Rephael Cattan

  We have finished siman 5, and were discussing cases in which it would be muttar to create a belilah avah on Shabbos. We learned that if the ingredients naturally mix when they are first placed together, even according to Rabbi Yosi Ben Rabbi Yehuda there is no heter to mix them together, even for […]

  We are beginning siman 6, which discusses a similar point to siman 5. The Chayei Adam discusses using honey to bind sesame seeds, similar to the flax and sesame with water discussed in siman 5. Mixing the honey and sesame seeds will be a problem of losh. If there is too much honey, one

  We are continuing in siman 5. The Chayei Adam had given the example of flax or sesame seeds and how they naturally begin to absorb liquid even without being stirred. We learned that one would be chayav for the placement of the ingredients, even without stirring them.   Another application of this halacha is

We are beginning siman 5. The Gemara says that if a person puts flax or sesame seeds into water, the natural chemicals in the flax or sesame absorb water, and it becomes a mass by itself without any stirring. The placement of the seeds with water already makes a person chayav for losh, even according

  We are beginning siman 3. The Chayei Adam writes that if one adds ground matzah into a mixture called med, they need to be careful that the mixture remains a thin mixture (belilah raka) and does not become too thick (belilah avah). Additionally, one should change the order of the placement of the ingredients.

We are beginning siman 2, where the Chayei Adam discusses creating mustard or horseradish. Both are created by grinding up the original item and mixing it with vinegar. The Chayei Adam writes that if vinegar was not added before Shabbos, it is assur to add vinegar on Shabbos, as it creates a belilah avah and

We are continuing in siman 1, where the Chayei Adam is discussing preparing bran for animals. We learned that even if one adds water before Shabbos, it cannot be mixed on Shabbos in a normal fashion. One must employ a shinui. The Chayei Adam described two methods, either pouring between two containers, or a criss

  We are continuing in siman 1. We have seen the Chayei Adam bring the opinions mentioned in the introduction: the machlokes Rabbi Yosi Ben Rabbi Yehuda and Rebbi, and the machlokes between the Rambam and other rishonim regarding the difference between bar gibul and not bar gibul. The Chayei Adam concluded that we are

  We are beginning Klal 19, which discusses the melacha of losh. Losh is translated as kneading, because it is the closest English word which describes the losh process. However, it does not fully capture the melacha. The melacha is the process of combining a solid together with a liquid in order to create a

  We have finished Klal 18, and are discussing a few points not mentioned in the Chayei Adam. If a person makes tea and wishes to remove the teabag on Shabbos, if they remove the teabag and allow the water within the teabag to drip out, it is merakeid. The paper of the teabag is

  We have finished Klal 18, and need to refer back to a few points made by the Chayei Adam in Klal 16 regarding borer (s432-433) which apply over here.   If a person uses a filter to filter impurities, according to one opinion in the Gemara, it is a toldah of merakeid. We learned

  We are beginning siman 3, which discusses a scenario of unintentional merakeid. The Chayei Adam will give the example of one who wishes to transport a food item which has both small and large pieces. The smaller pieces are generally the unusable pieces, and the person wishes to transport the mixture in a sieve.

  We are continuing in siman 2, where we began learning about merakeid for the purpose of airing out the flour, without separating any impurities. We learned that it is assur miderabanan, because, although it is not an act of separating, it is using a kli unique for merakeid.    The Chayei Adam ends the

  We are beginning siman 1. The Chayei Adam writes that if a person performs an act of sifting, they are culpable for the issur deoraysa of merakeid. Parenthetically, the term merakeid comes from the word rikud, dance. When a person shakes a sifter, the particles inside look like they are dancing. If a person