Shulchan
Aruch Chapter 250:
The Laws of the Shabbat Meal (2
Paragraphs)
Note: REMA in brackets [ ]
1. One should wake up in the morning to prepare for the needs of
the Sabbath. Even if one has many servants that serve him he
should still strive to personally prepare any item for the needs of the
Shabbat in order to honor it. Rav Chis'dah used to cut the
vegetables very finely, Ruvah and Rav Yosef used to chop wood, Rav
Zeira used to kindle the fire, Rav Nachman used to prepare the house,
prepare utensils for the needs of the Shabat and put aside the regular
utensils, and every individual should learn from their example.
One should not say "I will not go below my honor", for it is indeed
within one's dignity to honor the Shabbat. [There are those who
sharpen a knife on Erev Shabbat since it is considered for the honor of
the Shabbat as it is used to prepare the food.]
2. One should prepare a lot of meat, wine and treats in
accordance to one's resources.
Shulchan
Aruch Chapter 251:
To Not Do Work on Erev Shabbat from
the Time of Mincha and Onward (2 Paragraphs)
Note: REMA in brackets [ ]
1. One who performs work on Erev Shabbat from the time of mincha
and onward will not see any good from it. Some explain this
refers to mincha g'dolah [1]
and some say it is mincha k'tanah
[2]. [This is only when one performs the work as an established
practice, but if one does the work as a temporary thing according to
the hour, but nothing set, then it is allowed. For example, it is
permitted to write a complete letter and also similar type of things.]
2. It is permitted to fix clothes and vessels for the needs of
the Shabbat the entire day. [The same applies to one's friend's
clothes, but he may not charge for it.] The same applies to one
who writes religious texts for himself to utilize for personal
study. [However, it is prohibited to write for the use others for
payment. One may take a haircut all day long, even via a Jewish
barber. One should reduce slightly one's religious studies on
Erev Shabbat in order that he should prepare for the needs of the
Shabbat.]
Footnotes:
1. Lit: "The great mincha" refers to six and a half
daylight hours after sunrise. The length in minutes of a daylight
hour is the time in minutes from sunrise to sunset divided by 12.
2. Lit: "The small mincha" refers to nine and a half
daylight hours after sunrise.
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Translated by Jay Dinovitser 12/2012
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