Permissible ways to heat up food on Shabbat

From Halachipedia

General guidelines of Hachzara

Returning food to an uncovered fire

  1. There’s a rabbinic prohibition in returning cooked foods to a fire on Shabbat. Some say that the reason for the prohibition is that it looks like cooking and some that it is because one may come to stoke the coals. [1]
  2. One may not return food to the oven on Shabbat even if the food is fully cooked and is very hot since an oven is considered an uncovered flame, chazara is forbidden. [2]
  3. If there’s a metal box insert in the oven, some consider the fire to be a covered one. [3]

Moving pots around on top of a fire

  1. It’s permissible to move a pot from a small fire to a larger one, which is properly covered. [4]
  2. A pot was on the edge of the blech (not above the fire) may be moved to the center of the blech (above the fire) as long as the area where the pot was originally was as hot as 113 degrees and the food was fully cooked. [5]

Conditions to permit Chazara

  1. Someone who takes food off the fire on Shabbat may return it under the following conditions:
  • 1) the food is fully cooked [6]
  • 2) the fire must be covered [7]
  • 3) at the time it was removed from the fire, one intends to put it back [8]
  • 4) According to Ashkenazim, the pot must remain in one’s hand or in one’s hand while resting on a table or ground, however according to Sephardim, as long as the pot wasn’t placed on the ground, one may return it. [9]
  • 5) According to Ashkenazim, the food (liquid and solid) should be slightly warm in order to return it to the fire, however some argue that solids don’t need to be warm at all. On the other hand, according to Sephardim, the liquids must still be 113 degrees (and solids can be cold). [10]

Clarification of the first requirement

  1. One may not return the inset of a crockpot to the base unless it was covered with aluminum foil (or the like) and it's preferable to cover the knob as well. [11]

Clarification of the forth requirement

  1. According to Ashkenazim, in cases of need one may return food if it was placed on a table or bench as long as one had intent to return it a covered fire. [12]
  2. Some say that marble countertops are considered like a table or bench and if placed down there without intent, one may return it if there’s a need for the food. However, others say that marble countertops are considered like the ground and one shouldn’t return it to the fire unless there’s no other hot food. [13]

If some of the conditions are lacking

  1. If the pot was placed on a table or chair (and let go) but one had intent to return it to the fire, or one still has it in one’s hand but didn’t have intent to return it to the fire, one may be lenient if the food is needed as long as the other requirements (covered fire, fully cooked, still warm) have not been breached. [14]
  2. If one didn’t have intent to return the pot to the fire and the pot was placed on a table or chair (and let go), one shouldn’t be lenient to eat the food unless there’s no other hot food. [15]
  3. If one didn't have intent to return the pot to the fire or that the pot was placed on a table or chair (and let go), one may return a pot of food to the fire as long as the food is needed and the other four requirements are satisfied. [16]

Returning food to non-typical heating elements

Returning food to a covered fire

  1. On Shabbat some poskim permit one to cover the fire with a metal tray if the flame isn’t strong enough to make the tray red-hot. [17]

Kedierah Blech

  1. One may place cold fully cooked solid food on top of a pot that is on the fire on Shabbat because that is not considered on top of a fire at all.[18]
  2. Some say that placing food on a “Kedeirah Blech,” a rectangular box filled with water placed on top of the fire before Shabbat, is the same as placing food on top of a pot on the fire, while others say that it merely like a covered fire, to which one may not return food without fulfilling certain conditions (see note #1). [19]

=Electric Hotplates

  1. Many authorities permit placing food on an electric hotplate which does not have an adjustable temperature setting, even without fulfilling the conditions of Hachzara, since it is not a usual way of cooking. However, others say that it is considered like a covered fire, upon which one may not return food without fulfilling the conditions of Hachzara. [20]

The opinion of the Ran

  1. Some say that if solid food was on the Blech during Bein HaShemashot and was removed on Shabbat, it may be returned to a covered fire on Shabbat as long as it is fully cooked, while many others reject this leniency. [21]

Leaving a crock-pot on a timer

  1. Some say that one may leave fully cooked food in a crock-pot which is on a timer (set from before Shabbat) to turn on Shabbat morning and off Shabbat afternoon, however, some question this. [22]

References

  1. ↑
    • The Mishnah (Shabbat 36b) records Beit Hillel’s opinion that one may not return a pot to a Kirah (type of stove meant to hold two pots) on Shabbat if the Kirah is heated with pressed sesame or wood unless the coals were covered with ashes or removed.
    • Rashi Shabbat 36b "lo machzirim" says its "mechzay kimivashel", meaning, that the reason Chazal prohibited placing fully cooked food on the fire on Shabbat is that it looks like one is cooking on Shabbat. Baal HaMoar 16b, Rashba (38b D”H MeKlal) in name of some geonim, Ritva (40b D”H VeAskina), and Ran (17b D”H Bei Rav Ashi) write that the prohibition of Chazara is a gezerah of Chazal because it looks like cooking when one heats up cold food on Shabbat. Mishna Brurah 253:55 quotes this Ran.
    • Rabbeinu Tam Sefer Hayashar 235 adds that Chazal prohibited it lest a person stoke the coals on Shabbat. Shaar HaTzion 235:37 quotes this opinion of the Rabbeinu Tam.
    • The Gemara and Rishonim discuss under what conditions may one return food to the fire. Based on the Rama 253:2, Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:18 rules that one may return food to a fire on Shabbat only under the following conditions: 1) the food is fully cooked, 2) it’s still somewhat hot (see note 4), 3) it was removed with intent be to returned, 4) one kept his hand on it, and 5) the fire is covered. For the slightly variant conditions according to Sephardim, see Yalkut Yosef 253:9.
  2. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:17
  3. ↑ Sh”t Igrot Moshe 4:74:27 permits returning food to an oven on Shabbat if the oven has a metal insert of 4 sides to serve as a reminder. However, Sh”t Shevet HaLevi 3:48 argues on Igrot Moshe and holds that under all circumstances it’s forbidden to return food to the inside of an oven.
  4. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:21
  5. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:22
  6. ↑ S”A 318:4 and Rama 253:2 rule like the Rambam and Tur who hold that unless foods are fully cooked one would violate Bishul Deoritta, against the Rosh (Shabbat 3:10-11) and Rashba (Shabbat 18b) who hold that once food is cooked KeMachal Ben Dursai it’s permissible to cook it even until it’s fully cooked food. Therefore, one may not return to the fire any food that’s not fully cooked otherwise there’s a potential Deoritta violation of bishul. Accordingly, Biur Halacha 318:4 D”H Shayach writes that even if one is in doubt whether the food is fully cooked or not one may not return the food to the fire. So brings Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:18 note 55.
  7. ↑ S”A 253:2 writes that one may return hot food if the fire is Garuf or Katum. Mishna Brurah 253:81 adds that a similar metal try can be used as a cover of the fire to separate the fir from the pot. Similarly, S”A 253:3 writes that if on Shabbat morning one finds the food in one’s pot burning, one may remove it from the fire, put an empty pot on the fire and then the pot with food in it on top of the empty pot. Mishna Brurah 253:81 comments that it’s permissible to put the pot back on the fire since there’s an empty pot on the fire making it like Garuf or Katum. Kaf HaChaim 253:11, Sh”t Maharshag 2:50, Sh”t Igrot Moshe 1:93, and Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:18 rule that the fire must be covered in order to do chazara (Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata (1 note 54 quotes Rabbi Shlomo Zalman as saying that one shouldn’t increase the flame when one puts a cover on top of it). Many poskim including Mishna Brurah 318:91, Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata (chapter 1 note 59) in name of Rav Shlomo Zalman, and Sh”t Igrot Moshe 1:93 rule that one may cover the fire on Shabbat even if the pot is metal against Chazon Ish 37:11 who forbids putting metal on fire where it’ll become 113 degrees.
  8. ↑ Rama 253:2 in name of the Tur rules that one must have intention to return the food to the fire when one takes it off. So rules Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:18. Mishna Brurah 253:56 writes that if one still has the food in one’s hand but didn’t intend to return it to fire, one can be lenient in cases of need.
  9. ↑ Rama 253:2 writes that one of the conditions of chazara is that one keeps the pot in one’s hand. Mishna Brurah 253:55 writes that it’s forbidden to return the pot even if one put it down on a table or bench. The Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:18 writes that if one keeps one hand on the pot as one rests in on a table one may return the pot to the covered fire. So rules the Torat Shabbat 253:11, Demesk Eliezer 253:11, Sh”t Igrot Moshe 4:74:33, and the 39 Melachot (vol 2 pg 619, by Rabbi Ribiat) rule that as one as one keeps one’s hand on the pot even if the pot was rested on a table or bench one may return the pot. [However, from the Biur Halacha 253:2 D”H Velo it seems not like this.] On the other hand, S”A 253:2 writes that one of the conditions is to make sure not to place the pot on the ground. Magan Avraham 253:20 writes that the S”A argues on the Rama and permits leaving it on a table or bench if one intends to return it to the fire. So rules Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat vol 1 pg 103) that there’s no requirement to have the food in hand.
  10. ↑ S”A 253:2 writes that a condition of chazara is that the food is still boiling meaning that it’s 113 degrees. This condition is referring specifically to liquids as the Mishna Brurah 253:54 explains that this condition is dependant one of bishul and not chazara. Since S”A 318:4 rules that a liquid may not be heated up once it’s not 113 degrees, so too here a liquid may not be put back on the covered fire unless it’s 113 degrees. However, Rama 253:2 and 318:15 writes that Ashkenazim are lenient to allow returning a fully cooked liquid as long as it’s now slightly warm. So holds Mishna Brurah 253:54 and Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:18. Regarding solids, the Magan Avraham 253:36 writes that it also must be somewhat warm in order to return it to the fire. However, the Biur Halacha 253:5 D”H Ubilvad argues on the Magan Avraham based on the Buir HaGra. [It seems that Mishna Brurah 253:54, 91 rules like the Gra against the Magan Avraham even though he quotes the Magan Avraham (in 253:68).] The Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:18 seems to rule like the Magan Avraham however, it’s unclear what he holds based on the footnote. Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat vol 1 pg 103), and Menuchat Ahava (3:2, vol 1 pg 50) agree with the Biur Halacha that one may be lenient.
  11. ↑ Shabbat Kitchen pg 60 by Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen
  12. ↑ Buir Halacha 253:2 D”H VeDato writes in cases where one had intent to return the pot to the fire, and left it on the ground, in a case of need there’s room to be lenient, however, there’s certainly a reason to be lenient. So rules Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:19, Orchot Shabbat (vol 1 pg 85; seemingly the orchot Shabbat quotes Biur Halacha even in cases where there’s no need).
  13. ↑ Regarding placing a pot on a marble countertop there’s a dispute in the poskim. Petach Dvir 253:2, Sh”t Yitzchak Yiranen 2:42, and Menuchat Ahava 3:2, 3:8(3) write that anything attached to the ground is considered like the ground. Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat vol 1 pg 193 note 9) says that one has what to rely on if it was left on marble and not on the ground itself. Orchot Shabbat 2:46 brings a dispute between Rav Elyashiv, Rav Shlomo Zalman, and Rav Nassim Karlitz who are lenient regarding marble counters while, Rav Wosner is strict on this issue.
  14. ↑ Buir Halacha 253:2 D”H VeDato (and Mishna Brurah 253:56) writes that if necessary (Shat Tzorech) one can rely on the Rishonim who say one doesn’t need intent if it’s still in one’s hand or one doesn’t need it in one’s hands if one has intent. So rules Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:19
  15. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:20
  16. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:19
  17. ↑ Sh”t Zera Emet 3:26 permits one to put a metal tray (with small holes) on a fire on Shabbat and then do Chazara based on S”A 318:8 where he brings the dispute whether one can do Chazara on an empty over the fire and rules like the lenient opinion. Chazon Ish 37:11 argues that actually placing the metal sheet on the fire is the forbidden act of Mavir based on Rambam (Shabbat 12:1, 9:6) who says that one who heats metal to mold it violates Mavir. Even though S”A 253:3 writes that on Shabbat day one can put a empty pot on a fire (and then return a pot that was on the fire right before), Chazon Ish explains that S”A is talking about a earthenware pot and not metal. However Nishmat Adam 20:1, Kesot HaShulchan (134 pg 42), Sh”t Shevet Halevi 1:91, Sh”t She’ilat Shaul 29, Chazon Ovadyah (Shabbat 1 pg 55), and Sh”t Tefilah LeMoshe 1:59 (pg 647) argue that in our case the tray won’t become hot as a coal or hot enough to be reshaped and so it should be permitted. So rules Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:38 to permit covering the fire as long as the fire isn’t strong enough to make the tray red-hot.
  18. ↑
    • The Tosefta (Shabbat 3:23) permits placing a pot of food on top of another pot (Kedeirah Al Gabei Kedeirah) on Shabbat in order to preserve the heat of the top pot but not in order to heat it up. The Bet Yosef 258 quotes Rabbeinu Yerucham, who cites the Rosh’s opinion that the requirement that the food be hot is true only regarding foods that weren’t fully cooked or liquids, but a cold fully cooked solid may be placed on top of a pot on Shabbat. Rabbeinu Yerucham then quotes a second opinion that placing cold food on top of a pot is like placing it on a fire which is forbidden. S”A 318:8 rules like the Rosh.
    • The Pri Megadim E”A 253:33 explains that the above leniency only applies is the bottom pot is filled with food, and not is it is empty. Bei’ur Halacha 253:3 D”H Veyezaher agrees. Thus, Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:42 rules that one may place cold fully cooked solid food on top of another pot of food that is on the fire, even if it will become Yad Soldet Bo.
  19. ↑ A “Kedeirah Blech” is a covered rectangular metal box containing water that is meant to serve as a “pot” on top of the fire upon which pots can rest. Rav Hershel Schachter (“Hilchos Bishul B’Shabbos”, min 56-9) rules that a “Kedeirah Blech” is like a pot on top of a pot and is permissible. Rav Mordechai Willig (Am Mordechai p. 28), though, argues that since the water inside the “Kedierah Blech” isn’t meant to be consumed, it is not similar to the case of a pot on top of a pot. Rabbi Elyashiv (cited by The 39 Melachos Bishul #211-2), Rabbi Belsky (ibid.), and Rabbi Dovid Cohen (oukosher.org) agree.
  20. ↑
    • Rav Mordechai Willig (Am Mordecahi p. 48) writes that one may heat up cold fully cooked solid food on an electric hotplate which is not used for cooking and has only one temperature setting. Halachos of Shabbos (p. 313), Shabbos Kitchen (p. 43), and Chazon Ovadyah (p. 78) agree. See Sh”t Igrot Moshe 4:74:35 who rules that if it is impossible cook on a particular electric hotplate, one may heat up already warm food on it if it has only one setting. Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:30, however, rules that an electric hot plate is a like a covered fire and one may not return food onto it without fulfilling the other conditions of Hachzara. Rabbi Belsky (quoted by Halachically Speaking 4:16:3) and Orchot Shabbat (p. 99) agree.
    • Chazon Ovadyah (Shabbat 1 pg 55) holds that since Chazara is only forbidden as it looks like cooking a plaata (electric hotplate) which isn’t used for cooking should be permitted for Chazara. Rav Frankel (Kol Torah (Iyar 5723, Sh”t Har Tzvi O”C 136, Toldot Zev (Shabbat 2 pg 234)) concurs. Sh”t Igrot Moshe (O”C 4:74(35), 1:93) permits Chazara on a blech if the food is fully cooked because it’s not used to cook and being a blech for Shabbat it serves as a reminder it’s Shabbat. Sh”t Yashkil LeAvdi O”C 7:28, Rav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach (Shulchan Shlomo 253:27), Sh”t Tzitz Eliezer 8:26, Chukei Chaim Peretz 8 in name of Rav Sheinberg, Sh”t Me’oneh Lashon 22, Sh”t Shemesh UMagen (3:54(3) in retraction of his stringent opinion in 1:53), Sh”t Tefilah LeMoshe 1:32, and Yitzchak Yiranen (pg 50) concur to permit Chazara on a plaata. However, Yashiv Moshe (Rabbi Twersky pg 36) in name of Rav Elyashiv and Sh”t Avnei Yishfeh 1:83 are strict because a plaata is sometimes used to cook.
  21. ↑
    • The Ran (Shabbat 17b) infers from the Yerushalmi that if food was on the fire from before Shabbat and was removed only once Shabbat began, it may be returned without all of the conditions of Hachzara. Bet Yosef 253:2 writes that many Rrishonim, including Tosfot, Rosh, and Rambam, disagree with the Ran. Nonetheless, the Rama 253:2 records the minhag to rely on the Ran but advises one to be strict. Mishna Brurah 253:63 explains that this leniency only removes the conditions of intending to return the food and keeping it in one’s hand; the food would still have to be fully cooked and placed on a covered fire.
    • Magen Avraham 253:36 writes that besides for the other conditions of Hachzara it is only permitted to return a solid food to a covered fire if it is not completely cold because otherwise it looks like one is cooking on Shabbat. Bei’ur Halacha 253:5 D”H UBilvad, however, explains that the Gra argues that only liquids need to be warm in order to be returned, but solids may be returned even if they are cold. Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:20 and Sh”t Igrot Moshe 4:74:31 rule like the Magen Avraham, while Chazon Ovadyah (p. 80) agrees with the Gra.
    • Rav Soloveitchik (cited by Rabbi Jachter in “Hachzara and Hatmana”, koltorah.org) ruled that one may rely on the Ran. This is also relying on the Gra’s opinion that only liquids need to be warm. Rav Mordechai Willig (Am Mordechai p. 47), however, rules that initially one should not rely on this lenient ruling. Rav Hershel Schachter (“Hilchos Bishul B’Shabbos”, min 52-5), Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:23, 39 Melachos (Bishul #203), and Halachos of Shabbos (p. 355) agree.
  22. ↑ Rabbi Hershel Schachter (OU Kosher Webcast, min 13-16) says that even though the Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchata is lenient there is room to be strict because the Chazon Ish had a doubt about this.
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