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...
Is it Permissible to Drink Wine or Grape Juice on Ereb Pesah?
Pesah – Bedikat Hametz After the Home Was Thoroughly Cleaned
Pesah – Verbally Designating Meat for Pesah
Passover- Laws of Matza: the Use of Machine Matza or Matza Made from Oats; the Beracha Over Matza; Dipping Matza in Water; Eating Matza Throughout Pesach
Pesah – The Fourth Cup of Wine at the Seder
Pesah – The Reason for Dipping Celery in Saltwater
Pesah- The Prohibition Against Eating Masa on Ereb Pesah
Pesah – Bringing Books to the Table, Using Tablecloths
Pesah – Halachot of Karpas; Reciting “Kadesh U’rhatz…” Before Each Stage of the Seder
Passover- Eating Rice on Pesah
Passover- The Fast of the Firstborn on Ereb Pesah
Ereb Pesah – Customs Regarding the Burning of Hametz; Refraining From Work on Ereb Pesah
Passover- Eating The Afikoman on Pesach Night
Passover- Buying Hametz After Pesah; Giving the Gentile Access to One’s Hametz During Pesah
The Proper Way to Dip the Marror in the Haroset
Page of 239
3585 Halachot found