Opening Bottles, Cans, and Packages: Difference between revisions

# Ashkenazic poskim hold that one may not open a bottle with a metal cap for the first time on Shabbos because removing the cap separates the ring from the cap and makes the cap into a useable vessel. One may make a hole using a knife in the cap if there aren’t letters or pictures on it so that makes it unfit for a cap afterwards and then one may open the bottle. <Ref> Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:17 (new edition 9:18), Shabbos Kitchen (Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen, pg 184-6). [39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 3, pg 841) writes that a less preferable option is to twist off the cap and discard it immediately (and it may be useful to have another cap handy).]</ref> However, it’s permissible to open a bottle with a plastic bottle cap (because it had the form of a cap before it was attached).2 <ref> Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:17 (new edition 9:18), Shabbos Kitchen (Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen, pg 184-6). [39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 3, pg 841) writes that a less preferable option is to twist off the cap and discard it immediately (and it may be useful to have another cap handy).] </ref> Some Ashkenazic poskim and Sephardic poskim hold it’s permissible to open bottles with metal or plastic caps but add that one who is strict to open them before Shabbat will be blessed. 3 <ref> Yalkut Yosef (vol 2, pg 517, 675). See also Rabbi Mordechai Willig’s opinion in Am Mordechai (Shabbat, Siman 29, pg 161). </ref>