Questions tagged [borer-separating]

The Melacha (forbidden work) on Shabbos of separating the bad (or unwanted) away from the good specifically in a mixture usually with food.

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4 votes
1 answer
554 views

On Shabbat, can one pour out oil from the top of peanut butter?

After peanut butter sits in a jar for a while, the oil separates and floats to the top. Is one permitted to pour out this oil on Shabbat? I'm concerned this might be borer, because this could be ...
0 votes
2 answers
473 views

Questions regarding the melacha of "borer" - separating / sorting on Shabbat

Are these two activities considered a violation of "borer" on Shabbat? Playing cards where you must separate the cards into the 4 suits (hearts, spades, diamonds, clubs) Sorting flatware into ...
2 votes
0 answers
64 views

Attendance for Minyan on School Shabbaton

A Jewish day school takes attendance for tefillah on a shabbaton by putting every students’ name on a note card, and then when that person comes to tefillah, their name is taken out of the pile and ...
5 votes
3 answers
482 views

Stopping gentile from doing borer on Shabbos

Consider the following situation. A shul makes a large Kiddush every Shabbos morning after Davening. They have many food items that need to be prepared and set up for the Kiddush however the ...
0 votes
0 answers
50 views

How do you check dates with pits on shabbos?

Dates may contain insects and should be checked before consuming (source). The only way to do this (that I am aware of) for dates with pits is to open the date and remove the pit to examine the area ...
3 votes
1 answer
89 views

Boreir by non-food items? [duplicate]

Rabbi Avrohom Davis' translation of the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch has a footnote on the boreir paragraph in the chapter on melachos forbidden on Shabbos that says that the majority of poskim rule that ...
6 votes
3 answers
583 views

Can one use a Swiss army knife on Shabbat?

There are two reasons why I would be concerned regarding using a Swiss Army knife on Shabbat: Possible violation of a melacha of creating / completing a tool. When you fold out the knife, you are "...
3 votes
2 answers
193 views

Does "borer" apply to people?

Let's say a group of people are sitting in a room. On Shabbat, are you allowed to categorize them into groups such as: Herding Men away from woman e.g at a Kiddush with a mechitza in Shul (normally ...
5 votes
2 answers
355 views

Why isn't it considered Borer to use a spoon to take cholent from a cholent pot?

There are three requirements in Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 319 to separate food (or other needed articles) from a mixture on Shabbos without it being a melacha of borer. Good from the bad. With one’s ...
1 vote
0 answers
132 views

Alphabet soup on Shabbat or Yom Tov?

May one at alphabet soup on Shabbat / Yom Tov? Concerns: Alphabet noodles possibly forming words - writing? Eating letters - erasing? By comparison, I understand that if a cake has letters on it, ...
4 votes
5 answers
371 views

Preparing a dish on Shabbos by night for the day time (in regards to Borer)

It says in SA OC Siman 321 Sif 19 in the Rema that normally it's ossur to peel garlic or onions however that's only to leave them to eat at a later time. However if it's being done to eat right away ...
2 votes
1 answer
237 views

Is one allowed to remove stems from vegetables or herbs on Shabbos?

Is one allowed to remove stems from vegetables or herbs on Shabbos? Is this borer? If it is borer, is it okay to do it if you remove some part of the vegetable on top while you remove the stem so you'...
0 votes
1 answer
168 views

How can one properly set the table on Shabbat?

If one has a pile of mixed flatware, how can one set the table on Shabbat without violating the melacha of borer? By selecting knives, spoons and forks from the pile, one is "selecting".
2 votes
2 answers
191 views

Why can we do some melachos for eating on Shabbos but not others?

I learned that certain melachos are permissible on Shabbos in the course of eating or for the purposes of eating. For example, the question of borer in light of "derech achilah"/"derech melacha" is ...
4 votes
4 answers
2k views

What's wrong with making coffee on Shabbat?

If, on Shabbat, someone pours water from a kli shlishi (which according to all opinions I'm aware of) over coffee beans which are laying on a filter is there any problem with drinking the resulting ...
6 votes
1 answer
265 views

Cutting pills on Shabbos

Assuming your Rabbi already permits you to take medicine on Shabbos for a serious chronic disease: If your doctor increases your dosage by half a pill, and the pill is already pre-scored to make it ...
5 votes
1 answer
2k views

Is it permissible to use a French Press on Yom Tov?

Is there an issue of borer when using the plunger of a French Press? What are the possible issues involved? Is it borer with a kli?
2 votes
1 answer
413 views

Loose, tea leaves on Shabbes

Is there an issue with using loose, tea leaves on Shabbes (assuming we use kos shlishi, etc)-- does putting loose-leaf tea into a spoon like the one attached in the picture an issue of borer or ...
2 votes
2 answers
786 views

Using water filter/purification system on Shabbos

(Being asked as a theoretical question. Obviously everyone should ask their LOR.) There is a water filter (or purifier) that works in the following way: The water flows into a part where there is ...
4 votes
1 answer
91 views

Food that become ossur "c'dei klipah" -- removing on Shabbos

A food that become ossur "c'dei klipah" (a "peels worth") from some sort of issur (prohibited food) is one allowed to remove the "klipah" on Shabbos? Is this an issue of borer (separating?) Are there ...
2 votes
1 answer
197 views

Borer on Shabbos -- Spilling food from a spoon with 2 foods on it

Is the following case a problem of "borer" (separating) on Shabbos? We know there can be "borer" even when dealing with two edible foods, one food that a person does want to eat and the other that ...
2 votes
1 answer
199 views

Can you leave a sieve in your sink on Shabbos?

Many people I know have a sieve in their sink that catches debris from plates when they are rinsed off after being removed from the table on Shabbos. Is this permitted, or is it borer?
3 votes
1 answer
195 views

Using a water filter, attached to the pipes, on Shabbos

When we rebuilt our kitchen, the contractor suggested attaching a water filter to the incoming water pipes. I was concerned that this might be borer if left on during Shabbos (it would be a pain to ...
7 votes
1 answer
257 views

removing a dislocated hair out of one's beard on shabbat

Is there any prohibition to remove a disconnected beard hair from a beard on Shabbat? In order to remove the hair you still may have to move away other parts of the beard to get to the hair in ...
5 votes
2 answers
129 views

On Shabbos: Shaking basket with fruits and rock, why not borer (selecting)?

It says in SA OC Siman 309 Sif 3 that on Shabbos if one wants to carry a basket that has in it fruits for the purpose of the fruits themselves if there is a rock inside of the basket as well one must ...
12 votes
2 answers
508 views

Rice in a salt shaker

Is there allowed to be rice in a salt shaker on shabbat or yom tov? Background: I was under the impression that the answer to this question is no, as for something not to be considered בורר (...