Melachot Planned to Occur on Shabbat

Part I

There are many melachot (prohibited actions on Shabbat) that can be set up prior to Shabbat that occur on Shabbat. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. For example, one can light a candle that will continue to burn on Shabbat. One can set a timer to activate an electric appliance on Shabbat. This week's issue and next week's issue will discuss the various methods of pre-arranging for melachot to occur and Shabbat and the halachic discussions surrounding these methods.

The General Rule

The Mishna, Shabbat 17b, lists a number of disputes between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel regarding various melachot that are set up before Shabbat to occur on Shabbat. Beit Shammai are stringent on all of these matters and Beit Hillel are lenient. For example, Beit Shammai prohibit spreading nets prior to Shabbat in order to trap animals on Shabbat and Beit Hillel permit it. The Gemara, ibid, 18a, explains that Beit Shammai are of the opinion that just as it is prohibited for a person's animals to perform melacha on Shabbat, so too, it is prohibited for a person's property to be a mechanism for the occurrence of melacha on Shabbat. This concept is known as shevitat keilim (the resting of utensils). Beit Hillel do not subscribe to the concept of shevitat keilim. The normative opinion is that of Beit Hillel that there is no concept of shevitat keilim.

The Gemara, ibid, quotes a Beraita that prohibits placing wheat kernels into a water-powered mill prior to Shabbat. The Gemara then cites a dispute regarding the reason for the prohibition. Rabbah is of the opinion that the reason why placing the wheat kernels is prohibited is that the mill makes noise. This concept is known as hashma'at kol. R. Yosef is of the opinion that the Beraita follows the opinion of Beit Shammai that there is a concept of shevitat keilim.

The Talmud Yerushalmi, Shabbat 1:5, provides a third explanation for the Beraita. According to the Talmud Yerushalmi, the Beraita prohibits placing the wheat kernels in the mill because each kernel is considered a separate entity and the grinding of each individual kernel does not begin until Shabbat. R. Chaim Sofer, Machaneh Chaim 3:22, explains that it is only permissible to begin a melacha prior to Shabbat if the melacha begins before Shabbat and is completed on Shabbat. However, regarding wheat kernels, the melacha that is performed on the first wheat kernels begins and ends before Shabbat. The melacha that is performed on the later wheat kernels begins and ends on Shabbat.

Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 252:5, rules (based on the comments of numerous Rishonim) that it is permissible to place wheat kernels into a mill before Shabbat, following the opinion of R. Yosef. However, Rama (based on the comments of Tosafot, Shabbat 18a, s.v. V'Hashta) rules in accordance with the opinion of Rabbah that there is a concern if the mill makes noise. [There is a dispute regarding the reason for Rabbah's ruling. According to Rashi, Shabbat 18a, s.v. Sheyitchanu, there is an inherent problem with something that makes a lot of noise on Shabbat because it desecrates Shabbat. According to R. Ya'akov Landa, Sefer HaAgur no. 519, the problem of hashma'at kol is that people who hear the noise will think that the system was activated on Shabbat. For this reason, he permits the use of a grandfather clock that rings every hour. Although there is noise that is audible to the public, everyone knows that a clock is normally set in advance. Rama, in codifying the opinion of Rabbah, sides with Sefer HaAgur's explanation and permits setting a clock prior to Shabbat that will ring on Shabbat.]

Automated Timers

R. Shlomo Z. Auerbach, Me'orei Eish (ch. 4), notes that according to R. Sofer's interpretation of the Talmud Yerushalmi, it is prohibited to set a timer prior to Shabbat that will activate an electric appliance on Shabbat because the melacha begins on Shabbat. R. Auerbach cites a number of Acharonim who disagree with R. Sofer and posit that the Talmud Yerushalmi's comment cannot be applied to this discussion.

R. Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe, Orach Chaim 4:60, objects to setting a timer prior to Shabbat that will activate on Shabbat for three reasons. First, without citing the Talmud Yerushalmi, R. Feinstein notes that all of the cases presented in the Gemara are cases where some of the melacha begins before Shabbat and is completed on Shabbat. Regarding timers, the entire melacha occurs on Shabbat. Second, there is a prohibition of amira l'nachri (asking a non-Jew to perform melacha on Shabbat). R. Feinstein posits that setting a timer prior to Shabbat is included in the prohibition of amira l'nachri. Third, R. Feinstein considers the automated activation of a timer on Shabbat as a desecration of Shabbat.

Despite R. Feinstein's strong objection to the use of timers, he does allow using timers to activate and deactivate lights. His basis is that prior to the advent of electricity, many communities were lenient to allow non-Jews to light candles for them. While this practice itself is questionable, R. Feinstein states that one may rely on this practice for the purposes of allowing automated timers to activate and deactivate lights. [It should be noted that many contemporary authorities disagree with R. Feinstein and permit setting timers prior to Shabbat that will activate on Shabbat. See for example, Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 13:23 and Yalkut Yosef 252:5.]

Completing the Cooking Process on Shabbat

Based on the guidelines presented above, it should be permissible to cook something whose process will be completed automatically. However, the Gemara, Shabbat 18b, states that cooking is an exception to the rule because the rabbis were concerned that if there is uncooked food on the fire on Shabbat, one may stoke the coals on Shabbat in order to hasten the cooking process. This concept is known as shehiyah (leaving something on the fire).

The Gemara, Shabbat 36b, notes an important dispute regarding the prohibition of shehiyah (on an ordinary cooking range). According to Chananiah, there is no prohibition of shehiyah if the food is cooked to the point of ma'achal ben derosai (a stage in the cooking process where someone would eat it if he had no time to finish the cooking process). According to the other rabbis, the prohibition of shehiyah applies until the food is cooked to the point of mitztamek v'ra lo, the point where the food will no longer benefit from further cooking (see Shabbat 37b).

Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 253:1, quotes both opinions, but seems to rule in accordance with the opinion of the rabbis that the prohibition of shehiyah applies unless the food is mitztamek v'ra lo. Rama, ad loc., rules in accordance with the opinion of Chananiah that it is sufficient if the food is cooked to the point of ma'achal ben derosai. [Mishna Berurah 253:38, notes a dispute regarding whether ma'achal ben derosai is achieved when the food is one-third cooked or one-half cooked. He rules that one should be stringent on the matter but in a pressing situation, one may be lenient. He also notes (in Biur Halacha 253:1, s.v. V'Nahagu) that one should ideally follow the opinion that the prohibition of shehiyah applies unless the food is considered mitztamek v'ra lo.]

There are two methods that will allow one to place uncooked foods on the fire prior to Shabbat and allow the cooking process to finish on Shabbat. The first is provided by the Mishna, Shabbat 36b, which states that if one either covers the fire or removes the heat source, one may place non-cooked items on the fire before Shabbat. The modern-day application of this method is the use of a blech. The second is provided by the Gemara, Shabbat 18b, which states that if one places the food on the fire immediately prior to Shabbat such that the food will not be ready until the next day, there is no prohibition of shehiyah.

The above presentation is a very basic overview of the concept of shehiyah. A more detailed presentation of shehiyah is reserved for a future issue.