Keeping Kosher on Shabbos

Keeping kosher on Shabbos - the Jewish Sabbath - adds a dimension to kosher observance. Some significant steps in food preparation are not permitted on Shabbos. If those regulations are not followed, the food may not be eaten.

Is your question, "Food is food - why does the day it was cooked matter?" It does matter. See our article about keeping kosher on Shabbos
and why our food is more than just ingredients and processes.
That article is about why; this one is about how.

Food Preparation on Shabbos

Melacha - Creative Activity

Melacha - work that is forbidden on Shabbos - is defined as creative activity, although usually translated simply as work. There are thirty nine major categories of melacha derived from the Torah and each has subcategories. A dozen or more of these melachos relate to food. We will discuss only the ones which you might ordinarily perform. (I doubt that you do much ploughing or planting). The categories are:

• baking and cooking
• lighting a fire
• extinguishing a fire
• selecting
• grinding
• sifting
• kneading.

By the way, when we've finished showing you what not to do, we'll also tell you what you can do and still keep kosher on Shabbos. Shabbos meals are the best of the whole week.

Cooking and Baking

Let's get right to the main event. Cooking and baking are not permitted on Shabbos; anything you eat has to be edible before sundown on Friday.
You are allowed to heat or reheat foods under certain circumstances on Shabbos (see below) if they are already cooked.

How completely cooked do they have to be? That's the subject of a whole Talmuduc discussion (and a volume of Talmud is too heavy to pick up with one hand!).

Here's a rule of thumb: if you would eat it as is before Shabbos, then heating it is heating it. If, however, you would not be able to eat it in its present state, then heating it is actually cooking it - and not permitted. It's your call.

Cooking That Doesn't Meet The Eye

By the way, now that I have you in the kitchen and the subject is cooking, there's something else you should know. Guess what happens every time you turn on the hot water tap? Yes, water comes out - from the hot water tank, right? Then what happens? The water which left the hot water tank is replaced by cold water - which is immediately cooked!

Even your water has to be kosher on Shabbos.

True, you didn't do the cooking directly. By running the water you caused the cooking indirectly. That's called gorem and is, in this case, forbidden.

Like much of Jewish observance, managing without hot water on Shabbos is much simpler in practice than in theory (so don't worry - and read on!).

Lighting and Extinguishing Fire

The Other Melachos

Kneading and sifting are self-explanatory. Selecting and grinding are not. My explanations here are very brief and if you follow them you will be keeping kosher on Shabbos. Do refer questions to an Orthodox rabbi. Can I help you find one? If so, please use the Contact Us form.

Selecting - (Borer)

Permitted - Taking a wanted substance from an unwanted substance.
Forbidden - Taking an unwanted substance from a wanted one.

Example
You have cucumber slices in brine.
You may fish them out of the brine.
You may not strain out the brine, leaving over the slices.

Example
You are served salad with pine nuts in it.
I like pine nuts in salad but if you don't what should you do?
You may not pick them out of the salad and leave them in a little pile.
You may instead eat the other parts of the salad and avoid the pine nuts.
To avoid borer, take the good from the bad on Shabbos.

Grinding - (Tochain)

This one is a little easier. Tochain is grinding or chopping very finely.
You don't have to do all such activities before Shabbos though.
The way to avoid tochain is by following two rules:
1) Chop your eggs or onions a little more coarsely than usual.
2) Do it when you need the food - not very far in advance.

It bears repeating that this site is not about Shabbos and this article
is no more than a summary about keeping kosher on Shabbos.
Don't forget to consult the rabbi.

Preparing and Serving Shabbos Meals

OK, how do you manage to serve a hot meal in spite of all the restrictions?

Just follow five rules.
1) Make sure the food is cooked/prepared before Shabbos starts.
2) Make sure the source of heat is on before Shabbos starts.
3) Keep a barrier between the heating element and the pot of food.
4) Make sure the food is in place before Shabbos starts.
5) Leave the heat on until after Shabbos ends.

Example:

1) Your chicken soup is fully cooked on Friday afternoon.
2) You bring it to a boil and leave the burner on lower heat.
3) You put a metal "blech" on top of the element.
4) You put the soup pot there before Shabbos and leave it there.
5) You don't touch the switch until after Shabbos.

Ahhh! Hot soup on Shabbos!

Example:

1) Prepare the chulent in a slow cooker. Make certain it's edible on Friday.
2) You choose the temperature setting for overnight cooking.
3) The design of the slow cooker replicates the barrier on an element.
4) Just leave the food there before Shabbos and sleep well.
5) Leave the slow cooker running until after Shabbos.

Kosher on Shabbos isn't so hard is it?

There are also exceptions to rule number four. Dry, fully-cooked foods can be reheated on Shabbos but you'll have to ask your rabbi for details.

Awareness is The Key

Our home page advises that awareness is the key factor in simplifying kosher observance. Without it we are overwhelmed. With it, keeping kosher on Shabbos becomes a series of instructions. The end result is a transformation of everything we do. Seven days a week what once was ordinary is now special. What once was mundane becomes holy.

(...and doesn't that chulent smell good?)