Tasting the foods on Erev Shabbos:[1]
One is to taste the Shabbos foods on Erev Shabbos [to see if they need anything added to them in order to ensure their tastiness[2]]. [Nevertheless, this was not seen to be the custom of the Previous Rebbe.[3]] It is proper to taste each and every dish of food.[4]
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[1] Admur 250:8; Machzor Vitri 191 in name of Yerushalmi; Shivlei Haleket 82; Mateh Moshe 408
Every individual or one person? The purpose of Minhag recorded in the Rishonim is to see if the food is tasty or needs any extra spices. For this purpose, it suffices if a single family member tastes the food. However, the Arizal says based on Kabala, as recorded in the Poskim, that one should taste each and every dish of food, irrelevant of the issue of taste, in order to merit the verse “Toameha Chaim Zachu.” Seemingly, according to this reason everyone should taste the food. Vetzaruch Iyun!
[2] Kaf Hachaim 250:5 in name of Mateh Moshe 308
[3] Shaareiy Halacha Uminhag 1:130
[4] Admur ibid; M”A 250:1 in name of Arizal Peri Eitz Chaim 18:3
The reason: in order to merit the verse “Toameha Chaim Zachu” which means that those that taste merit life.
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