Shalosh Seudos - Covering

QUESTION: Should the loaves of bread at Shalosh Seudos be covered (as they are at the other meals)?

ANSWER: There are three main reasons why we cover the challah on Friday night. Tosfos (Pesachim 100b) offers two reasons: to demonstrate that the challah is being served in honor of Shabbos and not that it was leftover on the table from Friday; and to remind us of the mann which appeared every morning covered with dew. The Tur (OC 271) gives a third reason: so as not to “embarrass” the bread. We cover the bread because we recite the beracha on the wine before the beracha of hamotzi. (Ordinarily, hamotzi is recited before borei pri hagafen.)

The third reason does not apply to Shalosh Seudos, since Kiddush is not said. There is also no need to demonstrate that the bread is being served in honor of Shabbos, since on Shabbos afternoon one would not think the bread had been left there since Friday. Some poskim write that the reasoning of commemorating the mann applies to Shalosh Seudos as well—just as we have two loaves at Shalosh Seudos to commemorate the mann. However, most poskim conclude that there is no need to cover the challah at Shalosh Seudos.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.