Q. Hello Rav, I heard in a shiur that you are suppose to have 2 tablecloths on your table on Shabbat, so that when you remove one to switch it, or to shake it off, the table will always still be covered with another table cloth. Is this actually Halacha or even a middut chasidut?
thank you
A. On question 1886 in regards to white tablecloths on Shabbos and Yom Tov, we wrote; “Nishmas Shabbos (268) maintains that even on Shabbos, Poskim fail to mention that the tablecloth used has to be white, they just assert that the tables should be covered. However, he writes that the tradition is to use white tablecloths. He adds that it may be due to various reasons. Firstly, we do cover tables even when we eat on them during week, so in a way similar to honoring Shabbos by having specially dedicated better clothes, we also use clean white tablecloths for the Shabbos seudos; we thus comply with the mitzva of Mikro Kodesh.”
Sefer Hamitzvos (30) quoting Sheiltos and others, maintain that the two tablecloths are for the purpose of representing the monn that came down on top of a layer of dew and was covered by another.
Mishna Berura (262: 4), Magen Avraham, Aruch Hashulchan (ibid.) and others quote Rashal. that maintains there should be an additional tablecloth, to keep the table covered, even when the first is removed or being shaken out.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that this is not an obligation but rather a propitious and commendable middas chassiduss.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a