A newly published psak by HaRav Yitzchok Zilberstein is stirring discussion across the olam hatorah, particularly among bochurim accustomed to Thursday-night cholent. In a teshuva released this week in Divrei Chemed, the world-renowned posek sharply criticizes the growing trend of eating Shabbos-specific dishes — such as cholent — during the week, warning that it dilutes the kedusha of Shabbos.
The question posed to the Rav came from concerned bnei yeshiva, who described the now-common scene of Thursday-night cholent gatherings. These events often include large pots of cholent prepared not for kavod Shabbos, but simply for enjoyment — with some yeshiva bochurim partaking as early as Thursday afternoon.
Rav Zilberstein responded by drawing on a broad array of mareh mekomos, including Midrash Tanchuma, Tikkunei Zohar, Ramban, Radak, and others, to underscore the importance of preserving the uniqueness of Shabbos seudos.
“If one should refrain from eating fish on Friday night to preserve its enjoyment for Shabbos day, as the Yam Shel Shlomo writes,” he noted, “then how much more so should one avoid weekday indulgence in foods traditionally reserved for Shabbos.”
Rav Zilberstein cited additional examples: The Arizal’s practice of never preparing Shabbos dishes during the week, the Baal Shem Tov’s comment to a child eating onions and eggs that “this is a food Jews eat only on Shabbos,” and the Chasam Sofer’s refusal to eat cinnamon-flavored dishes on weekdays, declaring them exclusively for Shabbos.
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17 Responses
There is an inyan of tasting the food before Shabbos because of טעמיה חיים זכו so maybe it could be extended to Thursday night being erev Shabbos
Also the Gemara in nedarim says is one makes a הדר against אוכלי שום he אסור בהנאה on ישראלים because it is eaten on Shabbos, but we know there was a Talmid that came to shiur with bad breath from garlic
Now we can watch the apikorsei hador comment here criticizing this Daas Torah with their own Daas Tipshish.
Can I find the actual teshuva somewhere online?
What about the new minhag to have T’omea party’s on Friday?
“גזירה שאין רוב הציבור יכולין לעמוד בה — אין גוזרין אותה”
מסכת עבודה זרה, דף ל”ו, עמוד א
“A decree that the majority of the public cannot uphold — we do not issue.”
I would assume most people aren’t going to change. I wonder if the Rav Shlita considered this source.
I’m curious as to how he deals with:
A) טועמיה חיים זכו – the minhag brought in midrash, poskim and sifrei kabbala to taste the Shabbos food before Shabbos.
”מצוה לטעום קודם השבת טעם תבשילי שבת לכבודה”
“מצווה לטעום התבשילין, וצריך לטעום מכל תבשיל בערב שבת”
B) גזירה שאין הציבור יכולין לעמוד בה.
Following that logic: Challah must not be eaten on weekdays. It is special for lechem mishne. And gefilte fish must also not be eaten during the week. It is made of ground fish and boneless special to avoid borrer on shabbos. The bread called and shaped like Challah, is like the slow cooked stew called cholent and like the fish loaf or fish balls called gefilte fish. These are all equally special foods l’kovod shabbos.
The “sources” cited, Arizal, Baal Shem Tov and Chassam Sofer, require citations (ma’areh mekomos) to see exactly what they write and the context. Regarding “Midrash Tanchuma, Tikkunei Zohar, Ramban, Radak, and others, to underscore the importance of preserving the uniqueness of Shabbos seudos”, the same applies to preserving the uniqueness of Shabbos clothing, but if someone has only one pair of shoes (or one hat or one talis), they can be worn both on weekdays and shabbos.
I’m curious if the same would apply to leftovers after Shabbos?
Is this psak the same regarding eating leftover chulent on Sunday🤣
Typically, the “cholent” served on Thursday nights has been prepared on Thursday day. I’m wondering if it even has the status of cholent? It certainly tastes different to the dish served on Shabbos day.
Even if it would not be an absolute איסור, perhaps one should think twice before making a weekly קביעות ברבים to partake of shabbos food.
The rav is saying das torah however he is probably talking about places that chulent is not made as a thursday night supper…. just like he brought down a mareh makom that we should not eat fish friday night as was not the minhag in those places however us people that do eat friday night fish……
@Rebbitzen Goldenpickanicerscreenname you might not like the psak but who are you to question one of the gedolei hador
aheimisherenglisher: The Rebbetzin has every right to question one of the gedolei hador. It’s called talking in learning. Did you ever learn a tosfos or a Ramabm and raise a kashya?
@aheimisherenglisher
It is permitted and encouraged to ask questions. This is because no single person has authority to invent rulings. They must all be sourced in something, be it halachik texts, mesorah, minhag etc.. At the end of the day it comes from G-d Himself. Therefore, one may question if the source truly applies to the alleged application.
Being among the Gedolei Hador means you’re issued psakim will usually pass scrutiny, but nobody is infallible. The attitude of “who are you to question one of the gedolei hador” is an attitude that rejects the dynamism and vitality of halacha, and rather believes that a certain class of people are inherently better than others.
Aheimisher….. i totaly agree with you…. and also with a name like rebbitzen whatever whatever whatever…. what can you expect!! Its probably a person with a very low IQ if any at all!