DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Halacha is For The Hatzlacha of
 Yosef ben Rivkah and His Family
"Please say Tehillim for a good day following a devastating Sandy occurrence."

Dedicated By
Friends

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
      
(File size: 862 KB)
Is It Permissible To Squeeze Grapes and Other Similar Foods In One's Mouth on Shabbat

The Shulchan Aruch (320) codifies the Torah prohibition of "Sechita," which forbids squeezing grapes and olives on Shabbat. Does this prohibition apply as well to sucking juice from a fruit on Shabbat, or does Halacha distinguish in this regard between squeezing with one's hands and squeezing with one's mouth?

The Hagahot Maimoni (glosses to the Rambam's Mishneh Torah by Rabbi Meir Hakohen, Germany, 13th century), commenting on Hilchot Shabbat (chapter 21), forbids sucking juice on Shabbat, and this is the position as well of the Sefer Yerei'im (Rabbi Eliezer of Metz, France, 1115-1198), in Siman 274. According to this view, it would be forbidden on Shabbat to suck juice from any fruit or other food with absorbed liquid, such as moist meat, sugarcane, and bread that had been dipped in soup. However, the Beit Yosef (commentary to the Tur by Rabbi Yosef Karo, author of the Shulchan Aruch) held (in Siman 320) that sucking the juice from foods does not represent the standard manner of "Sechita," and is thus not included under this prohibition (listen to audio for precise citation).

Rabbi Moshe Halevi, in his work "Menuchat Ahava" (vol. 2, p. 165), cites both views and sides with the lenient position of the Beit Yosef. This is the ruling as well of Chacham Ovadia Yosef, in his work Halichot Olam (vol. 4, p. 106).

Thus, it is permissible on Shabbat to extract liquid with one's mouth from fruits or other foods, such as moist meat, sugarcane, and bread that had been dipped in soup.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Counting a Minor Towards a Minyan
The Earliest Time for Wearing a Talit With a Beracha
Is the Haftara Recited With Berachot if the Congregation’s Only Sefer Torah is Found to be Pasul?
The Status of a Relative Through Marriage With Respect to Testimony
If a Witness is Related to a Litigant or to Another Witness
Birkat Kohanim – If One Recites the Amida During Birkat Kohanim; The Kohanim’s Prayers Before and After Birkat Kohanim
Reading Tehillim or Other Parts of Tanach at Night
Some Laws of Tzedaka (Charity)
Interlocking the Fingers of the Right Hand with the Fingers of the Left Hand
Removing One’s Shoes Before Going to Sleep
Learning Torah Out Loud
Saying 'Yihee Ratzon ... SheTivne (Build) Bet HaMikdash' At The End Of The Amidah After Taking 3 Steps Back
Is it Forbidden for a Kohen to be in the Same Room as Ashes of a Dead Body?
If Fewer Than Six Men at a Minyan at Minha is Not Fasting on a Fast Day
Sleeping on Clothing Can Adversely Affect One’s Memory
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found