Honoring and enjoying Shabbos (Shulchan Aruch, Siman 242) is a duty on nearly everyone, according to one's means: through food, clothing and preparations (kavod), and through delight (oneg). The wealthy through refinement, those with little through a symbolic dish; only the truly destitute are exempt.
The Gemara encourages borrowing without interest rather than diminishing kavod Shabbos. For a concrete case: ask your Rav.
The Shulchan Aruch opens the laws of preparing for Shabbos (Siman 242) with a principle: nearly everyone is obligated to honor Shabbos — through food, clothing and preparations. Honor (kavod) surrounds the day; delight (oneg) savors it. The measure? According to one's means: the wealthy through refinement, the one with little through a symbolic dish, and only the truly destitute is exempt. The Gemara even encourages borrowing without interest rather than diminishing the honor of Shabbos. For a concrete case — ask your Rav.
Before Shabbos, we rush: shopping, cooking, cleaning, showering, dressing nicely. None of this is mere custom — it is a codified mitzvah. The Shulchan Aruch devotes an entire chapter, Siman 242 of Hilchos Shabbos (Orach Chaim), to the duty to honor and delight in Shabbos. And the first thing it establishes is who is obligated and how far.
Kavod and Oneg: two dimensions, one day
The tradition distinguishes two forms of service around Shabbos:
Everything that prepares for and surrounds Shabbos: washing, putting on fine clothing, setting a beautiful table, lighting the candles, finishing the housework on Friday. We honor Shabbos before it enters, the way one prepares to welcome a distinguished guest.
The enjoyment of the day itself: tasty food, wine, rest — what gladdens body and soul. The source verse is "וְקָרָאתָ לַשַּׁבָּת עֹנֶג" — "and you shall call Shabbos a delight" (Yeshayahu 58:13).
The Rambam (Hilchos Shabbos 30:1) recalls that "four things were said about Shabbos: two from the Torah — זכור and שמור — and two from the Sages, expounded by the Prophets: כבוד and עונג." Rashi, the Ramban and other Rishonim see in them an even more directly Scriptural basis. Either way, the Shaar HaTziyun writes that these obligations are "more precious" than many mitzvos — a sign of their weight.
What does the Shulchan Aruch say in Siman 242?
The Mechaber (Rabbi Yosef Karo) opens with a striking sentence:
אֲפִלּוּ מִי שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לַאֲחֵרִים, אִם יֵשׁ לוֹ מְעַט מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, צָרִיךְ לְזָרֵז אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְכַבֵּד אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. וְלֹא אָמְרוּ "עֲשֵׂה שַׁבַּתְּךָ חֹל וְאַל תִּצְטָרֵךְ לַבְּרִיּוֹת" אֶלָּא לְמִי שֶׁהַשָּׁעָה דְּחוּקָה לוֹ בְּיוֹתֵר.
"Even one who depends on others — if he possesses a minimum of his own — must hasten to honor Shabbos. And they only said 'make your Shabbos like a weekday and do not depend on others' regarding one whose situation is truly very difficult."
The central idea: the obligation to honor Shabbos is nearly universal. The exemption applies only to extreme poverty. (Source: Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 242:1.)
The 3 categories, according to one's means
How do we reconcile "honor it generously" (Rav Yehudah: beets, large fish, heads of garlic — Shabbos 118b), "even a small thing suffices" (Rav Chiya bar Ashi), and "make your Shabbos like a weekday" (Rabbi Akiva)? The Taz resolves it by distinguishing three economic situations:
| Category | Situation | Measure of honor |
|---|---|---|
| ① One who has | Provides for his needs | 🟢 Refined foods (meat, fish, wine) according to his means |
| ② One who has little | Has some, but receives help | 🟡 At least a כסא דהרסנא (a small dish marking the honor) |
| ③ The destitute | Has strictly nothing of his own | 🔴 Exempt — may "make his Shabbos like a weekday" |
The classifying criterion is simple: "does he have something of his own?". The Tur adds a spiritual dimension — during the week one should reduce his expenses in order to be able to honor Shabbos: "כי אדרבה אם יוסיף מוסיפין לו", "on the contrary, whoever adds [for Shabbos], they add to him [from Heaven]."
"Borrow on My account" — the trust of Shabbos
The Gemara (Beitzah 15b) reports an extraordinary scene:
בָּנַי, לְווּ עָלַי וְקַדְּשׁוּ קְדֻשַּׁת הַיּוֹם, וְהַאֲמִינוּ בִּי וַאֲנִי פּוֹרֵעַ
"My children, borrow on My account and sanctify the holiness of the day — trust in Me, and I will repay."
From this, the Maharil and many Acharonim encourage borrowing without interest (or against a pledge) rather than diminishing the honor of Shabbos. A few authorities (Maharshal, Maharsha) qualify this — out of concern for taking on debt one cannot repay — but the principle stands: spending for Shabbos is an expense of trust. (For your concrete financial situation, speak with your Rav.)
Friday's preparations: the frame of kavod
The gloss of the Rema, in this same siman, recalls two ancient practices that draw the practical frame of honoring Shabbos:
Tikkun Ezra — laundering clothes on Thursday
תַּקָּנַת עֶזְרָא שֶׁיְּהוּ מְכַבְּסִים בְּגָדֵיהֶם בַּחֲמִישִׁי בְּשַׁבָּת מִפְּנֵי כְּבוֹד הַשַּׁבָּת.
"Ezra instituted that one launders his clothes on Thursday (the 5th day) in honor of Shabbos."
Why Thursday and not Friday (Bava Kama 82a)? For two reasons: so the clothes are clean and ready in time, and so that Friday remains entirely free for the other preparations (cooking, shopping, cleaning).
Kneading the bread at home
נָהֲגוּ לָלוּשׁ כְּדֵי שִׁעוּר חַלָּה בַּבַּיִת... וְהוּא מִכְּבוֹד שַׁבָּת, וְאֵין לְשַׁנּוֹת.
"The custom is to knead at home the amount of dough requiring the separation of challah, to make from it the loaves that one will cut on Shabbos — this is part of the honor of Shabbos, and one should not change this custom."
The Rema sees several reasons in it: fulfilling the mitzvah of hafrashas challah, having fresh and "certainly kosher" bread, and honoring Shabbos with home-made bread.
This article presents what the source says for the purpose of study. It does not rule on any practical case. To know how to honor Shabbos in your situation — your means, your health, your community's custom — ask your Rav.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between kavod and oneg Shabbos?
Kavod (honor) surrounds Shabbos — washing, fine clothes, a set table, Friday's housework. Oneg (delight) savors the day itself — food, wine, rest. Siman 242 codifies both according to one's means. For the application, ask your Rav.
Must you spend beyond your means?
Siman 242 distinguishes three cases: one who has honors according to his means, one who has little does at least a symbolic dish, the destitute is exempt. The Gemara even encourages borrowing without interest rather than diminishing the honor of Shabbos. For your situation, ask your Rav.
What does "borrow on My account" mean?
The Gemara (Beitzah 15b) reports that Hashem invites us to borrow (לוו עלי) to honor Shabbos, with the promise to repay. From this, the Maharil encourages interest-free borrowing rather than reducing the splendor of the day. For practice, ask your Rav.
Study Siman 242 in depth
Four levels, from beginner to talmid chacham — Hebrew text, translation, pilpul and the shitah of the Admur HaZaken.