As young children we are taught that two angels escort each person home from Shul on Friday evening, one good and one bad. If the house is prepared for Shabbos with candles lit, the table set and beds arranged, the good angel gives a blessing that it should be the same next Shabbos. The bad angel is forced to answer amen. If the house is not prepared for Shabbos, the bad angel wishes that it should be the same next week and the good angel is forced to answer amen.
These are the angels that we greet when saying the Piyut Shalom Aleichem Malachei Hashareis.
The source of this account is a teaching of Rabbi Yossi bar Yehuda found in the Gemara.
The Maharsha explains that every Mitzvah in the Torah is associated with two angels. The angel on the right side (the side associated with holiness) is a good angel. This angel serves as a defender in the merit of the Mitzvah when it is fulfilled. The angel on the left side serves as a prosecuting angel if a person fails to keep that Mitzvah.
The Perisha explains that there is no such thing as a bad angel. Rather, the two angels reflect the two Koichos within a person; the intellectual dimension which is connected to spiritual form (Tzurah) and the dimension of desires which is connected to physical substance of the body (Chomer). This is the terminology used in works of Chakira. Chaza”l refer to these two dimensions as the Yetzer Tov and Yetzer Hora.
When a person resolves to serve Hashem and remembers Shabbos which is equated to all of the Mitzvos of the Torah, the Yetzer Hora begins starts to become accustomed to appreciating holiness. The Yetzer Tov becomes strengthened and prevails over the Yetzer Hora which becomes weaker and weaker, ultimately answering amen and conceding.
Preparing and cleaning for Shabbos
This Aggadic teaching is applied as Halacha in Shulchan Aruch which rules that a person should prepare their table, spread their beds and prepare all of the things in their house so that they are ready when they come home from Shul.
The Alter Rebbe explains that this is part of Kovod Shabbos (honouring Shabbos).
Tablecloths
The Gemara and Shulchan Aruch write that the table should be prepared before Shabbos. The Poskim explain that this refers to them being covered with a tablecloth.
The Ram”o adds that the table should remain covered for the entire Shabbos until after Havdalah. This is the Minhag Ashkenaz as recorded in the Tur.
It is customary to use white tablecloths. Where it is customary to eat with tablecloths during the week as well, one should have special tablecloths for Shabbos.
Two tablecloths
Magen Avraham records that Maharsha”l would cover his table with two cloths so that when he would remove the top cloth to shake out the crumbs, the table would remain covered. Based on this, pious individuals take care that the table should not be uncovered even momentarily on Shabbos. The Chozeh of Lublin would say that an uncovered table on Shabbos is (forbidden) like the uncovered hair of a married woman.
Which tables?
The tables in the room where one will be eating should be covered. Biur Halacha quotes Elya Rabbah that it is preferable to cover the tables in other rooms as well. It is also customary to cover the tables in Shul and in the Beis Midrash.
Setting the table before Shabbos
In addition to laying the tablecloth before Shabbos, which is required min hadin, it is preferable to also have the covered Challahs on the table from before Shabbos. This also has Halachic bearing when the candles are lit on the table. The presence of the Challahs prevents the table from becoming Muktza itself as a Bosis - a base to the Muktzah candles.
It is also praiseworthy to have the table fully set with wine, cutlery, plates, cups etc. from before Shabbos. It is also customary to place flowers and fragrant plants on the table.
Shabbos is referred to as a Shabbos Hamalka, the Shabbos queen. We should prepare for and welcome Shabbos into our homes the same way we would for honoured guests.
The beds mentioned in the Gemara and Shulchan Aruch
The beds mentioned in the Gemara and Shulchan Aruch refers to beds on which one sits i.e. couches. Other Acharonim explain that it includes beds for sleeping as well.
The Magen Avraham writes that one should clean the cobwebs from the home before Shabbos. This includes cleaning the home in general as well.
Keeping the floor clean
The Magen Avraham quotes Darkei Moshe that on Shabbos one should be careful not to throw food or crumbs etc. off of the table and onto the floor. Doing this drives away the good angel who does not appreciate the dirtied house.
Even though this is praiseworthy, we are not careful in this regard and rely on sweeping the floor after the evening meal is manner which is permitted on Shabbos. If one will not sweep the floor after the meal, care should be taken to avoid things falling onto the floor while eating.
The same applies during and after the Shabbos day meal.
(This Darkei Moshe suggests that the two angels remain for the duration of Shabbos. Tosefes Shabbos questions that this does not fit with what we say in Shalom Aleichem, ’Tzeischem Leshalom’, may you leave in peace, which suggests that the angels leave straight away. Machatzis Hashekel explains that the blessing Tzeischem Leshalom does not mean that the angels leave then, but rather it is a blessing that when they leave (at the end of Shabbos) they should do so in peace.)
