Come and see! When Israel bless and call the Tabernacle of Peace [the Shechinah] to be their 'Divine Guest' they say, "He Who spreads the Tabernacle of Peace" [to honor the entrance of the Shechinah]. Then the supernal sanctity comes down, spreads its wings over Israel, and covers them as a mother covers her children. All evil forces leave the world and the people of Israel remain under the holiness of their Master. Consequently, this Tabernacle of Peace gives new souls to her children. What is the reason [these souls are given them only on Shabbos]? It is because souls dwell in and issue from Her [to the world]. Because She dwells upon and spreads Her wings over Her children, she pours new souls upon each and every one of them.

Rabbi Shimon says further that [the fact that the elevation of the Shechinah brings forth new souls to Israel is as] we have learned that Shabbat is similar to the world to come, and this is true. Just as the Sabbatical Year [the aspect of malchut which rules over Shabbat] and Jubilee [the aspect of bina, which rules over the World to Come] are equal to one another, so are Shabbat and the world to come. The extra soul comes from the secret of rememberence [and is given by bina, as she is the source of the souls that are bestowed through malchut below] to the Tabernacle of Peace that extends from the world to come [and thus malchut and bina are connected together]. This is the additional soul that is given to them, to the Holy Nation. The people are elated with the addition, and all mundane matters, sorrows, and evil are forgotten. Thus, it is written: "On the day that G‑d shall give you rest from sorrow and from your troubles". (Isaiah 14:3) [This hints to the repose of Shabbat].

On Friday night, one should taste of all he has prepared [for the honor of Shabbat] to show that this Tabernacle of Peace [the Shechinah] embraces [and includes] all [types of bounty which is received by yesod called peace. Thus it is proper to desire that the Shechinah enjoy from many types of delicacies]. This is as long as nothing is lacking [due to this tasting] from the Shabbat day meal. Others say further that one should leave over two [dishes] for the two additional meals of the day, and it is well [said]. And it is needless to say that if one may leave more than two dishes for the day [meals], he can taste of other foods [at night], as long as two dishes remain for the day of Shabbat. This was fully explained earlier by the Colleagues.1

BeRahamim LeHayyim: The above images are powerful: when one with intent accepts the Shabbat in holiness, s/he is enwrapped in the palace of time as a mother bird hovering over her chicks. It is a complete enveloping of sacred energy for those who open their inner vision to see it. Simply, for the observant Jew, there is nothing like Shabbat, a taste of 1/60th of the world to come. It is a time when we pray with greater intent, eat with deliberate meditation, share Torah with higher consciousness and new revelations, and connect with our families and spouses with increased bonding. On the Holy Shabbat, we enter the Sukkah of Peace, and revitalize each other with the familiar blessing, "Peaceful Shabbat"--Shabbat Shalom.

R. Yaakov said that this world is like a lobby before the world to come; prepare yourself in the lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall. (Pirkei Avot 4:21) This preparation is observed in the cooking and tasting of the Shabbat foods: "those who taste it will merit life". (Shabbat Musaf liturgy) Just as the royal chef tastes each dish in honor of his King, so too do we to prepare our foods for the Holy King of Kings of Kings, the Holy One Blessed be He.

Bracketed annotations from Metok Midevash and Sulam commentaries
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