Siman 250

A person should always rise early on Erev Shabbat in the morning to toil and prepare the needs of Shabbat, for so did Moshe Rabbeinu warn at the time of the descent of the manna: "And they shall prepare that which they bring," and the bringing was in the morning as it is written: "And they gathered it morning by morning." And he commanded to prepare immediately upon the bringing; behold, the preparation was in the morning. And so our Sages, of blessed memory, said (117b): "A person should always rise early for the expenditures of Shabbat, as it is said: 'And they shall prepare that which they bring'—immediately." And in the book Shibbolei HaLeket he brought a Midrash: Rav Chisda said, from where do we know that anyone who spends expenditures for Shabbat, it is a mitzvah that he should rise early and spend from the morning? As it is said (ibid.): "And it shall be on the sixth day etc.," and the Sages expounded: "And it shall be" (VeHaya) means nothing other than immediately, as it is said: "And it was (VeHaya) when the Philistine arose" in the deed of Goliath and David, and it is written there: "And the Philistine drew near early etc." Rav Zeira said, even though a person spends from the morning, it is a mitzvah that he should add before evening, as it is said (Exodus 16:5): "And it shall be double" thus far his words, meaning that they should prepare a second time.

It is a mitzvah to wait until Friday to purchase foods even though there is more exertion, for through this the honor of Shabbat is more recognizable. However, that which will not be found on Friday—one must perforce prepare beforehand. And if they sell in the morning—it is a mitzvah to go even before the prayer, provided that the time for the recitation of Shema does not pass. And one should not establish a time to study before he has prepared the needs of Shabbat, (Eliyah Rabbah) and everything that he purchases—he should say: "For the honor of Shabbat." (ibid.)

The Rambam wrote in chapter 30, law 6: "Even if a person was extremely distinguished and it is not his way to purchase items from the market or to engage in household labors—he is obligated to do things that are for the needs of the Shabbat with his own body, for this is his honor. Among the early sages, there were those who would split wood to cook with, and those who would cook or salt meat or braid wicks or light lamps, and those who would go out and purchase items that were for the needs of the Shabbat of food and drink, even though it was not his way to do so. And anyone who increases in this matter—behold, he is praiseworthy." Thus far his words. (Shabbat 119a). And he should not say, "For I will diminish my honor"—for this is his honor, that he honors the Shabbat. And he wrote concerning this a language of obligation, while the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch did not mention a language of obligation; see there. And even he does not intend a complete obligation, for behold, many and great people do not do so themselves. Furthermore, in the Gemara there, it enumerates those who would do so themselves—infer from this that many did not do so themselves, but rather it is an enhancement of the mitzvah. And among us, our wives do and prepare themselves for the honor of Shabbat, and his wife is as his own body. (See Kuntres Acharon of the HaGaon Rav Zalman, and it requires further study, and look closely.)

We have already written in siman 242, section 40, that there is a mitzvah to prepare throughout the entire week for the needs of Shabbat; see there. And they wrote that one should sharpen the knife in honor of Shabbat, and there is an allusion to this in the verse "And they shall prepare that which they bring," and "et" is a term for "etim" (plowshares) and pruning hooks. And it is proper to clean the walls of spiderwebs, which are called "putzina," and it is proper to taste from all the Shabbat cooked dishes on the eve of Shabbat, "those who taste it merit life," and this is all part of the honor of Shabbat, like one who prepares himself for a great man to receive him, who tastes the cooked dishes and cleans the house, and the sharpening of the knife as he prepares himself for his eating. And he should increase in meat and wine and delicacies according to his ability, and for one who adds, they add for him from Heaven, provided that he intends only for the honor of the holy Shabbat.