To take care for the kavod of Shabbat — one seif: Even one who depends on others, if he has a little of his own, must hasten to honor Shabbat. The Sages only said "make your Shabbat ordinary and do not depend on the creatures" with regard to one whose situation is extremely strained. One must therefore restrict himself the other days in order to honor Shabbat. It is from the takana of Ezra that one launders clothing on Thursday out of respect for Shabbat. — Hagahos HaRama: The custom is to knead at home the quantity of a challa and to make from it loaves for the betzi'ah of Shabbat and Yom Tov; this is part of the kavod of Shabbat and one should not deviate from it.
The 4 levels of study — Siman רמ״ב, Seif Alef
01
Available
רמת המתחיל
Level 1 — Beginner & Intermediate
Hebrew text with fluent English translation. Pedagogical explanation of the 5 topics of the Seif (oneg, kavod, the poor, borrowing, Tikkun Ezra). Clear tables, cited sources, comprehension questions.
12 in-depth sections: chakirah of the yesod (דאורייתא / דרבנן / דברי קבלה), 3 peshatim in the Rambam, 5 maamarei Chazal, debate of the Acharonim, the sougya of 'levu alai', Tikkun Ezra (up to the modern washing machine).
Structured summary for review and memorization: axioms, hierarchy of the mechuyav (3 chalukos), decision trees, mnemonics (O-N-E-G-S, C-T-P-L-T), 6 pitfalls to avoid, modern practical cases, 5 practical commandments.
The Choulhan Aroukh HaRav (of the Admour HaZaken) on this siman: full text, the originality and strength of the psak of the Admour HaZaken relative to the Mechaber and the Rama, the chiddush unique to the Rav, associated Chabad minhagim, sichos and igros of the Rebbe that illuminate the subject, conduct le-maaseh.
Rebuild this siman according to the Rabbanim YOU follow. Choose your Poskim (Rav Ovadia, the Admour HaZaken, the Rebbe, Ben Ish Chai, Mishna Berura, Rav Mordechai Eliyahu…) — Daat AI rebuilds the siman with their opinions, their reasoning, and their disagreements. If your Poskim do not address a point, the AI asks you before expanding.
דאורייתא (Rashi, Yereim) or דרבנן / דברי קבלה (Rambam, Choulhan Aroukh HaRav)? Halachic consequences of this fundamental מחלוקת.
שָׁלֹשׁ חֲלוּקוֹת
Hierarchy by means
For the wealthy: מאכלים חשובים (fish, meat). For one with little: כסא דהרסנא suffices. For the dire poor: "עשה שבתך חול". 3 categories (chalukos) of the Taz and the Mg״A.
נְטִילַת צְדָקָה לְשַׁבָּת
Communal assistance
May one take tzedakah for the seudah shelishis? 14 seudos per week vs. כסא דהרסנא. Discussion of the Beit Yosef / Mishna Berura.
לוו עָלַי
Borrowing for oneg
Borrowing with ribbis from a gentile: permitted for tzorchei Shabbat? מחלוקת Gra / Mahari Halevi based on the Yerushalmi. Distinction between mashkon and halvaa.
תַּקָּנַת עֶזְרָא
Laundry on the 5th day
Source: Bava Kama 113. Origin of the minhag to knead challos for Shabbat. Modern application (washing machine) according to the Chut Shani.
אֲפִיַּית חַלּוֹת
Baking challos
5 reasons for the minhag of baking the bread at home: kavod Shabbat, mitzvat hafrashas challa, rectifying the cheit of Chava, and more. Position of the Maharil, the Taz and the Mishna Berura.
Chakiras HaYesod — Oneg Shabbat: דאורייתא or דרבנן?
Posek
Era
Position
Reasoning
רש״י / יראים / ריב״ש
Rishonim — 11th–14th c.
Side ① — דאורייתא
Anchored in "וקראת לשבת עונג" (Yeshayahu 58:13). Full Torah status.
רמב״ם
Rishonim — 12th c.
Side ② — דברי קבלה / דרבנן
3 peshatim among the Acharonim (Chasam Sofer, Tzemach Tzedek, Nechpeh BaKessef): דרבנן with an asmachta, or דברי קבלה (intermediate status).
שולחן ערוך הרב
Acharonim — 19th c.
דרבנן — takanas chachamim
Rules like the Rambam: oneg Shabbat is a rabbinic institution supported by the words of the Neviim.
פסק למעשה
Practice today
✦ All agree
The effective obligation to honor and take pleasure in Shabbat is binding; the debate concerns the level (Torah / Sages / Prophets), with precise nafka minos for borderline cases.
The שלש חלוקות in the chiyuv of oneg Shabbat (Taz)
Level
Situation
Obligation
Source
הָעָשִׁיר
Wealthy — has the means
מאכלים חשובים
Fish, meat, fine clothing. One must not be stingy with the needs of Shabbat (Choulhan Aroukh + Mg״A).
הַבֵּינוֹנִי
Middle — limited means
כסא דהרסנא
A simple dish suffices (Shabbat 118b). But one must restrict himself the other days to have at least that.
הֶעָנִי הַמְּדֻקְדָּק
Dire poverty
עשה שבתך חול
When the situation is extremely strained, one may "make his Shabbat ordinary" rather than depend on others (Pesachim 113a).
Frequently asked questions — Siman רמ״ב
What is the essential obligation of Siman רמ״ב of the Choulhan Aroukh?
According to the Choulhan Aroukh, Orach Chaim רמ״ב:1, even one who depends on others must, if he has a little of his own, hasten to honor Shabbat (kavod Shabbat) and find his pleasure in it (oneg Shabbat). One must restrict himself the other days in order to honor Shabbat properly.
Is oneg Shabbat a Torah obligation (דאורייתא) or rabbinic (דרבנן)?
There is a fundamental mahloket: Rashi, the Yereim, and the Rivash hold that oneg Shabbat is de'oraisa, anchored in the pasuk "וקראת לשבת עונג" (Yeshayahu 58:13). The Rambam and the Choulhan Aroukh HaRav (of the Admour HaZaken) hold it is divrei kabala or derabanan. Practically, all agree that the obligation is binding.
What does "עשה שבתך חול ואל תצטרך לבריות" mean?
This dictum of the Gemara (Pesachim 113a) means: "Make your Shabbat like a weekday rather than depend on others." According to the Choulhan Aroukh, this applies only to one whose situation is extremely strained — not to the general case. The Taz and the Magen Avraham accordingly distinguish 3 chalukos (wealthy, middle, dire poverty).
What is Tikkun Ezra and does it apply to a modern washing machine?
Tikkun Ezra (Bava Kama 113) is the takana that one launders clothing on Thursday out of respect for Shabbat. The Chut Shani and other modern Acharonim discuss its application to the washing machine: should one prefer Thursday? See Level 2 (Lamdan) for the full pilpul.
May one borrow money for the needs of Shabbat (sougya of 'levu alai')?
The Yerushalmi reports in the name of Hashem Himself: "לוו עלי ואני פורע" ("Borrow on My account and I will repay"). The Acharonim debate: the Gra and the Mahari Halevi disagree on the practical scope. Level 2 (Lamdan) treats the sougya in detail, including the distinction between mashkon and halvaa.