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We are beginning siman 13, where the Chayei Adam discusses whether peeling falls under borrer.
The Chayei Adam writes that the issur of borrer applies to peeling something. Therefore, if one wishes to peel garlic or onion, it will create a problem of borrer. Removing the inedible outer shell of peanuts or almonds will have the same problem. Being that the issur of borrer applies, it will be muttar if the criteria for borrer are met. Thus, it will be muttar if it is for immediate use (ie, for the current seudah) and done by hand.
The Mishnah Berurah points out even if the first two criteria are met, the method of peeling something is, by definition, to remove the bad from the good. If so, seemingly it will not be possible to permit borrer over here, since it is impossible to remove the good from the bad. The Mishnah Berurah explains that the opposite of borrer is derech achila. Borrer is the act of preparing something for later use, and derech achila is the opposite, where one is in the middle of the achila process and preparing something for present use. Normally, the derech achila is to remove the good from the bad in order to put the good in one’s mouth. When it comes to a peel, the derech achila is to remove the pee rather than extracting the fruit from the peel. Therefore, since it is the derech achila to peel the bad from the good, the heter of borrer will apply, and one can do so on Shabbos.
We have to clarify that the examples of the peels given by the Chayei Adam are completely inedible (shell of nuts, skin of onion or garlic). When it comes to an edible peel, such as an apple, we assume most people would eat the peel, and the peel to the fruit is no longer ochel and pesoles. It is also not considered ochel and ochel, because ochel and ochel applies when there are two different types of foods. Over here, it is the same type of food, so there is no issue of borrer at all. The issur of the Chayei Adam applies to an inedible peel, and in such a case, the act of borrer will only be muttar if it follows the criteria for borrer. Thus, for example, if one is going with young children to the park on Shabbos, they cannot peel oranges at home in order to prepare for the park, but would have to peel them once they are at the park and the children are ready to eat.
Another question we need to discuss is why this halacha does not touch on the melacha of dosh. We will discuss this question in the upcoming shiur, be’ezras Hashem.
Summary
- Peeling an inedible peel is considered derech achila, so one may peel a food on Shabbos (assuming the other two conditions are met of doing so by hand and for immediate use).
- Peeling an edible peel is not even considered the melacha of borrer, so there are no limitations on doing so
