DailyHalacha.com for Mobile Devices Now Available

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

      
(File size: 610 KB)
Is It Permissible to Cut Fruit or Crush Ice on Shabbat?

It is prohibited to squeeze fruit on Shabbat. The question is whether one may cut fruit, which may cause juice to be extracted. For example, when making a fruit salad, there is usually juice that forms at the bottom.

The answer can be derived from a different case of crushing ice. Maran rules in accordance with the Rambam that crushing ice or snow on Shabbat is prohibited as an offshoot of "Sohet" (squeezing), since in both instances the action of squeezing extracts liquid. The Mishna Berura cites the Taz (Rabbi David Segal, Poland, 1586-1667) who holds that nevertheless, it is permitted to cut a cube of ice into smaller chips, even though water will form. The reason is that he does not have intent for the water and moreover, the water is going to be discarded.

Based on this precedent of ice, the Minhat Yishak (Rabbi Yishak Ya’akob Weiss, Jerusalem, 1902-1989) (4:99:2) permits cutting the fruit, since he does not have intent for the juice. This is also the position of the Shabbat Shelomo (p. 147).

SUMMARY
It is permitted to slice fruit on Shabbat, even though juice will be extracted.

 


Recent Daily Halachot...
If Someone Began Reciting a Beracha With the Intention of Reciting the Wrong Beracha
One Who Forgot to Add “Reseh” in Birkat Hamazon on Shabbat
The Water for Mayim Aharonim; Washing Mayim Aharonim After Touching Salted Foods
A Person Who Fell Asleep During a Meal and Then Wishes to Continue Eating
If Two People Ate a Meal and Were Joined by a Third Person Just Before Birkat Hamazon
Reciting Ha’tob Ve’ha’metib Over Wine
Washing One’s Hands After Touching His Feet or Shoes
Must One Recite Birkat Hagomel After Surviving a Near-Fatal Accident?
Reciting a Beracha Over Forbidden Food
If a Group of Ten People Recited a Zimun Without Adding “Elokenu”
If a Person Recited Birkat Ha’mazon Before the Zimun
Covering or Removing the Knives from the Table for Birkat Ha’mazon
Reciting the Beracha of Hamosi Over Bread
Fingernails and Netilat Yadayim
Netilat Yadayim: Reciting the Beracha After Drying the Hands; Speaking in Between the Washing and Drying
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found