Shabbat Practices: Keter ha-Shabbat:

The 13th of Adar is the Yahrtzeit of Rav Betzalel Margulies (1821), author of Kesser Shabbos [Adar II]. The midrash teaches: Shabbat said before God: Master of the Universe, all the days of the week have a partner, but I do not! God responded to her, “the Congregation of Israel will be your mate.” When Israel stood before Mount Sinai, God said to them, “remember the matter I said to the Shabbat; that the congregation of Israel will be your spouse.” This is why the verse commands us to, “Remember the Shabbat day to make it holy.”

If the Shabbat is truly the “mate” of Israel,” then we must interact with her as a husband must treat his wife. One of the obligations that a husband has to his wife is that he must give her beautiful clothes, even if you must work extra hard in order to purchase clothes that will make her you to fall and proud. We, therefore, have the same obligation for Shabbat, to work hard so that we can do everything within our power to make her beautiful in absolutely every way. This is one of the reasons that we are commanded to light the Shabbat candles; we beautify the Shabbat’s home. This is why we decorate our homes with flowers.

But just as it is insufficient for a husband to buy things for his wife without honoring her and beautifying her with words, so to we must be sure that every word that comes out of our mouths when Shabbat adds to her beauty and to her dignity.