From the Rav’s Desk: Source in Halacha for eating pizza Motzei Shabbos

1. Question: [Tuesday, 7^th MarCheshvan, 5783]

We often go out for pizza on Motzei Shabbos, as is the custom of many good Jews. Recently, while shmuzing with the pizza store owner about how Frum Jews are obsessed with pizza eating on Motzei Shabbos, he told us that this is a real Minhag brought in Sefarim. He did not know the source and was wondering if you have any source for this?

Answer:

Aside for fulfilling the general Halacha and custom of eating Melaveh Malka with eating pizza on Motzei Shabbos, there is also Talmudicaly based significance in eating specifically pizza, or any freshly baked and hot bread, as the Talmud states that eating hot bread on Motzei Shabbos is beneficial for health. Specifically, the Achronim record that the eating of this hot fresh bread on Motzei Shabbos is a cure for depression/Atzvus. Thus, the custom of many to eat hot pizza on Motzei Shabbos would fulfill both the Mitzvah of Melaveh Malka as well as the Talmudic remedy of freshly baked hot bread, which is also a cure against depression. On this note, we should mention that based on this same Talmudic source, there is Talmudic backing for the custom of some to take a hot bath on Motzei Shabbos or visit a sauna [i.e. jacuzzi], as the Talmud states that bathing in hot water on Motzei Shabbos benefits the health.

Explanation: The Talmud and Poskim state that one is to eat hot bread on Motzei Shabbos and that such bread is a cure for depression. Nonetheless, it is unclear if this refers to freshly baked bread or simply to bread that is re-heated, as elsewhere in the Talmud we found a warning against eating hot bread. Practically, while some are accustomed to fulfill the above custom specifically with re-heating prebaked bread, in order to avoid the other Talmudic warning against eating hot freshly baked bread, others are accustomed to fulfill it with freshly baked bread, although making sure to let it cool off some amount of time, in order to abide by the secondary Talmudic dictum.

Sources: See regarding eating hot bread on Motzei Shabbos: Shabbos 119b; Yifei Laleiv 300:1; Divrei Yitzchak 300:4; Orchos Chaim 300:2; Kaf Hachaim O.C. 300:12; Mishmeres Shalom ibid; See regarding that it is a cure for depression: Divrei Yitzchak 300:4; Orchos Chaim 300:2; Kaf Hachaim O.C. 300:12; See regarding the warning to not eat very hot bread: Yuma 84a regarding wheat bread; Avoda Zara 28a regarding barley bread; Kaf Hachaim Y.D. 116:144; O.C. 300:12; Sefer Shemiras Haguf Vihanefesh [Lerner] 6:4-5; See regarding the interpretation of the above Gemara to eat hot bread on Motzei Shabbos: Poskim who say it refers to eating previously baked bread which is then re-heated: Yifei Laleiv 300:1; 2nd explanation in Kaf Hachaim O.C. ibid; Yad Yosef O.C. 300 based on Imrei Eish; Hagahos of Divrei Yisrael on Shemiras Hanefesh; See regarding; Poskim who rule that it refers to freshly baked bread after it has cooled down: 1st explanation in Kaf Hachaim O.C. ibid