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We are beginning siman 5. We have learned that the melacha of borrer is not limited to edible vs inedible foods, but if one has a mixture of two foods in which one is desirable and one is not, the undesirable item has the status of pesoles as well. For example, if one has a mixture of peanuts and raisins, and they only want the peanuts, removing the raisins would be considered borrer, since one is removing the relative pesoles (raisins) from the ochel (peanuts).
The Chayei Adam continues, and writes that this halacha will apply to non-food items as well. For example, if one is setting the table with cutlery immediately before a meal, they are allowed to perform borrer, as we have learned. That is, they may choose the cutlery which they need and place it on the table. If one decides to remove the cutlery that they for sure will not need in order to put it away, they are removing the pesoles from ochel, and it is assur.
Another example would include choosing clothing for a child. If all of the child’s clothing is mixed in one drawer, such that they are not distinct and clear, setting out the clothing the night before would be an issue of borrer, since it is not for immediate use. If one waits until the morning, when the child is getting dressed, there is no issue of immediate use, but one must still separate the good from the bad. Thus, for example, if they are looking for underpants, they cannot move the undershirts out of the way in order to find the underpants, but must directly select the underpants. (There is a heter, which we will discuss later, when items are in clear layers to remove the entire layer, since it has a distinctiveness to it. Our case is where the items are not clearly distinct and completely mixed together.)
Thus, the Chayei Adam writes that in these cases, the items which one wishes to use are considered ochel, and the items which one does not want to benefit from at the moment are considered pesoles. One must take the item which they need now, rather than the item which they do not want. In these cases (even where the pesoles is edible but not what the person wants at the moment), it is borrer deoraysa to remove the pesoles rather than the ochel.
Summary
- Borrer applies to non-food items as well.
- In any case of borrer, pesoles does not only refer to an objective inedible or unusable item, but it includes an item which is inherently edible or useful but not of interest at the moment. The same halachos of pesoles apply to it as it does to objective pesoles.
