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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 oatmeal. When water or milk is added to oatmeal, it becomes a mass even without it being stirred. Therefore, a shinui in the stirring process will not be matir making oatmeal, because oatmeal is a belilah avah, where the lower level shinui of changing the order of the ingredients does not help, as we have learned (s486). If one makes it with enough liquid that it is a belilah raka, then it would be muttar, but one would need to ensure there is enough liquid that it will remain runny even after massing. One would still need to make the oatmeal with a shinui in both the placement of the ingredients and in stirring it.
Regarding adding sugar to oatmeal (either a belilah avah made before Shabbos, or a belilah raka made on Shabbos, as described above),
- if the mixture is thick enough that the sugar remains granulated, it would be losh to add the sugar, because they are mixing two solids (oatmeal and sugar) using the moisture which is there.
- If, however, the sugar and/or oatmeal are thick enough that the sugar only sits on top of the oatmeal without mixing, we could apply the heter we discussed regarding mayonnaise, that since nothing occurs when the ingredients are placed together, there is no concern of losh in the placement of the ingredients, and they can be placed together in a regular fashion. The mixing will need to be done in a criss-cross fashion.
- If the oatmeal is a belilah raka, they can add sugar by switching the order of the ingredients, which would mean putting the sugar in a container and adding the oatmeal on top of it. Then, the stirring should be done with a shinui as above.
- If the sugar just dissolves into the liquid, it is not considered losh.
- Regarding making oatmeal on Shabbos, oatmeal becomes a mass even without stirring it, so the placement of the ingredients is inherently losh and is assur.
- If one needs to make it on Shabbos, they would need to make a belilah raka, and would employ a shinui in both the placement of the ingredients and the stirring. A belilah avah would need to be made before Shabbos.
- Regarding adding sugar to the oatmeal, if the oatmeal is a belilah avah, one cannot add sugar if it will not dissolve, unless it is thick enough that it will sit on top and not immediately mix when placed. If it will sit, one can subsequently stir it with a shinui.
- If it is a belilah raka, one can make a shinui by switching the order of the ingredients, and stirring in a criss-cross fashion.
