We will now begin discussing the Melachos of Boneh and Soser, building and destroying, on Shabbos. This set of Halachos is quite intricate and full of details and sometimes surprising applications which B'Ezras Hashem we will understand more fully by the time we get through them.
1) It is prohibited to build something on Shabbos, even if the item being built is only partially built, the transgression is in effect for the part that was built. (Mishna and Talmud Shabbos 102b. See also Rambam Hilchos Shabbos Perek 10:12)
Even one who fills in a small crack in an otherwise fully built wall has transgressed the Melacha of Boneh. (ibid.)
2) Any improvement made to any existing structure is a transgression of Boneh even if nothing was actually added to the structure. (See Talmud Shabbos 73b)
Even if one makes a hole in an existing wall for the purpose of placing a window into that space, or even for the purposes of the hole allowing outside air or light into the home, the Melacha of Boneh has been transgressed. (Rambam Hilchos Shabbos Perek 10:14)
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:
I will be doing an activity with my class in which girls get blindfolded and taste foods. Before I put the food in their mouth, I will tell them to make the appropriate bracha. Do they have to make a bracha on the following foods, and if yes, which bracha: salt, oil, cocoa, flour.
Which brachos should I tell them to make on: strawberry jam, honey, bamba (snack), klik (choc. balls with some crispy cookie or wafer-like substance inside), lasso (licorice)?
Answer:
The best thing to do would be for them to make the appropriate brachos on different foods first and have in mind to exempt whatever else you "serve" them.
However, since you asked, I will answer:
Salt: If enjoyed a bit, SheHakol, otherwise since it isnt a food that is eaten, even when one is extremely hungry no Bracha. (See Mishna Berura Siman 204:5)
Oil: If it's olive oil, and it isn't dangerous to drink it would be Borei Pri HaEitz. Other oil is SheHakol. (See Shulchan Aruch Siman 202: 4 and 8)
Cocoa: SheHakol
Flour: It is no better than raw dough which according to most Poskim is SheHakol ( Some may rule Mezonos. A Rav should be consulted for halacha L'Ma'aseh)
Strawberry jam: SheHakol
Honey: SheHakol
Bamba:SheHakol (according to some opinions, HaAdama)
Klik (choc. balls with some crispy cookie or wafer-like substance inside):probably Mezonos, as the wafer is there for taste and not just for texture. A Rav should be consulted for halacha L'ma'aseh.
Lasso (licorice): Although it contains flour, it is only there as a binder to hold it together, and is not there to add to the taste or nutrition value, thus it isn't significant, according to most contemporary Poskim, and a Shehakol is recited. (There are some Poskim that rule to say Mezonos on certain licorices, so for halacha L'ma'aseh a Rav should be consulted)
CHIZUK CORNER
This section is dedicated L'Ilui Nishmas the late Telzer Rosh Yeshiva , HaRav Chaim Yaakov ben Rav Binyomin Moshe Stein Zatzal.
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