Dose of Halacha

Question: My kitchen sink often gets clogged up. Can I use a plunger to unblock it on Shabbos? Answer: The Gemara (Kesubos 60a) writes that one can’t normally dislodge debris from a gutter on Shabbos. If the blockage would potentially cause them a financial loss, one may step on the debris to unblock the gutter (See Shulchan Aruch OC 336:9). The Mishna Berura (336:47) writes that while one can step on the debris to help the water flow, it is always forbidden to remove the debris. Based on this, R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe OC 4:40:9) writes that if the sink is totally blocked then it is considered to be broken and unblocking the broken pipe would be similar to creating a new one. One can ask a non-Jew to unblock it for them if necessary, though shouldn’t unblock it by themselves. If it happens regularly, however, the sink is not considered to be broken, and one may unblock it with a plunger (See Yabia Omer 5:33). Other poskim take a more lenient view. R’ Yitzchak Yaa...

Question: Can I add sauces and spices to hot food on Shabbos? Answer: There is a big difference as to whether the sauces or spices are raw or have previously been cooked, whether the food is a davar gush, solid food such as a thick cholent or davar lach , food with significant liquid and if the food is in the keli rishon , pot that was on the flame or keli sheni , e.g. one’s plate. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 318:9) writes that while one can’t place salt directly into a keli rishon , one may do so in a keli sheni . The Rema, however, writes that ideally one shouldn’t even add salt to hot food in a keli sheni (See Shabbos 42b) . Nonetheless, the Mishna Berura (318:64;71) writes that as regular table salt has been cooked already (in its processing), one would be allowed to add salt to a pot off the flame as we follow the rule, ein bishul achar bishul, food can’t be cooked again. Nonetheless, he writes one should ideally only add it to a keli sheni. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 318:9) wri...

Question:  Can I place my cold food on the hotplate on Shabbos if the timer is set to heat it up later? If not, can I do so before Shabbos? Answer:  The Shulchan Aruch (OC 253:5) writes that one may heat up a davar gush, dry solid food, on Shabbos by placing it on top of another pot. One may place such food onto a hotplate, regardless as to whether it is on or will later be switched on with a timer. Some are particular to put an upturned tray, etc. down first (See Yechave Daas 2:45; Tzitz Eliezer 8:26:5; Meor Hashabbos 10:4). While one mustn’t place a davar lach , a boiled food with liquid, on the stove or hotplate on Shabbos, R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yabia Omer OC 10:26) allows one to place such a pot on the hotplate while it’s off even though it will later switch on through a timer. Most poskim, however, disagree . R’ Tzvi Pesach Frank (Har Tzvi OC 136) compares using a timer to later heat food to placing food on a stove that will be lit soon, which he argues is assur m...

Question: Can I place chicken on a hotplate on Shabbos to heat it up? Answer: Chazal (Shabbos 36b) prohibited reheating even cooked food on Shabbos. According to the Ran (quoted by the Mishna Berura 253:55), the reason is because it looks like cooking, while Rabbenu Tam (quoted in Shaar Hatziyun 253:37) writes that it is to prevent people from stoking or adjusting the flame on Shabbos. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 253:5) allows one to heat up a roasted food on top of another pot on a stove on Shabbos, as this does not resemble cooking (See Magen Avraham OC 318:26). The Pri Megadim (quoted by the Biur Halacha 253:3) writes that this only applies if the pot has food in. Thus, one would only be able to heat food if there was already a pot on the stove (See Chazon Ish 37:9). Nonetheless, R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (quoted in Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 3:1n112) and R’ Shmuel Wosner (Shevet Halevi 1:91) hold that even the Pri Megadim would agree that one may use an empty pot on a hotplat...

Question: I sometimes daven in a shul where the aron hakodesh is on the northern wall. Some people  daven towards the aron while others face east. Which is correct? Answer: The Gemara (Berachos 30a) teaches that one should face towards Yerushalayim when davening the amida. Rambam (Tefilla 5:1) lists facing Yerushalayim as one of eight criteria for proper davening , but he notes that if one fails to do so, they do not need to repeat davening . Additionally, Rambam (Tefilla 11:2) writes that when building a shul, the aron hakodesh should be placed on the wall that facing Yerushalayim to ensure that people face the aron while davening . The Mishna Berura (94:9) states that if the aron cannot be placed on the eastern wall, it should be placed on the northern or southern wall, and people should still face Yerushalayim. However, the aron should not be placed on the western wall, as this would cause people to turn their backs to it while davening (see Biur Halacha 150:5; S...

Question: Can I study for my medical exams on Shabbos? Answer:  The Gemara (Shabbos 149a) writes that one mustn’t read a shtar hedyot (common document) on Shabbos. The Shulchan Aruch (OC 307:17) writes that there is a machlokes as to what this includes. Rambam (Mishnayos Shabbos 23:2) and the Baal Hamaor (quoted by the Beis Yosef OC 307:17) write that it refers to regular letters. Thus, one mustn’t read anything other than Torah on Shabbos. Accordingly, one shouldn’t read any secular books, etc. The Rashba (Shabbos 149a; Shut Harashba 7:288) understands shtar hedyot as business documents and quotes the Ramban who agrees. One may, however, read scholarly works including medical journals on Shabbos (See Beis Yosef ibid) . The Mishna Berura (307:65) writes that while the halacha follows the Rashba, it is commendable to be strict on oneself and avoid reading secular works on Shabbos. Similarly, R’ Yehoshua Neuwirth (Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 29:47) allows one to read profe...