#801: Weekend Traveler’s Dilemma: What to Wear?
Among the ways in which the Navi (Prophet) Yishayahu instructs us to distinguish Shabbos from the rest of the week is: “V’chibad’to mei’asos d’rachecha” (Honor it by [refraining from] your regular ways). Chazal state that the manner in which we fulfill the instruction of “v’chibad’to” is “Shelo yehei malbushcha shel Shabbos k'malbushcha shel chol" (Your Shabbos clothing should not be like your weekday clothing). Poskim add that anshei maaseh (pious people) are careful not to wear any garments on Shabbos that were worn during the week—even pants, shirts, and belts.
Many men have a separate suit, kapote or bekeshe (types of frock coats) —and women, other dressier apparel—for Shabbos, but are generally not particular to designate specific shirts or undergarments for Shabbos. Since these are regularly laundered at home after a single use (and don't require dry cleaning—or, as in days of old—labor-intensive washing) they can be considered as “new,” to be used fresh as a self-designated Shabbos garment.
A person traveling away from home for a weekend should preferably take along two sets of garments—both their weekday and their Shabbos dress. In the event they cannot take along a second ensemble due to space constraints or another compelling reason, they are left in a packing pickle: should the single outfit be Shabbos or weekday wear? The obvious choice is the Shabbos outfit, since in this manner the essence of Chazal’s instruction is fulfilled. But will the Shabbos outfit still be considered special if it will be worn this weekend on the day before or after Shabbos?
The Magen Avraham (17th century commentary on the Shulchan Aruch) quotes the Arizal (16th century Kabbalist) regarding Shabbos dress: a person should be particular to refrain from wearing garments during the week that they wear on Shabbos. But his emphasis is the reverse of the popular interpretation and in this way, eschews the use of Shabbos clothes on any other day of the week. However, latter-day poskim—including the Shulchan Aruch Harav—stick to the original order, which arguably allows for occasionally wearing Shabbos clothes at other times. For this reason, there is no need for the traveler in a tight spot to avoid wearing Shabbos clothes on Friday or Sunday.