We have finished siman 3, where the Chayei Adam introduced the concept of ain mechateich b’ochlin, mechateich does not apply to food. We will clarify a few more points about this concept.
- Cutting pills. We learned that the reason mechateich does not apply to food is because the chashivus of cutting something is to use it for a future, significant action. Therefore, the concept does not apply to food, which is cut and then immediately eaten. Rav Shlomo Zalman extends this idea to cutting pills. A person who needs to take medication on Shabbos, but it is not life-threatening, can cut the pill, because it is immediately consumed (Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa).
- Toilet paper. If a person does not have precut toilet paper or tissues, they will encounter the issur of mechateich when they cut it to a specific size, and koreiah fire just cutting in general. It is important to understand that for kavod habriyos, the need for a person to cut themselves, Chazal lifted many of their issurim. For example, although amira l’achum in this case would be amira on an issur deoraysa, which is generally never permitted, Chazal permit it in this case. So one suggestion is that they can ask a non-Jew to cut the toilet paper.
- There is a discussion whether it is muttar to cut pills on Shabbos or not; one should ask their rav
- Regarding cutting toilet paper, one suggestion is to instruct a non-Jew to cut it. We will discuss toilet paper further in the upcoming shiur, be’ezras Hashem.
We are beginning siman 3. The Chayei Adam writes, based on the Shulchan Aruch, that the concept of mechateich does not apply to food. Thus, if a person wants to cut a piece of cake to a certain size, or divide a pie into exact slices, the melacha of mechateich does not apply. The reason it does not apply is because it is consumed shortly thereafter, so the action of mechateich does not have chashivus as a melacha. Therefore, if the food is meant to function as a kli rather than as food, the concept of mechateich will apply. For example, if one cuts branches in order to feed their animals leaves, the food is the leaves and not the branches. Therefore the concept of melacha will apply to the branches, even if it does not apply to the leaves.
The Chayei Adam continues, and points out that mechateich can apply to the food itself, if the food is being used as a kli. For example, if one uses the food to fix a kli, such as a hole in a kli which can be plugged with a carrot. Cutting the carrot to the specific size of the hole, albeit the carrot is edible, would be chayav for the melacha of mechateich. Another example would be using bread to plug the hole. When the hole is fixed through the placement of the food, the person also transgresses the issur of tikkun kli.
Similarly, the heter for cutting food does not apply to sculpting the food into an artistic shape which falls under the melacha of koseiv. Making general shapes, such as circles or triangles, is not a problem.
Summary
The concept of mechateich does not apply to food. However, it does apply to secondary elements of the food (eg, the branch to which the leaves are attached), or food being used as a kli.
We are beginning siman 2, where the Chayei Adam gives the shiur necessary to be chayav for mechateich.
The Chayei Adam writes that one is chayav for mechateich if they cut off a piece of leather from a hide that is large enough to cover a kameiah (amulet). The Chayei Adam clarifies that, in addition to cutting a shiur’s worth of leather, one must cut it with intention to cut it to a specific size. If one cuts the leather without any specific intention for the size (ie, they will cut it and decide afterwards what to do with it), it would not fall under the chiyuv of mechateich.
We learned (s738) that the melacha of mechateich includes cutting an item to a general size within a valid range for the item, even if it is not cut to precise measurements. Another question is whether mechateich applies to other actions, such as whittling. While sometimes, the purpose of whittling is to finish the kli (tikkun kli), other times, the purpose is to create a certain shape, which could be argued is similar to cutting something to a certain size. There are poskim who therefore assume that mechateich would apply to those types of actions. Epxamples would include sharpening a pencil or cutting a piece of wood to make a toothpick. Regarding making a toothpick, the Rosh says the issur is tikkun kli, which the Rambam says the issur is mechateich, and, as we see, both aspects could be correct.
Rav Falk brings a fascinating example of mechateich: shaving down a cork in order to put it back into a bottle. In addition, according to the Rosh, it might fall under the issur of tikkun kli, so it may be assur from that angle as well.
Some scenarios of refuah on Shabbos also encounter the issur of mechateich. For example, if one is trying to cover a wound, and they need to cut surgical tape from the roll to hold down a bandage, if it is a sakanah, it is obviously muttar. If there is no sakanah, but the person is a choleh kol haguf, although issurei derabanan are lifted for this choleh, cutting the bandage to a specific size or cutting the medical tape would be issurei deoraysa and would be a problem.
Another application of mechateich is when the pages of a sefer are actually attached to each other (not just that they are compressed together, but when they are actually connected). There may be an issue of koreiah, but the Shmiras Shabbos Kehilchasa points out that it would also fall under the melacha of mechateich, because the goal is a specific size of paper.
Measuring a roll of table cover to cut it at an exact amount would be mesarteit (eg, the size of the table plus 4 includes on each side) and then cutting it is certainly mechateich. Additionally, eyeballing an approximate size and cutting it would be mechateich as well.
Summary
- The melacha of mechateich is the issur of cutting something to a specific size. The shiur given by the Chayei Adam is enough to cover a kameiah.
- The poskim assume that mechateich applies to cutting something to a specific shape, similar to cutting something to a specific size. Examples include whittling, sharpening a pencil, shaving a cork, or making a toothpick.
- Scenarios of refuah on Shabbos that will encounter mechateich include cutting a gauze to size or cutting medical tape.
- Other examples include pages of a sefer which are connected together, or cutting a specific or approximate amount of tablecloth from a tablecloth roll.
We are beginning Klal 36, which discusses the melacha of mechateich. One of steps to processing leather was cutting it to a specific size in order to use it. Thus, cutting the leather, or any other item, to a specific size is the melacha of mechateich.
The Chayei Adam writes that cutting any item which a person needs to a specific sized length or width, whether of wood, metal or even the tips of feathers (which the Gemara says were used as soft stuffing for a pillow) is chayav under the melacha of mechateich. This applies when the person wants a certain amount or size of the item, and when the cut is performed intentionally. Mechateich is different from many other melachos in that if the action is missing intention, it is not a davar she’eino miskavein, but it is not considered a melacha at all. Definitional to this melacha is the fact that the cut is a purposeful cut, so if it is lacking intention, it is not chayav at all.
Similarly, if one cuts an item for the purpose of destroying it, or to keep their hands busy, they are patur. Although the item is being cut, since it is not being cut for a functional purpose, it is not included in the issur deoraysa.
The Chayei Adam uses the language that the item in question is being cut to a “specific sized length or width”. The poskim discuss how specific the size must be in order to be included in the issur deoraysa. In the example of the Gemara of cutting feathers, the intention does not seem to be to have them at a specific measurement, but to only include the soft part of the feather. If so, Rav Falk and Rav Nissim Karelitz point out that cutting something to an approximate size would also be included in the issur of mechateich, if the cut is purposeful and fulfils its needed function.
We mentioned that there is no issur of korea to cut the twine holding together a bakery box. However, if one cut the twine at a specific place in order for the cut pieces to be of a specific size (eg, in order to use it in the future for something else), cutting the twine would fall under the issur of mechateich.
Summary
The melacha of mechateich is the issur of cutting something to a specific size. The cut must be made intentionally for the purpose of sizing the item for a functional use. It does not need to be a specific measurement, but even an approximate measurement will be chayav if it fulfills the needed function.
