Shabbat 119a
שבת קי״ט א — ד"ה רַבִּי חֲנִינָא מִיעֲטֵף וְקָאֵי אַפַּנְיָא דְמַעֲלֵי
Shabbat 119a:2
The Talmud presents practical and spiritual preparations undertaken in honor of Shabbat, including washing and arranging oneself before the holy day.
רַבִּי חֲנִינָא מִיעֲטֵף וְקָאֵי אַפַּנְיָא דְמַעֲלֵי שַׁבְּתָא, אָמַר: ״בּוֹאוּ וְנֵצֵא לִקְרַאת שַׁבָּת הַמַּלְכָּה״. רַבִּי יַנַּאי לָבֵישׁ מָאנֵי מְעַלְּיֵי (שַׁבָּת) [וּמִיכַּסֵּי], וְאָמַר: ״בּוֹאִי כַלָּה, בּוֹאִי כַלָּה״. רַבָּה בַּר רַב הוּנָא אִיקְּלַע לְבֵי רַבָּה בַּר רַב נַחְמָן. קָרִיבוּ לֵיהּ תְּלָת סָאוֵי טַחְיֵי. אֲמַר לְהוּ: מִי הֲוָה יָדְעִיתוּן דְּאָתֵינָא? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: מִי עֲדִיפַתְּ לַן מִינַּהּ? רַב סָפְרָא מְחָרֵיךְ רֵישָׁא. רָבָא מָלַח שִׁיבּוּטָא. רַב הוּנָא מַדְלֵיק שְׁרָגֵי. רַב פָּפָּא גָּדֵיל פְּתִילָתָא. רַב חִסְדָּא פָּרֵים סִילְקָא. רַבָּה וְרַב יוֹסֵף מְצַלְּחִי צִיבֵי. רַבִּי זֵירָא מְצַתֵּת צַתּוֹתֵי. רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק מְכַתֵּף וְעָיֵיל, מְכַתֵּף וְנָפֵיק. אָמַר: אִילּוּ מִקַּלְעִין לִי רַבִּי אַמֵּי וְרַבִּי אַסִּי, מִי לָא מְכַתֵּיפְנָא קַמַּיְיהוּ? וְאִיכָּא דְאָמְרִי: רַבִּי אַמֵּי וְרַבִּי אַסִּי מְכַתְּפִי וְעָיְילִי, מְכַתְּפִי וְנָפְקִי, אָמְרִי: אִילּוּ אִיקְּלַע לַן רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, מִי לָא מְכַתְּפִינַן קַמֵּיהּ?!
The Gemara now returns to the issue of delight in and deference to Shabbat. Rabbi Ḥanina would wrap himself in his garment and stand at nightfall on Shabbat eve, and say: Come and we will go out to greet Shabbat the queen. Rabbi Yannai put on his garment on Shabbat eve and said: Enter, O bride. Enter, O bride. The Gemara relates: Rabba bar Rav Huna happened to come to the house of Rabba bar Rav Naḥman. They brought before him three se’a of oiled biscuits. He said to them: Did you know I was coming and prepared all of this in my honor? They said to him: Are you more important to us than Shabbat? The biscuits were prepared in deference to Shabbat. Rav Safra would roast the head of an animal to prepare it for Shabbat. Rava salted a shibuta fish in deference to Shabbat. Rav Huna kindled lamps in deference to Shabbat. Rav Pappa spun the wicks for the Shabbat lamp. Rav Ḥisda cut the beets in preparation for Shabbat. Rabba and Rav Yosef cut wood. Rabbi Zeira prepared thin sticks for kindling. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak would load objects on his shoulder and enter, load objects on his shoulder and exit. He said: If Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi happened to visit me, would I not load objects on my shoulder before them? So too, it is fitting to do so in deference to Shabbat. And some say that Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi would load objects on their shoulders and enter, load objects on their shoulders and exit. They said: If Rabbi Yoḥanan happened to come to visit us, would we not load objects on our shoulders before him?