(יז) וַיִּירָא֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר מַה־נּוֹרָ֖א הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה אֵ֣ין זֶ֗ה כִּ֚י אִם־בֵּ֣ית אֱלֹקִ֔ים וְזֶ֖ה שַׁ֥עַר הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ (יח) (יט) וַיִּקְרָ֛א אֶת־שֵֽׁם־הַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא בֵּֽית־אֵ֑ל וְאוּלָ֛ם ל֥וּז שֵׁם־הָעִ֖יר לָרִאשֹׁנָֽה׃
(17) Shaken, he said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven.” (18) Early in the morning, Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. (19) He named that site Bethel; but previously the name of the city had been Luz.
(יא) ויפגע במקום לֹא הִזְכִיר הַכָּתוּב בְּאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם אֶלָּא בַּמָּקוֹם – הַנִּזְכָּר בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר, הוּא הַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ וַיַּרְא אֶת הַמָּקוֹם מֵרָחוֹק:
(11) ויפגע במקום AND HE LIGHTED UPON THE PLACE — Scripture does not mention which place, but by writing בַּמָקוֹם the place it refers to the place mentioned already in another passage, viz., Mount Moriah of which it is stated (Genesis 22:4) “And he saw the place (המקום) afar off”.
Chazal teach us that the Luz bone is at the top of the next, where the skull rests.
According to Cabalistic Tradition the Luz bone does not deteriorate in the grave along with the rest of the body. It will from the nucleus from which the rest of our bodies will be reconstrued when the dead are resurrected during the messianic era.
According to the Mishnah Brurah (300:2) this bone get its nourishment from the Melave Malka meal.
According to the Kaballah, the Name of the letter Lamed means to teach.
The name of the letter Zayin can either mean a weapon of war or nourishment.
The name of the letter Vav means hook.
What's the connection behind all these ideas?
Megillah 17b: Joseph cried as he foresaw the destruction of the Temple.
ואמר ר' חנינא לעולם יסדר אדם שלחנו במוצאי שבת אע"פ שאינו צריך אלא לכזית חמין במוצאי שבת מלוגמא פת חמה במוצאי שבת מלוגמא ר' אבהו הוה עבדין ליה באפוקי שבתא עיגלא תילתא הוה אכיל מיניה כולייתא.
(א) לְעוֹלָם יְסַדֵּר אָדָם שֻׁלְחָנוֹ בְּמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּת כְּדֵי לְלַוּוֹת אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, אֲפִלּוּ אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ אֶלָּא לְכַזַּיִת.
More Melave Malka Pearls of Halacha and Hashkaffa:
Creating the Right Atmosphere
Rav Yaakov Emden stresses that the Gemara puts the stress on setting your table and creating the proper atmosphere.
The Mishnah Brurah suggests lighting extra candles for the meal.
The Beit Yosef, suggests singing songs at the Melave Malka.
Many refer to melee malka as the meal of Dovid Hamelech.
The Chassidic Masters suggest doing Melave Malka with friends and telling stories about the Baal Shem Tov.
Halachik Leniencies:
While ideally Melave Malka should be had on bread, bdieved in order to avoid Achilat Gasah, it can be had on Mezonot, fruits (and some even allow a hot drink like tea.
If the 3rd meal went late, the Eliahu Rabbah allows this to count as the Melave Malka, as long as one intended it to count as this.
Why do we do Melava Malka?
Rav Shimshon Pinkus asks (in Shabbos Kodesh): Shouldn't we be sad when Shabbos leaves? Why are we celebrating?
We are strengthening our faith that all of our blessings flow from our Shabbos observance.