DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

Click Here to Sponsor Daily Halacha
"Delivered to Over 6000 Registered Recipients Each Day"

      
(File size: 602 KB)
Borer: Selecting from a Mixture of Two Foods

The Halacha establishes that the prohibition of Borer applies also to mixtures in which both components are edible, but one is not desired. The undesired component becomes "relative P’solet." This Halacha is brought by Tosafot (Shabbat 74), Rambam (Shabbat 8:13) and Maran (319:4).

The conventional understanding would be that such a mixture has the same Halacha as a mixture containing inedible P’solet (waste). That is, one must select and remove the food that he desires and leave the relative P’solet. However, careful analysis of the Rambam’s language reveals a big Chidush and leniency. He says "Borer Ha’ehad Min Ha’ehad," implying that it doesn’t matter which element is selected. This is how Rabbi David Aramah and the Meirat Sefer () understands the Rambam.

The Shulhan Aruch quotes the Rambam verbatim, but the Rema adds a gloss (listen to audio for exact citation), specifying that the undesired food must remain. The Mishna Berura (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933) explains that the Rema is teaching that one must always select the desired food. Thus there is a Machloket how to understand the Rambam. The Be’ur Halacha (Rav Yisrael Meir Kagan of Radin, 1839-1933) writes that because this Machloket touches on an Isur D’oraita (Torah prohibition), one must be stringent.

SUMMARY

Even when a mixture contains two foods, one must always select and remove the food which he desires.


 


Recent Daily Halachot...
Avoiding Saying the Names of Angels and the Full Name of Satan
Respecting Parents When it Entails Great Difficulty
Respecting One’s Stepparents; Respecting Siblings
Accepting Services From a Parent
Respecting Parents After Their Passing
Standing in One’s Parent’s Honor
Must One Incur Expenses For the Misva of Honoring His Parents?
The Prohibition Against Contradicting One’s Parent
The Extent to Which the Torah Demands Respecting Parents
Acknowledging That Even Life's Misfortunes are Somehow for the Best
Collecting Interest From the Estate of a Debtor If His Inheritors are Minors
Lending Money to Gentiles on Interest
May a Renter Request a Discount in Exchange for Paying Up Front?
Receiving a Discount on Service in Exchange for Prepaying
If Somebody Owes a Worker Money But Neither of Them Has Change
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found