Preparing for Shabbat on Friday

The Shulchan Aruch writes, that one should get up early on Friday morning in order to prepare for the Shabbat. The Sefer Chesed Le’alafim writes that the sweat that comes from the exertion that one puts into the preparations of the Shabbat have the ability to erase ones sins similar to the ability of the tears of ones prayers. Even if a person is a man of great stature and he has many slaves working for him, he should not give up the merit of preparing for the Shabbat. This concept of doing the preparations oneself applies to all the Mitzvot and not only to the Shabbat. The Gemara tells us of some of the greatest rabbis of that generation who did the chores of the Shabbat themselves; Rav Chisda would prepare the salad, Rabba and Reb Yosef would chop the wood for Shabbat, etc. The Chesed Le’alafim concludes that no one should say that it is beneath their stature to do the preparations of the Shabbat, for the biggest honor one could have, is to say he serves and gives pleasure to the creator. The Chai Adam writes, that one should especially try to help their wives on the short Fridays where there is a lot to do in a short amount of time, and g-d forbid, without extra help, it can lead to the desecration of the Shabbat. He then writes that it is a great benefit if one says before each acquisition for the Shabbat, "Lichvod Shabbat Kodesh"- "that this is in honor of the holy Shabbat."

Summary: One is obligated on Friday to prepare for the upcoming Shabbat. Even if a person is of great stature and prestige with many workers capable of fulfilling the chores of the Shabbat for him, he should still do something in preparation for the Shabbat. One should make an extra effort on the weeks where the Shabbat is early, to help their wives with the preparations of the Shabbat, in order to prevent g-d forbid, the desecration of it.

 By Rabbi Eli Mansour