Does Boreir Apply to Vessels?

Question

I was learning about Boreir today and noticed at some point poskim started applying boreir to vessels. When is the earliest source of this? Do any communities reject this idea outright?

Answer 1

Yes Borer applies to non-food items (including vessels) as well.

This is based on the Gemara in Shabbos (74b).

The Aruch Hashulchan (319:7-9) states this as well:

חיובא דבורר לאו דוקא במיני אוכלין, דהא אמרינן בשבת (ע"ד:): "אמר רבא: האי מאן דעביד חביתא - חייב ז' חטאות, האי מאן דעביד תנורא - חייב ח' חטאות, האי מאן דעביד חלתא - חייב י"א חטאות".ופירש רש"י: בחביתא בירר הצרורות הגסות מתוכן - הרי שתים, ובתנורא פירש גם כן כן, ובחלתא כתב: 'כוורת של קנים... בירר יפות הרי זה בורר וכו' ע"ש, הרי שבכל דבר שייך ברירה. והסברא כן הוא, דהא במשכן הוה ברירה בסממנים, וגם הם אינן לאכילה (וכן כתב הט"ז סקי"ב).

The idea being that it is based on the actual work done in the Mishkan, that the act of borer was done in the preparation of the סממנים which was not for food, thus borer applies to all things equally.

However there is a discussion within the poskim about how far this goes ie. Whether this applies to things which are clearly differentiated (see the aruch Hashulchan siman 8)

As far as communities that may reject this, I am not aware of any community that denies this, as it is a seemingly explicit Gemara that is quoted in the Halachic sources.

Though, as referenced above, regarding the actual application of it or how far it extends may perhaps have a communal element to it. But I am personally unaware.