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A Yissachar / Zebulun Partnership in Loving Memory of Yishak ben Simcha A"H & Felicia bat Miriam A"H
Rabbi Gabriel Koskas

Torah Lecture

Shabbat shoes

Lectured by Rabbi Gabriel Koskas

Published
January 8, 2026
Duration
3:06
Lecture code
RGK-1732

This transcript was auto-generated and polished for readability. While we aim for accuracy, errors may occur. If you notice a mistake, please click to submit corrections.

One great way to honor Shabbat is by wearing things that you don't wear during Chol (weekday). I try to be very makpid (careful about it): everything you're going to wear on Shabbat should be for Shabbat only. Regarding all the clothing for Shabbat, we saw that the Ari HaKadosh, Kaf HaChaim, Pele Yoetz, and many different Mefarshim (commentators) and Poskim (halachic authorities) say this is very important. There is no chiyuv mamash (actual obligation), but you should be very careful about it. We even saw a special tallit (prayer shawl) for Shabbat—a tallit for Shabbat, everything.

The question is whether shoes are included or not; it's a little technical. Culturally, shoes have changed a lot. A shoe used to be something very technical, used just to protect the feet. That's why there's a minhag (custom) that we don't say Shehecheyanu (Who has kept us alive) on shoes. You buy new shoes, and you don't say Shehecheyanu. Why not? Today, shoes are no longer just a commodity. They're not just something to protect your feet from stones. The main reason you wear shoes is to protect your feet, but you can see that the difference in price between a beautiful pair of shoes and a regular pair of shoes could be ten times more.

Therefore, some Poskim discussed the possibility of saying a beracha (blessing), Shehecheyanu, when you wear shoes—when you're excited about special shoes, maybe you should say Shehecheyanu. The halacha (Jewish law) is that we don't. The minhag is that we don't, because of a safek (doubt). It's really because of a safek: is it a fashionable thing, or is the main reason you wear shoes still to protect yourself? Is it not because of a fashion statement? Because of that doubt, that safek, we don't say Shehecheyanu.

But when it comes to kavod Shabbat (honoring Shabbat), they might say that you do buy shoes that you like, and many people say to spend a lot of money on a nice pair of shoes. So why not go out of your way and also have special shoes for kavod Shabbat? Indeed, many Poskim say that one should do that. There are a few details in the halachic (related to Jewish law) aspect of this, but it's really not nogea (relevant), because I think what today has to do with that.

If a shoe has become a way of dressing nicer, which it has, then although we don't say Shehecheyanu, I think there is definitely an inyan (matter) of kavod Shabbat. If a person is careful about everything they wear for kavod Shabbat, then one should also be careful and get themselves a nice pair of shoes for kavod Shabbat.