Today's Learning has been dedicated by a daily reader, J.H., in honor of his sister Malka Esther. May She merit finding her Bashert soon and go on to build a beautiful Jewish home.
1) Food (raw or cooked) or drink that were stored under a bed that someone slept on , even if they were covered, should not be eaten, as a Ruach Ra, impure spirit, rests on this food/drink. (Aruch HaShulchan Siman 165:4 based on the Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah Siman 116:5. See also Shulchan Aruch HaRav Hilchos Shmiras HaGuf V'Hanefesh Siman 67, Chachmas Adam Siman 68:3. The Gaon of Vilna was also extremely stringent with this.)
Even if the food was in a utensil, and that utensil was covered by another utensil, it still gets the Ruach Ra and should not be eaten even B'Dieved( Psak of Rav Shlomo Zalmen Auerbach Zatzal in Halichos Shlomo Perek 13:17)
The prohibition applies to vitamins as well as food, but does not apply to medicines (ibid. footnote 27)
Therefore, it is important to not store food there, and thus necessitate discarding them and transgressing the sin of Bal Tashchis, wasting food.
2) Some Poskim are lenient in cases of great monetary loss and allow the food to be eaten, B'Dieved. (Based on Psak of the Shvus Yaakov quoted in the Pirush of Rav Akiva Eiger, Pischei Teshuva and Yad Efraim to Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 116:4 and 5.)
As always, for Halacha L'Ma'aseh a Rav should be consulted.
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QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER:
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers. Taken from the Q & A page on the Halacha For Today website.
Although the answers I give to questions are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, and aren't my own, they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.
Yes, a comb may be used on a Shaitel on Shabbos, since the "hair" you are combing is already detached. However, you should still try and do it as softly as possible so as not to pull out any of the shaitel hair.
For your own hair though, a comb may not be used on Shabbos.
Our holy sages, the Chazal tell us
תנא דבי אליהו כל השונה הלכות בכל יום מובטח לו שהוא בן עולם הבא, שנאמר הליכות עולם לו, אל תקרי הליכות אלא הלכות - one who studies [at least two] Halachos daily is assured a portion in Olam Haba - the world to come. (:מגילה כ"ח )
Important Numbers
