DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Halacha is In Memory of
 Sarah bat Leah - Danielle Panzer
"L'Iluy Nishmat Sarah bat Leah Panzer on Her 17 Year Yahrtzeit"

Dedicated By
her family

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
      
(File size: 628 KB)
Food That Was Purchased Specifically for Shabbat

The Mishna Berura (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933), in Siman 242 (Se’if Katan 9), writes that if somebody receives from another person some food for Shabbat, he should not eat that food on a weekday. Since the food was sent specifically in honor of Shabbat, it should be eaten on Shabbat. The Halachic authorities debate the question of whether this ruling was intended as strict Halacha, or as a Middat Hasidut (additional measure of piety). Either way, the Kaf Ha’haim (Rav Yaakob Haim Sofer, Baghdad-Israel, 1870-1939) writes (in Se’if Katan 18, citing the Sefer Hasidim) that if one has no need for this food, such as if he already has enough food for Shabbat, and if he leaves it until the next Shabbat it would go spoiled, or if he is not accustomed to eating this kind of food on Shabbat, then he may eat it on a weekday. Certainly, it is permissible to taste the food on Friday in fulfillment of the Misva of "To’ameha Haim Zachu" (tasting food on Ereb Shabbat to ensure its quality).

The work Piskeh Teshubot notes that this Halacha mentioned by the Mishna Berura applies only to food that one received from somebody else. If this food was earmarked for Shabbat, then it should not be eaten on a weekday. If, however, a person himself purchased food for Shabbat, he may change his mind and use it during the week. Proof may be drawn from the Gemara’s famous description of Shammai, who would sometimes find a higher quality portion of food after making his purchases for Shabbat, and in such cases he would use the first portion during the week and designate the second, higher quality portion for Shabbat. This proves that one who purchased a piece of food for Shabbat may change his mind and use it during the week. And although in the case of Shammai he changed his mind only after finding a higher quality piece of food, it stands to reason that this applies even generally, and thus one who purchased some food for Shabbat is allowed to change his mind and eat it on a weekday.

Summary: One who purchased a food for Shabbat may change his mind and eat it on a weekday. However, if somebody was sent food from another person specifically for Shabbat, he should not eat it on a weekday unless he does not need it for Shabbat and it would go spoiled if it is saved until the next Shabbat.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Sisit: The Number of Wrappings; Wearing a String of Techelet
The Two Aspects of Bikur Holim
Offering Spiritual Advice to an Ailing Patient
Anger and Drunkenness Lead To Sin
May a Professional Have His Secretary Type Confidential Information?
Giving Preference When Choosing From Whom to Buy
Must One Wash His Hands After a Handshake?
Haircutting and Shaving Before Praying Minha; Misvot That One Can Fulfill When Taking a Haircut
Inducing Labor Unnecessarily
Pictures of Animals on the Parochet and Walls in a Synagogue
A Proper Torah Perspective on Medical Treatment
Praying or Reciting Berachot in the Presence of Immodestly Dressed Women
The Special Prayer Recited Upon Entering and Exiting the Bet Midrash
Bizui Misva: The Prohibition Against Disrespectful Treatment of Misvot
Selling Non-Kosher Wine
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found