Melaveh Malkah

by Elisheva bas Chana

Melaveh Malkah

Everyone has at least one mitzvah that is special to them. My special mitzvah is Shabbos. There are so many aspects of Shabbos, but there is one that does not receive the attention it deserves.

Melaveh Malkah, and the seudah that follows, is such a beautiful and meaningful tradition. We sit down to this special meal at a table set beautifully, with Shabbos candles and our polished silverware. Melaveh Malkah means "Escort the Queen." The Queen is Shabbos, whom we welcome on Friday night. The seudah, prepared before Shabbos, traditionally includes gefilte fish, cholent, and some fleishig dishes, or any other dish you may prepare. The challahs, and of course rugelach.

In our home there are many stories told, some old, some new, and some we hear almost every week.

Like this story about "Shabbos Joy." The Baal Shem Tov called his inner circle of students and announced, "Next Shabbos, I'm going to show you what Shabbos really is." The students were excited and could barely wait for the next Shabbos to arrive.

Finally, the day came. They carefully prepared themselves by first immersing in the mikveh, then dressing in their special Shabbos clothes, and coming early to Shul on Friday afternoon, long before Shabbos davening that evening. When Kabbalas Shabbos started, they were davening next to the Baal Shem Tov, but did not see anything out of the ordinary.

Just before Shabbos evening davening was to end, they noticed the Baal Shem Tov staring towards one side of the Shul. When they looked in that direction, all they noticed was a poor, simple Jewish man davening intensely and with simcha. Still, it was not such an unusual sight at the Baal Shem Tov's Shul to see someone davening like that. Other than the way he was davening, they did not notice anything special about the man.

After davening, the Baal Shem Tov told his close followers to join him in his study. They sat around a table next to the window. Because it was summer and the windows were open, they could see the man who had been davening with such passion during Shabbos evening davening. They saw him enter his run-down house. They could even hear him greet his wife. "Gut Shabbos, my sweet wife," he said, full of joy. "And a restful and holy Shabbos to you, my dearest husband," responded his wife.

The Baal Shem Tov's followers could hear the husband singing Shalom Aleichem. When he finished the song, he said to his wife, "Sweetheart, let us make Kiddush." But the couple were so poor they had no money for wine. So the wife placed two small rolls of bread on the Shabbos table and said, "My dear husband, we have no wine. Please make Kiddush over these two rolls."

"That is fine," he replied. "We'll make Kiddush over the bread. I'm sure the rolls will taste as delicious as the most special wine." They washed their hands with a blessing, said HaMotzi, and shared the two rolls of bread. Then the wife spoke, "For the fish course, I've made something special." She got up and brought a bowl of beans to the Shabbos table.

She placed a spoonful of beans on each of their plates and said, "May it be HaShem's will that these beans have the taste of a wonderful fish delicacy." They ate the beans, and their faces shone with delight. The husband sang a few traditional Shabbos songs and then said, "Thank You, HaShem, we have everything we need to celebrate the holy Shabbos. Let's have the soup course now."

They both took another spoonful of beans and smiled. "Umm, what a wonderful Shabbos soup," they said to each other. Then they had a third spoonful of beans to take the place of the traditional meat dish, and a fourth spoonful as dessert.

"Come, my sweet wife, let us celebrate the holy Shabbos." So they both got up and began to dance around their Shabbos table and laughed and laughed.

Each of the students standing with the Baal Shem Tov felt a warm glow rise within. The Baal Shem Tov whispered, "You are experiencing true Shabbos joy, similar to the joy this holy couple has been feeling. You should realise that it is not the simple food that they tasted, but Shabbos itself."

The Gemara in Shabbos says that we should always prepare a table for Melaveh Malkah, even if it is just a piece of bread.

When we take leave of Shabbos, it is Melaveh Malkah that cares for us spiritually. The emptiness we feel on Motzei Shabbos is our neshama's sadness at losing the נשמה יתירה (Neshama Yeteirah – additional soul) given to us by HaShem on Shabbos.

Celebrating Melaveh Malkah is an expression that we are not yet ready to let go of Shabbos. The time we spend at the table allows the light and holiness of Shabbos to accompany us into the new week.

Melaveh Malkah is about showing gratitude, thanking HaShem for allowing us to spend Shabbos in His presence.

And now, after the beautiful ceremony of Havdalah, we escort the Shabbos Queen, accompanying the holiness of Shabbos as it departs.

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Elisheva bas Chana – Celebrating the Heart of Yiddishkeit

Elisheva is a passionate voice for authentic Jewish life, blending Torah wisdom, mitzvos, and the timeless beauty of Yiddishkeit. Her writing shines a light on the strength and grace of Jewish women—from the legacy of Devorah Leah, daughter of the Alter Rebbe, to today’s women who live with faith, modesty, and purpose. Through her words, Elisheva celebrates Torah study, family purity, and radiant tznius, inspiring readers to embrace the joy, depth, and enduring spirit of Jewish tradition. Contact Elisheva.