‘Umar ibn Abi Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
I was a young boy under the care of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and my hand used to wander all over the platter (of food). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said, "O boy, mention Allah's name, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is nearer to you." Since then, I have been eating that way.
Reported by Muslim (No. 2022a), Al-Bukhari (No. 5376), Abu Dawud (No. 3777), At-Tirmidhi (No. 1857), Ibn Majah (No. 3265, 3267) and Ahmad (No. 15738, 15739, 15740, 15742, 15746, 15747).
Umar bin Abi Salamah, may God be pleased with them both, the son of the wife of the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, Umm Salamah, wife Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) - and he was under his upbringing and care - narrates that while eating, he used to move his hand all over the platter to pick up food, so the Prophet, (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), taught him three etiquettes of Eating etiquette:
First: Saying 'bismillāh' (in the name of Allah) when beginning to eat.
Second: Eating with the right hand.
Third: Eating from the side next to one.
Lessons
One of the etiquettes of eating and drinking is to begin with mentioning the name of Allah.
Teaching children the proper etiquettes, especially those under one’s care.
It shows the Prophet's leniency and patience in teaching and educating children.
One of the etiquettes of eating is that one eats from the nearest side, except if there are various items of food, in which case a person can eat from that place.
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would comply with the Prophet's teachings, as indicated by 'Umar's statement: Since then, I have been eating that way.
Explanation in Arabic
يُخْبِرُ عُمَرُ بن أبي سلمة رضي الله عنهما، ابن زوجة النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أم سلمة رضي الله عنها، -وكان تحت تربيتِه ورعايته-، أنه كان أثناء الأكل يَنْقُلُ يدَه في جوانب الإناء ليلتقط الطعام، فعلَّمه النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ثلاثة آداب من آداب الأكل:
أولها: قول "بسم الله" في بداية الأكل.
وثانيها: الأكل باليمين.
وثالثها: الأكل من الجانب الذي يَقْرُبُ منه من الطعام.
من آداب الأكل والشرب التسميةُ في أوله.
تعليم الصبيان الآداب، لاسيَّما من كان تحت كفالة الإنسان.
رفق النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، وسعة صدره في تعليم الصغار وتأديبهم.
من آداب الطعام الأكل مما يلي الإنسان، إلا إذا كان أصنافًا متعددة فله أن يأخذ منها.
التزام الصحابة بما أدَّبهم به النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، وذلك مستفاد من قول عمر: فما زالت تلك طعمتي بعد.
Authentic chainShu'ayb al-Arna'utإسناده صحيح على شرط الشيخين — تخريج المسند لشعيب (16332)
Authentic chainShu'ayb al-Arna'utإسناده صحيح — تخريج مشكل الآثار (158)
Shu'ayb al-Arna'utفيه] رجل من مزينة مجهول، وباقي رجاله ثقات، و [ورد] من طريقين وفيه التصريح بسماع أبي وجزة من عمر بن أبي سلمة — تخريج مشكل الآثار (151)