1) Another area of food preparation is the presentation and serving of salads and dips such as Chumus, Babaganush, tuna salad, or similar items.
It is common to spoon these items on a plate or in a bowl and then smooth out the top to make it flat, as doing so makes it more appetizing.
The question is if doing this on Shabbos is a prohibition of the Melacha of Memachek, smoothing, which is prohibited on Shabbos.
2) M'Ikar Hadin it is permissible to smooth out food items on Shabbos, as the Melacha of Memachek does not apply to food as it is able to be eaten without being smoothed out. (Rama Siman 321:19)
However, it is indeed praiseworthy to be stringent and refrain from smoothing out foods on Shabbos. (ibid. See also Kitzur Shulchan Aruch Siman 80:25 where he rules that when preparing eggs and onions on Shabbos it should not be smoothed out. It isn't clear if he ruled this way as well for egg salad that was made from before Shabbos and is simply being transferred to a plate on Shabbos or specifically for egg salad initially being prepared on Shabbos. For Halacha L'Ma'aseh, as always, a Rav must be consulted.)
Halachos for Shabbos Kodesh
1) Smearing butter, mayonnaise, jam, or any other salad or spread on a piece of Challah is permitted on Shabbos, even if done with a utensil and with the intention that the food is well spread over every piece of the Challah. (See Mishna Berura Siman 321:82)
The reason this is permitted is because the food is being spread in order to cover the bread and enjoy every piece of the bread with the spread, and not being done for the purposes of smoothing out the spread.
2) Thus, if indeed the reason it is being so well spread over the bread is to smooth out the spread (e.g. a fruit jam that has pieces chunky of fruit in it, and it is being thinly spread specifically in order to smooth out those pieces) it is indeed praiseworthy to refrain from doing it. (See Biur Halacha Siman 321 Dibur Hamaschil Tavo Alav Bracha)
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers.
These Q&A are taken from the Q & A pages 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.
Questions can be emailed to HalachaForToday@Gmail.com
Reader's Question:
If one wears a removeable toupee can he make a brocha on the [Tefilin] shel rosh.
If not and it would be embarrising to take it off in shul should he just make a bracha on the shel yad and when he gets home make a bracha on the shel rosh?
Does he have to put on the shel yad again when he gets home.
Can you please describe the best way of doing things if one cannot make a bracha when it is on.
Answer:
No, Tefilin may not be donned on a toupe as it is a Chatzitza, a separation, and certainly no Bracha recited as doing so will be a Bracha L'Vatalah as the tefilin was not placed on the head.
If the actual tefilin is on the head and only the straps would be on the toupee, there may be room for leniency in certain instances, and a Rav should be consulted.
If he is embarrassed, the Tefilin should be donned and their Brachos recited, in private.(See Mishna Berura Siman 27:16 and Shu"t Mishne Halachos Vol. 6 Siman 8)
CHIZUK CORNER
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Important Numbers
