Question:
I have heard that one is obligated to have a meal on Saturday night when Shabbat finishes. Is this correct? Please could you guide me as to how to fulfil this? Must i eat a full meal with bread like on Shabbat or is it enough to eat other foods?
Answer:
The proper way to escort out the Shabbos is to have a festive meal after it is over just like we bring it in with the utmost respect.
A person should set his table on Saturday night even if one only plans on eating a Kezayit so as to respect the exiting of Shabbos. Even though many aren’t careful about it, a Yireh should make an extra effort to keep it.
The Aruch HaShulchan , Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 63:1brings the Midrash Kohelet Rabba 12:5 says that in the future, a person will be resurrected using a bone located in one’s spine. The Kaf Hachayim says that this bone called the luz is fed only with food eaten at a melave malka. The Mishna Brurah 300:2 quotes the Taz saying the same thing but calls the bone the nisko. In Shaar Hatziyun he explains that since this bone didn’t get pleasure from Adam’s sin, this bone was spared the curse of death.
One should eat with specific intent that it should be for the meal of Melaveh Malka, preferably saying this expressly. At the end of Birkat HaMazon for Melava Malka, some opinions hold that one should say say “migdol yishuot malko” like on Shabbos itself, instead of “magdil yishuot”, while others say that one should say the regular “magdil yishuot” on Melava Malka just like during the week.
Some poskim allow eating meat leftovers on motzaei shabbos even during the nine days while some poskim say that it’s prohibited.
Women are also obligated to eat Melava Malka.
The Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 63:3 brings lehalacha from the Pri Megadim,Magen Avraham that quotes the Avudarham saying that some women had the custom not to do chores on motzaei shabbos. The Gra in Maaseh Rav says that he was also very strict on his wife.
Melva Malka should be fulfilled as soon after Shabbos as possible. If one isn’t hungry one may have it later but shouldn’t do an established activity before having Melveh Malka. However, certainly one shouldn’t delay it past Chatzos of the night. However, if one did delay past Chatzos one may still fulfill it until Olos HaShachar.
The Mishna Brurah and Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 63:5 write that Melveh Malka should be done right after Shabbos and shouldn’t do any established activity before Melvah Malka. However, they add, at least one should eat Melava Malka by Chatzos because the the arizal held that the holiness of shabbos only remains until chatzos.
If one extended his Seudat Shelishit until it got dark, some say that one is exempt from having Melveh Malka, and some argue.
The Eliyah Rabba 300:1 writes that he heard that if Seudat Shelishit until it got dark one is exempt from having Melveh Malka.
There’s no obligation for having Malveh Malka on Motzei Yom Tov. Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 63:4 rules that there’s no obligation to eat Melveh Malka on Yom Tov. It is brought that the Chazon Ish would have a Malveh Malka on Motzei Yom Tov.
One should try to eat bread for Melava Malka, but if he cannot then cake is sufficient. If he cannot even eat cake he should at least have some fruits or vegetables.
The Gra in Biur Hagra 300:1 says that bread must be eaten at the seuda. Its brought that the Gra was extremely strict about this halacha. It tells a story about when Rav Chaim Volozhin came to visit him and hadn’t ate melava malka because he wasn’t feeling well and the Gra told him to eat. Rav Moshe Shternbuch in Teshuvos vihanhagos 2:166 explains that the reason the gra was so strict on this is because he felt it was something that was very neglected. |