{"id":249261,"date":"2025-07-08T23:34:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T23:34:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/249261\/"},"modified":"2025-07-08T23:34:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T23:34:11","slug":"rabbi-zilberstein-eating-cholent-in-midweek-undermines-honor-of-shabbat-meals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/249261\/","title":{"rendered":"Rabbi Zilberstein: Eating Cholent In Midweek Undermines Honor Of Shabbat Meals"},"content":{"rendered":"

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JERUSALEM (VINnews) \u2014 In the \u201cDivrei Chemed\u201d bulletin, a\u00a0 fascinating halachic ruling was published, especially relevant for yeshiva students and the general public, regarding eating cholent on Thursday night. According to the posek Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein, doing so undermines the honor due to the Shabbat morning meal.<\/p>\n


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A number of yeshiva students sent a question to Rabbi Zilberstein, writing as follows:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is well known that there is a significant value in eating chamin (cholent) on Shabbat Kodesh. Throughout the years, it was a special dish eaten specifically at the Shabbat morning meal, and many would fulfill the mitzvah of \u2018Toameha chaim zachu\u2019 (\u2018Those who taste [Shabbat early] merit life\u2019) by tasting this delicacy on Friday.\u201d<\/p>\n

They continued:<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, recently, many have begun to be machmir in tasting this dish already on Thursday night, to the point where some now prepare this dish in large pots specifically for Thursday night\u2014not just to taste a bit of Shabbat food, but to indulge themselves on Thursday night. And some even go so far as to eat it on Thursday during the day or throughout the week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur question is: Is there anything inappropriate in the fact that a dish originally created for Shabbat is now being eaten on weekdays? Or is there no fault in this? And is it considered an act of piety to refrain from eating a dish that, throughout generations, was reserved for Shabbat Kodesh, and continue to eat it exclusively on Shabbat, and not during the week?\u201d<\/p>\n

Rabbi Yitzchak Zilberstein, who regularly receives interesting and complex halachic queries due to his broad and deep knowledge, responded with the following explanation:<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is great importance in honoring and distinguishing Shabbat with special foods, and weekday meals should not resemble those of Shabbat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Among the sources cited by the rabbi are: Midrash Tanchuma (Parshat Bereishit, Siman 2), Tikkunei Zohar (Tikkun 21 and Tikkun 48),Ramban (Leviticus 23:2), Radak (Isaiah 58:13)<\/p>\n

He further cited the Yam Shel Shlomo (Gittin 38b), who rules:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is preferable not to eat fish on Friday night, so that one can enjoy them during the Shabbat day meal\u2014since \u2018honor of the day is greater than that of the night.\u2019 From this we learn a kal vachomer: If one should refrain from eating a beloved dish on Friday night to honor the daytime meal, all the more so one should refrain from eating such dishes on weekdays in order to honor Shabbat properly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rabbi Zilberstein also brings testimonies from various sages:<\/p>\n

The Arizal was very strict not to prepare any dish during the week that was customary for Shabbat, such as kugels and the like.<\/p>\n

A story about the Baal Shem Tov: He was once hosted and served a meal while a child stood nearby eating \u201ceggs with onions\u201d (ei mit tzvibel), to which he told the child \u201cJewish children eat that only on Shabbat.\u201d<\/p>\n

A similar story about the Chasam Sofer, who was once served tzimmes during the week and refused it, saying: \u201cThat\u2019s a Shabbat dish,\u201d adding in Yiddish: \u201cA Shabbos-essen est men nikst in der vokh\u201d \u2013 \u201cShabbat food is not eaten during the week.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rabbi Zilberstein further emphasized:<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially with cholent, a dish originally created specifically to honor Shabbat\u2014so that people could eat hot food on Shabbat morning. As the Ba\u2019al HaMaor (Shabbat 16b) wrote: \u2018Our Sages instituted eating chamin (hot food) to delight in Shabbat, and anyone who doesn\u2019t eat chamin should be checked to see if he is a heretic or an unbeliever.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

He added another interesting point:<\/p>\n

\u201cIn previous generations, some were concerned about eating cholent due to health issues, but as the Bnei Yissaschar (Ma\u2019amarei HaShabbatot, Ma\u2019amar 3) writes, \u2018On Shabbat there is no need to worry, for the holiness of Shabbat brings blessing into the food.\u2019 Likewise, the Mishnah Berurah writes that \u2018one who keeps a mitzvah will know no evil.\u2019 But this protection applies only on Shabbat\u2014not on weekdays.\u201d<\/p>\n

In conclusion, Rabbi Zilberstein wrote:<\/p>\n

\u201cCholent is a dish that was specifically created for Shabbat, and therefore it is very appropriate not to eat it during the week, so that one can properly delight in it on Shabbat. Especially since this dish is not particularly healthy, and it is only thanks to the sanctity of Shabbat that it becomes a blessing and a delicacy for the body. As the verse says, \u2018He who observes a mitzvah shall know no evil.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

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