik, the Rav) was once at an writes that men and women should be Merkavah (Ezekiel 1) in lieu of the inn for Shabbat and there was no careful about fulfilling this obligation. Third Meal when erev Pesach was on lechem mishnah for Seudah Shelishit. See Likutei Sichot, vol. 26, Parashat Shabbat. Thus it appears that accord- One of those accompanying him asked: Bishalach. ing to the Zohar, the obligation to eat Why don’t we fulfill the obligation 3. There are many books that deal the Third Meal can be fulfilled via with divrei Torah? In a clever retort, with the topic of erev Pesach that falls Torah study. The Gra, however, (444:7) Rav Soloveichik stated that the possi- out on Shabbat. See, for example, Rav understands the Zohar to mean that bility exists that one of those present Yosef Zvi Rimon, Erev Pesach Shechal Seudah Shelishit can only be fulfilled might refute the chiddushim that he B’Shabbat (Alon Shvut, 5765), p. 64-69. with bread, and that when erev Pesach would say; in that case, there would be 4. See Shulchan Aruch, OC 529:1; falls out on Shabbat, the obligation to neither food nor Torah, and the obliga- 529:13, and Prishah eat Seudah Shelishit is canceled. So too, tion to have Seudah Shelishit would not 529:3. Note that there is a custom to the Meiri (Pesachim 13a) opines that be fulfilled! It’s best, he implied, that have a third meal on the last day when erev Pesach falls out on Shabbat, they fulfill the mitzvah by eating. of Pesach.

78 I JEWISH ACTION Winter 5772/2011 LAY LEADERSHIP OF THE

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