444. "Remember the Shabbat day to keep it holy" (Shemot 20:8). Rabbi Yitzchak cited the verse, "And Elohim blessed the seventh day" (Beresheet 2:3). Of the manna, it is written, "Six days you shall gather it but on the seventh day, which is Shabbat, on it there shall be none" (Shemot 16:26). HE ASKS, If there was no food on that day, what blessing is attached to it?

445. We have learned that all blessing from above and from below depend upon the seventh day, and we have also learned that there was no manna on the seventh day because all the six supernal days - WHICH ARE CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD - derive their blessing from it, and each of them sends forth nourishment to the world below from the blessing it received from the seventh day.

446. Therefore, he who has attained the grade of Faith must prepare a table and a meal on Shabbat eve so that his table may be blessed all through the other six days. For at that time, blessing is prevalent for all the six week days, for no blessing is found at an empty table. Therefore, one should make ready the table on Shabbat eve with bread and other foods, IN ORDER TO DERIVE BLESSINGS FOR ALL THE SIX DAYS.

447. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Also on Shabbat day ONE SHOULD PREPARE THE TABLE WITH MEALS AND DRAW BLESSING FOR THE OTHER SIX DAYS. Rabbi Yehuda added, One must enjoy himself on this day with three meals, in order that there will be satisfaction and pleasure in the world on that day.

448. Rabbi Aba explained that THE REASON FOR PREPARING THREE MEALS FOR SHABBAT IS in order that blessings may spread to the supernal days - CHESED, GVURAH, TIFERET, NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD - which receive their blessing from that day, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, THE SEVENTH ATTRIBUTE. On this day the head of Zeir Anpin, MEANING THE THREE FIRST SFIROT, is filled with the dew, MEANING PLENTY, which descends from the most hidden Atika Kadisha (the Holy Ancient One). He causes it to descend into the field of holy apple trees, WHICH IS THE SHECHINAH, three times after the entrance of the Shabbat, in order that all may enjoy the blessing.

449. Therefore, a man should enjoy these three times, for therein depends the true Faith, in Atika Kadisha, in Zeir Anpin and the field of holy apple trees, MEANING THAT ZEIR ANPIN RECEIVES FROM ATIKA AND TRANSFERS IT TO MALCHUT, AS IS MENTIONED ABOVE. He who lessens the number of the meals exposes a blemish into the regions above, and his punishment will be great.

450. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare the table with three meals after the entrance of the Shabbat, and his table must not be empty. Thus, blessing will rest upon it during all the other week days, for therein depends the true Faith above.

451. Rabbi Shimon said, When a man has completed the three meals on Shabbat, a voice comes forth and proclaims of him, "Then shall you delight yourself in Hashem" (Yeshayah 58:14). This is in reference to one meal, which corresponds to the most Holy Ancient One among the holy. "And I will cause you to ride upon the high places of the earth" (Ibid.), is the second meal, which corresponds to the field of holy apple trees, WHICH IS MALCHUT. "And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father" (Ibid.), is the perfection it reaches in Zeir Anpin, IN THE THIRD MEAL.

452. Corresponding to this, one should complete the meals and find joy in each and all of them because this is a manifestation of perfected Faith. Therefore, Shabbat is more precious than all other times and holidays because it contains all in itself, whereas no other times or holidays do so. Rabbi Chiya said, Because all things are in it, it is mentioned three times, "And by the seventh day Elohim ended His work which He had done... And He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done... And Elohim blessed the seventh day and sanctified it" (Beresheet 2:2-3).

453. When Rabbi Aba sat at his Shabbat meals, he used to rejoice in each one of them and he would say: This is the holy meal of the Holy Ancient, hidden to all. Over another he would say: This is the meal of the Holy One, blessed be He, NAMELY, ZEIR ANPIN, and so in each and every meal. And when he came to the last one, he would say: The meals of the Faith are completed.