Melave Malka on Motsa'ei Yom Kippur/Shabbos

This year Motsei Yom Kippur is also Motsei Shabbos so is there a mitsva to eat Melave de'malke even though we didn't eat on shabbos any meals?

Thank you for your question.

Your question touches on the fundamental understanding of the holy meal known as Melaveh Malka . Allow me to explain:

On Motsa’ei Yom Kippur there is a Mitsvah to have a festive meal as it is written by the Rema 624 se’if 5 I quote:

שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות יום הכיפורים סימן תרכד סעיף ה

ואוכלים ושמחים במוצאי יום הכיפורים, דהוי קצת יום טוב (טור מהרי"ו וא"ז).

משנה ברורה:

כדאיתא במדרש דבת קול יוצאה במוצאי יוה"כ ואומרת לך אכול בשמחה

The Rema writes that one should eat and be joyful on Motsa'ei Yom Kippur, since it is considered a quasi-Yom Tov.

Explains the Mishnah Berureh (Seif katan: 15), brings a midrash that on Motsa'ei Yom Kippur a heavenly voice (a bas Kol) announces  “Go eat your bread with joy!”

The Sha'ar Hatsion writes (Siman 623, Se'if Katan 15), that on Motsa'ei Yom Kippur one wishes each other a "Gut Yom Tov." Thus, we see that it is still considered a Yom Tov and a reason to have a meal in its honor.

So, we see that there is a mitzvah to have a meal on Motsa'ei Yom Kippur. The question then arises: Can we also say that one needs to eat because of the halacha of Melaveh Malka?

Hagaon Harav Amrom Fried Shlita writes in "Azamroh Lishmecho" that this is a halachic question whether this meal can also be considered a Melave Malka. I would like to present both sides of this debate to you.

One could argue that adding a fourth meal is a way to honor Shabbos. However, since there was no meal throughout Shabbos itself, perhaps there is no reason to add a meal, given that we do not need to add a meal when Shabbos itself had no meal.

To illustrate this point I would like to bring an example; it was asked on This website whether, on Shabbos that falls on Yom Kippur, a person can accept Shabbos early, then Make kiddush and have the Shabbos meal before sunset, after which he would accept Yom Kippur and start the fast. HaGaon Rabbi Fried explained that this is not possible since when we accept Shabbat early, we essentially make Kiddush and have a meal in order to exempt us from making Kiddush later. However, if later there is no mitzvah of Kiddush because it is ‘Shabbos Yom Kippur’, then there is no mitzvah to make Kiddush earlier.

This example illustrates that accepting Shabbos early is part of the actual Shabbos and therefore exempts one from making Kiddush later. Along the same lines, one could argue—though I'm not suggesting extending the fast—that Melaveh Malka is a continuation of the Shabbos celebration, extending the sanctity and joy of Shabbos a little longer into the week. Therefore, if there were no meals on Shabbos, there would be no reason to hold a Melaveh Malka meal.

Alternatively, one could argue that Melaveh Malka is a ceremony to accompany the "Shabbos Queen," and therefore, it doesn't matter whether we ate on Shabbos or not. The meal serves as a ceremonial farewell to Shabbos.

However one can ask that there is a halachic difference if the meal is solely in celebration of Motsa'ei Yom Kippur or also serves as a Melave Malka. In the Nusach (version) of the Birkat Hamazon (blessing after meals) recited. If the meal is a Melave Malka, we say "Migdol yeshuos malko” (Shmuel 2, chapter 22 verse 51), as on Shabbos and Yom Tov. However, if the meal is only for Motsa'ei Yom Kippur, it resembles a weekday meal, and one would say "Magdil yeshuos malko" (Tehilim chapter 18 verse 51)

Le’halacha, Hagaon Harav Amrom Fried Shlita says that since Motsa'ei Yom Kippur is considered a quasi-Yom Tov as explained above and there is a ‘safek’ (uncertainty) whether it is also a Melave Malka, one may recite "Migdol yeshuos malko".

Wishing you a Pit’ka Tova!

1. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim - Hilchot Yom HaKippurim, Siman 624, Seif 5.
2. Mishnah Berurah – Ibid Seif Katan 15.
3. Sha'ar Hatsion - Siman 623, Se'if Katan 15.
4. Azamroh Lishmecho  (issue263)- By Hagaon Harav Amrom Fried Shlita.