The Seudah Shelishit – Third Meal

Shulchan Aruch HaRav: 1. One should be scrupulous in the observance of the Seuda Shelishit. Even if he is satiated, he can still discharge his obligation by eating [bread] slightly more than the size of a beitzah (egg). (According to some authorities, it suffices even if one eats bread the size of a zayit (olive). This applies to each of the three meals of Shabbat. If at all possible, one should follow the first, more stringent view.) If, however one finds it difficult to partake of bread, he need not force himself, for the Shabbat meals were enjoined on us to bring delight and not discomfort. One should, however, be prudent and not overeat at the noon meal in order to be able to eat the Seuda Shelishit. 2. The time for the Seuda Shelishit is from one half hour after midday until sunset. If one ate before that time, he did not fulfill the obligation of Seuda Shelishit. 3. According to some authorities one may fulfill the obligation of eating the Seudah Shelishit by partaking of fruit. However, one should not follow this view except when he has no alternative, e.g. if he ate to excess and cannot partake of bread without causing himself pain, or on Erev Pesach which falls on Shabbat. 4. Seudah Shelishit is an obligation for women just as for men. All laws of Shabbat apply equally to both men and women – this includes breaking of bread over two loves of challah at each of the three Shabbat meals [or being included in someone else's berachah!].

מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד, יְיָ רֹעִי לֹא אֶחְסָר: בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא יַרְבִּיצֵנִי, עַל מֵי מְנֻחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי: נַפְשִׁי יְשׁוֹבֵב, יַנְחֵנִי בְמַעְגְּלֵי צֶדֶק לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ: גַּם כִּי אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת לֹא אִירָא רָע כִּי אַתָּה עִמָּדִי, שִׁבְטְךָ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּךָ הֵמָּה יְנַחֲמֻנִי: תַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי שֻׁלְחָן נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי, דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי, כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה: אַךְ טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְּפוּנִי כָּל יְמֵי חַיָּי, וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית יְיָ לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים:

אַתְקִינוּ סְעוּדָתָא דִמְהֵימְנוּתָא שְׁלֵמָתָא חֶדְוָתָא דְּמַלְכָּא קַדִּישָׁא: אַתְקִינוּ סְעוּדָתָא דְמַלְכָּא, דָּא הִיא סְעוּדָתָא דַּחֲקַל תַּפּוּחִין קַדִּישִׁין, וּזְעֵר אַנְפִּין וְעַתִּיקָא קַדִּישָׁא אַתְיָן לְסַעֲדָא בַּהֲדָהּ:

בְּנֵי הֵיכָלָא, דִכְסִיפִין, לְמֶחֱזֵי זִיו דִּזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין:

יְהוֹן הָכָא, בְּהַאי תַּכָּא, דְבֵּיהּ מַלְכָּא בְּגִלוּפִין:

צְבוּ לַחֲדָא, בְּהַאי וַעֲדָא, בְּגוֹ עִירִין וְכָל גַדְּפִין:

חֲדוּ הַשְׁתָּא, בְּהַאי שַׁעְתָּא, דְבֵּיהּ רַעֲוָא וְלֵית זַעֲפִין:

קְרִיבוּ לִי, חֲזוּ חֵילִי, דְלֵית דִּינִין דִּתְקִיפִין:

לְבַר נַטְּלִין, וְלָא עָאלִין, הַנֵּי כַּלְבִּין דַחֲצִיפִין:

וְהָא אַזְמִין, עַתִּיק יוֹמִין, לְמִצְחָא עֲדֵי יְהוֹן חַלְפִין:

רְעוּ דִילֵהּ, דְגַלֵי לֵיהּ, לְבַטָּלָא בְּכָל קַלִיפִין:

יְשַׁוֵּי לוֹן בְּנוֹקְבֵיהוֹן, וִיטַּמְרוּן בְּגוֹ כֵפִין:

אֲרֵי הַשְׁתָּא, בְּמִנְחָתָא, בְּחֶדְוָתָא דִזְעֵיר אַנְפִּין: