3. Question:Regarding cooking food we find that when it reaches the stage of fully cooked “mevushal kol tzorcho” it is no longer subject to the prohibition of bishul. I was wondering regarding water what the mevushal kol tzorcho equivalent is? Introduction: First of all, regarding food there is a major dispute among the Rishonim regarding a food item that has been cooked until it reaches the stage of ma’achal ben derusai if is still subject to the prohibition of bishul on Shabbos (until it reaches the stage of mevushal kol tzorcho), or since ma’achal ben derusai technically renders the food edible (to a certain degree) the food is no longer subject to bishul if one cooks it further on Shabbos: The Rambam, Rashi, Ohr Zoru’a, Sefer Hateruma, Smag, Smak and Hagohos Maymoni rule stringently and prohibit cooking a food that has already been cooked to the stage of ma’achal ben derusai, whereas the Ran, Ramban, Rabbeinu Yonah, Rosh, Rashbo and Me’iri take a lenient view and permit cooking such a food item further on Shabbos. The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chayim Siman 318 Se’if 4) rules stringently (in line with the view of the Rambam) and prohibits cooking a food that has previously been cooked to the stage of ma’achal ben derusai further. Discussion: Let us now address the stages of cooking applicable to bishul of water: Regarding the upper threshold of bishul for water, there is no clear mention in the Shulchan Aruch of the temperature at which water is no longer subject to bishul (and may therefore be heated further on Shabbos). However, there is considerable discussion among the Poskim about this point: The Ran (Chiddushim [Meyuchosim] Shabbos 37b) writes that bishul applies to water until it heats up to the extent that “it diminishes”. The Shevisas Hashabbos (Be’er Rechovos #14) quotes this Ran and infers from here that bishul applies until the liquid boils [at which point it will noticeably begin to diminish]. The Orchos Shabbos (Volume 1, Perek 1, 17) also writes that bishul applies until the liquid boils and explains (footnote 30) that the Ran is referring to the stage where the liquid begins to give off a significant amount of steam, which is the stage where the liquid is considered fully cooked. It is also implied from the Tehilla l’Dovid (Siman 318 Se’if 17) that liquid is subject to bishul until the liquid boils, and this is also clearly the view of the MInchas Yitzchok (Volume 10, Siman 28). However, this view is not unanimous: The Olas Shabbos (Siman 318, 12) infers from the Beis Yosef (Siman 318 Se’if 4) that once water has been heated to the stage of yad soledes bo, it is no longer subject to the prohibition of bishul if one heats up the water further. Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe Orach Chayim Volume 4 Siman 74 Bishul #1) infers this from the Gra”z (Siman 318 Se’if 9) and rules this way himself. However, there are lenient authorities who posit that once water reaches yad soledes bo it has reached the equivalent if mevushal kol tzorcho and there is no longer a prohibition to heat the water further. Therefore, although it would be prudent to be stringent and not rely on this lenient opinion, in an ex post facto situation where one already performed an action to heat water that had reached the temperature of yad soledes bo further, b’dieved one does not need to consider the water forbidden because of ma’aseh Shabbos, and the water can be used by all on Shabbos. |
Shabbos
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