Where is the meal to take place?[1]

The Shalom Zachar meal is to take place at the location where the newborn is found that Friday night. [Thus, if the mother and newborn is staying by her parents on Friday night, then the Shalom Zachar should take place in the home of her parents and not in the family home. Likewise, it should take place in the family home and not in shul. Accordingly, if the baby will remain in the hospital over Shabbos, then the Shalom Zachar should take place in the hospital and not in the home of the family. Practically, however, the custom is not to be particular in this matter and to make the Shalom Zachar in the family home even if the mother is still in the hospital with the newborn.[2] Likewise, many choose to make the Shalom Zachar in Shul even though the baby is at home.[3]]

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[1] See Rama 265:10 “People come and eat some food near the baby.”; Taz ibid that the reason behind this meal and its attendance by people in the community is because the child is considered like a mourner and people come to comfort the child; Even Yisrael 2:1-1; Otzer Habris 2:7; Shevach Habris 10:5

[2] Otzer Habris ibid

[3] Otzer Habris ibid in Mahadura Tinyana; Sefer Hasichos 5703 p. 154 that so was the case with the Shalom Zachar of the Tzemach Tzedek, that it took place in the courtyard of the main Shul, and not inside the home.