Ekev: Verse 48
The third SETTING REGARDING THE SHABBAT TABLE IS to eat three meals on Shabbat, as was explained by the sages of the Mishnah. One of them said: 'Let my lot be with those who eat on three meals on Shabbat,' which complete the seven blessings in the Amidah prayer by bringing them to a total of ten. The secret of delight (Heb. oneg, Ayin Nun Gimel) is THE SECRET MEANING OF: "and a river went out of Eden to water that garden" (Beresheet 2:10). FOR EDEN MEANS DELIGHT, AND THE GARDEN IS MALCHUT, THE SECRET MEANING OF SHABBAT. ALSO, ONEG IS THE INITIALS OF EDEN, NAHAR (ENG. 'RIVER') AND GAN (ENG. 'GARDEN'). Whoever can but does not observe them, for him the oneg turns into a plague (Heb. nega) of leprosy, AS THEY ARE SPELLED WITH THE SAME LETTERS. In order that he should not come to this, the Holy One, blessed be He, says: 'Borrow on Me and I will pay,' AND IT IS WRITTEN: "then shall you delight yourself in Hashem" (Yeshayah 58:14).
Ekev: Verse 49
The fourth SETTING is to light the table with a lamp, as was decreed by ancient sages that a table should be at the north and the lamp at the south, for the table of the Holy One, blessed be He, MALCHUT, needs to be that way. The fifth SETTING is the wine cup of 'vaychulu,' MEANING THE KIDDUSH CUP. The numerical value of 'kos (Eng. 'cup')' is that of Elohim, THAT IS, 86. 'Vaychulu' is 72 IN NUMERICAL VALUE, which the holy Bride, MALCHUT, includes, NAMELY, THE NAME ELOHIM AND THE NAME OF AYIN BET (72). The cup, WHICH IS MALCHUT, filled with the wine, MEANING THE ABUNDNBCE OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH, of the Torah, WHICH IS ZEIR ANPIN CALLED TORAH, needs to bear testimony to the act of Creation, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF BINAH, BECAUSE THE ABUNDANCE OF THE ILLUMINATION OF CHOCHMAH IS CONSIDERED A TESTIMONY (HEB. EDUT), BASED ON EDEN, AND BINAH IS THE SOURCE THAT POURS IT. THAT IS THE REASON WHY ONE SHOULD TESTIFY TO THE ACT OF CREATION.
Ekev: Verse 50
The sixth SETTING is to have words of Torah at one's table, because that is how the sages of the Mishnah decreed about 'three who ate on the same table yet have not spoken on it words of Torah...' The secret meaning is that they have decreed that the table should be to the north and that the Torah was given from the right. THEREFORE, IT BEHOOVES ONE TO SAY WORDS OF TORAH AT THE TABLE in order to join the right, which is Mercy, with the left, which is Judgment. The Torah is Yud Hei Vav Hei, ZEIR ANPIN, WHICH WAS GIVEN from the right, and the table is Adonai, MALCHUT, which is from the left, WHICH IS AT THE NORTH. THEREFORE, one needs to join them, BECAUSE THE LEFT WITHOUT THE RIGHT CONFERS HARSH JUDGMENTS. Since that table is at the left side, the sages of the Mishnah have explained that a person's sustenance is as difficult to obtain as the splitting of the Red Sea. Therefore, one needs to invite him a Torah scholar, who will study Torah.
Ekev: Verse 51
The seventh SETTING is to stay a long time at the table for the poor TO COME. Whoever stays long at the table will have his days and years extended. For that reason: "charity delivers from death" (Mishlei 10:2). Since a poor man is like a dead man, whom he revives WITH CHARITY, the Holy One, blessed be He, also revives him.