DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Halacha is In Memory of
 Yehoshua ben Sarah (Alfred Sutton)

Dedicated By
His Children and Grandchildren

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
      
(File size: 582 KB)
Laws of Sovea -Is It Permissible To Use A Napkin To Wipe Strawberries or A Similar Coloring Item From Your Face on Shabbat

The Shulchan Aruch writes (320:20) that if on Shabbat a person partakes of strawberries or other foods that leave a colored residue, he may not clean his face with a cloth, as he thereby "colors" the cloth, in violation of the Shabbat prohibition of Tzovei'a (dyeing). Halacha does not forbid eating such foods, despite the "coloring" of one's face and lips that often results, but the coloring of the cloth would, indeed, be included under this prohibition.

The Radbaz (Rabbi David Ben Zimra, Egypt, 1480-1574) in Helek 4, Siman 1201) disagrees, claiming that wiping one's face has the effect of soiling the cloth, and this therefore does not constitute dyeing. He adds that he never saw anybody make a point of not cleaning his mouth after eating strawberries and the like on Shabbat.

Nevertheless, since the Shulchan Aruch rules stringently in this regard, a person who wishes to clean his face on Shabbat after eating foods that leave a colored residue should first wash his face with water and only then wipe it with a cloth. If no water is available, then he may clean his face with a cloth even without water.

It should be noted that this Halacha applies only to cloth napkins; one may use disposable, paper napkins to clean his face on Shabbat, and he is not required to first wash his face with water.

Summary: If one eats foods such as strawberries that leave colored residue on his face, he may clean his face with a disposable napkin. He should not clean his face with a cloth napkin until he first removes the residue with water.

(Halichot Olam, Helek 4, Page 284)

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
How Many Men Who Have Already Prayed May be Counted For a Minyan to Allow the Repetition of the Amida?
Should One Stand When Reciting “Nishmat Kol Hai” on Shabbat Morning?
Praying & Learning While at Work
Who Receives the First Aliya if There is No Kohen in the Synagogue?
May a Kohen Refuse the First Aliya?
Must One Stop His Learning To Help Complete A Minyan
Lending & Borrowing Tefilin
The Procedure for Taking Three Steps Back After the Amida
Torah Reading – If the Oleh Recites the Wrong Beracha
If A Minyan Becomes Less Than 10 During The Reading of Sefer Torah
The Prohibition Against Leaving the Synagogue During the Torah Reading
Reciting Kaddish After the Torah Reading
Which Daily Prayers Must a Woman Recite?
The Value of Praying Where One Learns, and Praying in the Synagogue
Can Someone be Counted Towards a Minyan if He is Sleeping?
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found