Regarding requests on Shabbat

Shalom and greetings,
 
In general, one should not make private requests on Shabbat, except for what is fixed in the wording of the prayer (Jerusalem Talmud Tractate Shabbat chapter 15 halacha 3, and Mishnah Berurah, siman 188, seif katan 9).

The reason for the prohibition is that part of the delight of Shabbat is that a person should think as though all his work is already done, and one who asks for his needs shows the opposite, and also brings worry into his heart (Keren HaEdah on the Jerusalem Talmud there).

However, one may be lenient and ask for spiritual matters on Shabbat, so you may pray that your groom should have a desire for Torah study, etc., but one should not pray for success in life that is connected to material matters.
 
Sources: The view of the Gra'b Zilber zt'l in Teshuvot Az Nedaberu, part 14 (siman 23), is stringent that one should not make spiritual requests on Shabbat. This is likewise the view of the Chazon Ish, Rav Chaim Kanievsky shlita, in the work Derech Sichah, part 1 (pages 269-270).

However, from the words of Rishit Chochmah (Gate of Holiness, chapter 14, letter 38) and Shulchan Aruch HaRav (siman 288, seif 8), it is clear that it is permitted to pray for spiritual matters on Shabbat. This is also the view of the Admor of Munkatch zt'l in the work Divrei Torah, part 4 (letter 107). So ruled Rav Elyashiv zt'l in the work Ashrei Haish, part Orach Chaim, part 2 (chapter 9, seifim 31-34, and so it is in his name in Teshuvot Yisa Yosef cited below), and Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt'l in Halichot Shlomo, part 1 (chapter 14, seif 11) and in the book Maon HaBerachah on Tractate Berachot (page 28b).

It would also appear to be implied from what the Mishnah Berurah wrote (siman 263, seif katan 2), that it is fitting for a woman to pray after she finishes the lighting and the blessing, that Hashem should grant her sons who are luminous in Torah. And apparently, how was it permitted for a woman to make requests after she had already accepted Shabbat upon herself (see Rema, Orach Chaim, siman 263, seif 5, and Mishnah Berurah there, seif katan 27)? According to the above, this is understandable, because these are spiritual requests, which are permitted on Shabbat (however, see Teshuvot Ravvot Ephraim, part 6, siman 130, and Teshuvot Atret Paz, part 2, Yoreh Deah, siman 2, note 7, for what they wrote in answer to this).

And what was written in the above-mentioned work Halichot Shlomo (chapter 17, note 31), that when Tu BiShvat falls on Shabbat, it is permitted to ask for a beautiful etrog only in thought, is apparently not understood, since he himself permitted one to say aloud requests for spiritual matters on Shabbat, and this requires further study (and indeed, for this reason, in Teshuvot Yisa Yosef, part 3, siman 79, it was brought in the name of Rav Elyashiv zt'l to permit saying this prayer on Tu BiShvat that falls on Shabbat).

Good news,

Hillel Meirs