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Parshas BeShalach: Eating Shalosh Seudos No definitive Halacha LeMa'aseh conclusions should be applied to practical situations based on any of these Shiurim. On the first Shabbos after Moshe had informed the Jewish people that no Mon would fall on Shabbos, but that instead, a double portion would fall on Friday, he told the people, "Eat it today, because today is HaShem's Shabbos. You will not find anything in the field today." (Shemos 16:25). The Gemara in Shabbos (117b) derives from the fact that the Torah uses the word "hayom", today, three times in this Posuk (Ibid.) that there is an obligation to eat three meals on Shabbos. The Gemara further on (Ibid. 118b) documents the great rewards given to one who is careful to always eat these three meals. The Pri Megadim, (Orach Chaim Siman 291 in Mishbitzos Zahav Sif Katan 1) quotes from the Levush that this obligation is from the Torah; the Sefer Chareidim, in his listing of the Mitzvos from the Torah (Perek 14 Ot 3), concurs, and asserts that this is the position of Rashi on the first Gemara in Shabbos above (Ibid. s.v. Talta). The Taz (Ibid. Siman 472 Sif Katan 1) quotes that the Maharal of Prague held this way as well. This seems, however, to be the minority opinion, as most of the Monei HaMitzvos (those authorities who wrote books listing all the Taryag Mitzvos) do not enumerate this as an independent Mitzvah. The Maharil (Sheilos U'Teshuvos Maharil Siman 94), among others, writes that this obligation is MideRabbanan, and the Pri Megadim cited above (Ibid.) assumes this as well. The Aruch HaShulchan (Orach Chaim 291:1) suggests that this Mitzvah was instituted by Moshe Rabbeinu, and that the three Shabbos meals hint at various important ideas, as mentioned in the Tur (Orach Chaim Ibid.). Whatever the origin, the Rambam (Hilchos Shabbos 30:9) writes that one must be sure to eat no less than three meals on Shabbos, one in the evening, one in the morning, and one in the afternoon, even if one is very poor. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim Ibid. Sif 1) stresses that one must be extremely careful to eat Shalosh Seudos (the third meal) even if one is not hungry. The Kaf HaChaim (Ibid. Sif Katan 3) quotes from the Chida that this extra effort for Shalosh Seudos is necessary because one would normally eat a meal on Friday night and some time on Shabbos morning anyway, even were it not required (see Sukkah 27a), while one would probably not otherwise eat late in the afternoon. Shalosh Seudos, then, is the meal which clearly is being eaten only in order to honor Shabbos and thus by eating then, one indicates that the other two meals too were actually eaten in honor of Shabbos. The Shulchan Aruch (Ibid.) says that one need not, of course, risk making oneself sick by eating Shalosh Seudos if one is so full; the purpose of the meal, as the Mishnah Berurah (Ibid. Sif Katan 3) points out, is to give one pleasure, and not pain. But one should, the Shulchan Aruch (Ibid.) adds, have enough foresight to eat a little less at lunchtime in order to be able to eat Shalosh Seudos and enjoy it. Tosafos in Shabbos (118a s.v. B'Minchah) derives from the Gemara there that Shalosh Seudos may not be eaten earlier than Minchah time, which is approximately half an hour after mid-day. The Rosh (Ibid. Perek 16 Siman 5) agrees, and although the Ran (Ibid. 43b in the Rif s.v. Tnu Rabbanan Kamah) quotes a view that there is no fixed time for Shalosh Seudos, the Shulchan Aruch (Ibid. Sif 2) rules that Shalosh Seudos must be eaten no earlier than half an hour past mid-day. One should also not begin Shalosh Seudos after it gets dark, as the Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim Siman 299 Sif 1) rules that one cannot eat at that point; the Mishnah Berurah (Ibid. Sif Katan 1) quotes that this cut-off time is actually sunset, although there is some discussion about that (See Ibid. in the Biur Halacha s.v. MiSheTechshach), and he himself allows one to begin Shalosh Seudos as late as half an hour before nightfall. Rav Moshe Feinstein (Sheilos U'Teshuvos Igros Moshe Orach Chaim Chelek 4 Siman 69 Ot 6) questions this leniency and says that the cut-off point is earlier. The Shulchan Aruch (Ibid.) adds, however, that if one began eating earlier, and the meal extended even until after dark, one may continue eating. Although another view is quoted, the Ramo (Ibid.) asserts that the first one is correct. As far as davening Minchah, Rabbeinu Tam is quoted in Tosafos in Pesachim (105a s.v. VeHanei Milei) as confirming the Minhag that one shouldn't eat between Minchah and Maariv, and the Rosh (Ibid. Perek 10 Siman 13) agrees. Shalosh Seudos, then, should be eaten before Minchah. The Rambam, however (Hilchos Shabbos Ibid. Halacha 10), writes that one should daven Minchah before eating Shalosh Seudos, and the Hagahos Maimoniyos (Ibid. Ot 20) concurs, quoting a different version of Rabbeinu Tam's view. The Ramo (Orach Chaim Siman 291 Sif 2) quotes both opinions, expressing that the latter is more commonly followed; Shalosh Seudos thus generally follows Minchah. The Mishnah Berurah adds, however (Ibid. Sif Katan 11) that if for some reason one cannot eat after Minchah, one fulfills the Mitzvah fully if he eats beforehand. What kind of food constitutes a proper Shalosh Seudos? Tosafos in Yoma (79b s.v. Minai) holds that one must eat bread because of the connection between Shalosh Seudos and the Mon which replaced bread; many other Rishonim agree. The Tur (Siman 291), quoting his father the Rosh, and the Rambam (Ibid. Halacha 9) both rule that one should have Lechem Mishneh for Shalosh Seudos as well; the Shulchan Aruch (Ibid. Sif 4) accepts this view. Tosafos in Berachos, however (49b s.v. Ei), quotes Rabbeinu Tam as holding that one may eat other foods at Shalosh Seudos as well and need not eat bread; Rabbeinu Yonah (Ibid. 36b in the Rif s.v. Birchat) and others concur. The Shulchan Aruch (Ibid. Sif 5) rules that one must have bread, but if one is overly full, one may eat other Mezonos foods, or even meat or fish, as allowed by Tosafos (Ibid.) or perhaps even just fruit, as allowed by Rabbeinu Yonah (Ibid.), and the Ran (on Shabbos 44a in the Rif s.v. V'Ika). The Aruch HaShulchan (Ibid. Sif 12), though, writes in strong terms that it is highly improper to be lenient and eat other foods and not bread, unless one is ill. It should be pointed out that the Rokeiach (Siman 55) allows one to forgo eating Shalosh Seudos altogether in order to hear a Shiur on Shabbos afternoon; the Magen Avraham (Ibid. Siman 290, beginning of the Siman) quotes this opinion, but then adds that this Shiur must be the type which teaches people Halachos and instills Yiras Shomayim in order for it to supersede the Mitzvah to eat Shalosh Seudos, as opposed to the type of Shiur often presented today. It appears that most Poskim, however, do not accept this leniency at all; the Pri Megadim (In Eishel Avraham Ibid. in the end of the Siman) states that one should not miss Shalosh Seudos in order to hear an entire Shiur, and the Aruch HaShulchan (Ibid. Sif 3) and the Kaf HaChaim (Ibid. Ot 14) concur. The Mishnah Berurah (Ibid. end of Sif Katan 8, and see Shaar HaTzion Ibid. Ot 5) states that one should not present a Shiur in such a way that it interferes with Shalosh Seudos. It is worth noting that Rabbeinu Tam, in his Sefer HaYoshor (Chelek HaSheilos U'Teshuvos Siman 70 Ot 4), rules that women too are obligated to eat Shalosh Seudos, because "Af Hein Hayu B'Oso HaNais", meaning that they too benefited from the miracle of the Mon; many Poskim quote and agree with this ruling. The Ran (on Shabbos Ibid. s.v. V'Kasav) cites another reason: women are obligated in all the positive Mitzvos of Shabbos just as men are, as indicated by the Gemara in Berachos (20b). The Shulchan Aruch (Ibid. Sif 6) thus rules that women must eat Shalosh Seudos; the Aruch HaShulchan (Ibid. Sif 4) notes that many women are unaware of this and ought to be told that they too should be careful to observe this important Mitzvah.
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