Permissible ways to heat up food on Shabbat: Difference between revisions

* 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.</ref>

*1) the food is fully cooked  <ref> 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. </ref>

*2) the fire must be covered <ref> 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 Hachzara (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. </ref>

*3) at the time it was removed from the fire, one intends to put it back <ref> 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. </ref>

*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. <ref> Rama 253:2 writes that one of the conditions of Hachzara 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. </ref>

*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). <ref> S”A 253:2 writes that a condition of Hachzara 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 Hachzara. 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. </ref>

===Covered fire (Blech) ===

# 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). <Ref> 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. </ref>