If this is a MUST to prepare a hot food for shabbat? My husband enjoy to eat cold food and want to avoid forbidden situations
with warming/cooking on shabbat. What I have to do, prepare hot food anyway, because this is a must on shabbat, or to serve my husband a cold food for shlom bait?
Answer:
There is a mitzvah to prepare hot food for Shabbos (see Rema 257:8), and this is done to differentiate us from the karaites, who claim that no fire can be left over Shabbos.
The Ba’al Ha’meor was particularly stringent about this matter.
However, for somebody who prefers cold food, and certainly for the purpose of shalom bayis, there is no obligation of hot food, and it is fine to have cold food alone.
The “Toras Moshe” writes that one who eats cold food on Shabbos should at least have a hot drink, such as tea or coffee, and this sounds like a good option for your family.
Best wishes.
