[1]This custom is also referred to as Se'udata d'David Malka Meshicha (Aramaic: סעודתא דדוד מלכא משיחא), "The meal of David, King Messiah."
[2] According to the Yaakov Chaim Sofer, the luz bone — which is located at the base of the skull where the knot of the head tefillin is placed, and which God will use to "reconstruct" a person at the time of the resurrection of the dead — is nourished solely from the meal of Melaveh Malkah (Kaf Hachayim 300:1-2).
[3] Rabbi Isaac Luria is claimed to have said that the 'additional soul' (Hebrew: נשמה יתרה) which is given to each Jew for the duration of each Shabbat does not leave a person until after the Melaveh Malkah.
This story appears in the Talmud to show that it is proper to beautify the mitzvah by preparing a special dish in honor of the Melaveh Malkah meal, and to not be satisfied with eating leftovers from the Shabbat foods.
Special songs have been composed for singing at this meal, the most popular of which welcomes the coming of the Prophet Elijah, who will announce the advent of the Messianic age.