Community Magazine June 2012

1 WHAT IS THE SHABBAT PROHIBITION OF SEHITA , SQUEEZING? One of the 39 categories of activity prohibited on Shabbat is “ dash ,” which means releasing a food product from its natural state of confinement (e.g. removing a kernel from its chaff). A derivative of this prohibition is sehita , squeezing juice from fruits, which involves releasing the desired liquid from where it is naturally stored. 2 TO WHICH FRUITS DOES THE PROHIBITION OF SEHITA APPLY? Halacha distinguishes between three categories of fruits with respect to this prohibition: A) The Torah prohibition of sehita applies only to squeezing oil from olives or wine from grapes. These cases are unique because the liquid of these fruits have special significance, and because these fruits were used primarily for extracting their liquids. B) Squeezing berries or pomegranates, which are often squeezed to extract their juices for use as a beverage, is forbidden by our sages, because if squeezing these fruits were allowed people might also squeeze olives or grapes. This rabbinic enactment applies to all fruits that are commonly squeezed for their juices, such as apples, citrus fruits, pears and tomatoes. C) Squeezing fruits that are not normally used for juice is permissible on Shabbat. 3 MAY ONE DRINK JUICE THAT CAME OUT FROM OF A FRUIT ON ITS OWN? If some juice drips out of grapes on Shabbat, it is forbidden to drink that juice until after Shabbat. Our sages imposed this restriction because they feared that if people drink the juice, they might squeeze the grapes to obtain more juice. This prohibition applies even if one had no intention of making wine from these grapes and had purchased them solely for eating. Regarding the juice of berries and pomegranates, if one had purchased them with the intention of extracting their juice, then any juice that drips from them on Shabbat is forbidden during Shabbat. If one purchased those fruits in order to eat them, then any juice that drips from them on Shabbat is permitted immediately, as we are not afraid that one will extract additional juice. 4 MAY ONE SQUEEZE LEMONS ONTO FOOD SUCH AS KIBBE, OR ONTO LIQUIDS SUCH AS SOUP, ON SHABBAT? The Shulchan Aruch ( Orah Hayim 320) allows squeezing lemon onto food on Shabbat. However, as noted by HaGaon Hacham Ovadia Yosef, after squeezing a lemon onto a vegetable salad, one must ensure not to remove any lemon pits from the salad, as this would violate the Shabbat prohibition of borer (separating an undesired substance from a mixture). This applies only to foods; it is forbidden to squeeze lemon onto drinks, and thus one may not squeeze lemon onto soup, unless the soup is very thick in which case it is regarded as a stew. Squeezing fresh lemon into tea is similarly forbidden. One may squeeze oranges onto a fruit salad. 5 WHAT IS THE PROPER WAY TO PREPARE LEMONADE ON SHABBAT? When preparing lemonade on Shabbat, one should first pour sugar into the cup and then squeeze the lemon onto the sugar, where it will be absorbed. One should then pour the water onto the sugar and lemon juice ( Yalkut Yosef , 320:14). This follows the opinion of the Shulchan Aruch which allows squeezing lemons. 6 IS THE JUICE THAT DRIPS WHEN FRUIT IS SLICED PERMITTED TO DRINK ON SHABBAT? If while slicing oranges or other fruits on Shabbat some juice drips from the fruit, it is permissible to drink that juice on Shabbat ( Yalkut Yosef 320:22). Furthermore, although some halachic authorities forbid eating a grapefruit on Shabbat by slicing it and digging the flesh out with a spoon, halacha follows the lenient position, which allows eating grapefruits in this fashion. Since one has no intention of juicing the fruit, and intends merely to extract the flesh of the fruit, it is permissible. (Additionally, a bit of pulp will inevitably be extracted together with the small amount of juice that it squeezed; see ibid. 320:9.) 7 IS IT PERMISSIBLE TO MIX ICE INTO A DRINK ON SHABBAT? The Shulhan Aruch ( Orah Hayim , 320) relates that the Rosh would first place the water in the cup and then insert the ice. Otherwise, one would be actively melting the ice by pouring water over it, in violation of Shabbat. One may, however, pour a small amount of water on a brick of ice to melt it so it can then be placed in a cup. One may also place ice in an ice bucket even though the unused ice will melt. RABBI DANIEL D. LEVY The Top 10 Questions & Answers on Customs and Laws oF D dicated oving emo y Hac a N i Ma a . Sehita ( squeezing ) 54 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE