Siman רס"ה · 4 Seifim
First approach to Siman רס"ה: the 4 seifim of the Mechaber regarding vessels placed under (or beside) the Shabbos lamp. Learning the concepts of mechabeh (extinguishing), mevatel kli meheichano (nullifying a vessel from its use), and gerama d'kibui (indirect cause of extinguishing).
Topic: Vessels under the lamp — laws of Shabbos
Source: Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim Siman רס"ה (4 seifim)
Compilation: רב יוסף חיים סממה
DAAT · daattorah.com
📑 Plan of Study
1. The Text of the Shulchan Aruch
Siman רס"ה contains 4 seifim codifying a single practical theme: may one place a vessel under (or beside) a lit Shabbos lamp? Depending on the case, the rule changes — and the te'amim (reasons) differ.
Seif Alef — Perforated vessel of oil above the lamp
דִּין כֵּלִים הַנִּתָּנִים תַּחַת הַנֵּר. וּבוֹ ד' סְעִיפִים.
אֵין נוֹתְנִין כְּלִי מְנוּקָּב מָלֵא שֶׁמֶן עַל פִּי הַנֵּר כְּדֵי שֶׁיְּהֵא נוֹטֵף בְּתוֹכוֹ, גְּזֵרָה שֶׁמָּא יִסְתַּפֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ וְיִתְחַיֵּב מִשּׁוּם מְכַבֶּה. וְאִם חִבְּרוֹ לוֹ בְּסִיד אוֹ בְּחַרְסִית — מֻתָּר, דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁהוּא כְּלִי אֶחָד, בָּדִיל מִינֵּיהּ מִשּׁוּם אִסּוּר שַׁבָּת.
Seif Bet — Bowl of oil beside the lamp with wick
לֹא יְמַלֵּא קְעָרָה שֶׁמֶן וְיִתְּנֶנָּה בְּצַד הַנֵּר, וְיִתֵּן רֹאשׁ הַפְּתִילָה בְּתוֹכָהּ בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁתְּהֵא שׁוֹאֶבֶת, גְּזֵרָה שֶׁמָּא יִסְתַּפֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ.
Seif Gimmel — Vessel under the lamp to catch the dripping oil
אֵין נוֹתְנִין כְּלִי בְּשַׁבָּת תַּחַת הַנֵּר לְקַבֵּל שֶׁמֶן הַנּוֹטֵף, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מְבַטֵּל כְּלִי מֵהֵיכָנוֹ. וּמֻתָּר לִתְּנוֹ מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם. וְהַשֶּׁמֶן הַנּוֹטֵף — אָסוּר לְהִסְתַּפֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ בְּשַׁבָּת. הַגָּהָה (רמ"א): וְאָסוּר לִיגַּע בְּנֵר דּוֹלֵק כְּשֶׁהוּא תָּלוּי, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְטַלְטְלוֹ, וְאֵין בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם מֻקְצֶה בִּנְגִיעָה בְּעָלְמָא — מִכָּל מָקוֹם אָסוּר, פֶּן יִתְנַדְנֵד קְצָת מִנְּגִיעָתוֹ וְיַטֶּה.
Hagahah of the Rema: it is forbidden to touch a hanging lit lamp — even without moving it, even without picking it up: out of concern that the pressure of one's finger might make it sway, and that one might tilt it (yateh) — which would alter the combustion (hence mateh esh = a form of mav'ir or mechabeh).
Seif Dalet — Vessel under the lamp to catch the sparks
נוֹתְנִים כְּלִי תַּחַת הַנֵּר לְקַבֵּל נִיצוֹצוֹת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם מַמָּשׁ, וְאֵין כָּאן בִּטּוּל כְּלִי מֵהֵיכָנוֹ. אֲבָל לֹא יִתֵּן לְתוֹכוֹ מַיִם — אֲפִלּוּ מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם — מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְּקָרֵב זְמַן כִּיבּוּי הַנִּיצוֹצוֹת. וּמִכָּל מָקוֹם מֻתָּר לִיתֵּן מַיִם בָּעֲשָׁשִׁית שֶׁמַּדְלִיקִים בָּהּ בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאֵינוֹ מִתְכַּוֵּין לְכִיבּוּי אֶלָּא לְהַגְבִּיהַּ הַשֶּׁמֶן. הַגָּהָה (רמ"א): וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים אֲפִלּוּ מִתְכַּוֵּין לְכִיבּוּי — שָׁרֵי, מֵאַחַר שֶׁאֵין הַמַּיִם בְּעַיִן אֶלָּא תַּחַת הַשֶּׁמֶן, לֹא הָוֵי אֶלָּא גְּרַם כִּיבּוּי, וְכֵן נוֹהֲגִין (סמ"ג).
However, one does not put water in this vessel — even before Shabbos — because this would hasten the moment of extinguishing of the sparks: this is a form of gerama d'kibui (indirect cause of extinguishing).
Exception: one may put water in the oil lamp itself (ashashis) before Shabbos, because the intent is not to extinguish but to raise the level of the oil — water being denser, the oil rises above the wick, which prolongs the burning.
Hagahah of the Rema: some authorities permit it even when one intends to extinguish — for the water is not directly in contact with the flame (it is beneath the oil), so this is only gerama d'kibui. And this is the prevalent custom.
2. The General Context
What is this siman about?
In the 14th century, the Shabbos lamp is not a simple wax candle: it is generally an oil lamp — an oil container in which a wick is dipped. The oil can flow through a hole (case 1), burn down in drops (case 3), or the wick can produce sparks (case 4).
The practical question posed: what to do with this oil or these sparks? May one place a vessel underneath to catch them cleanly? Or does contact with the flame render the vessel unusable on Shabbos (muktzeh)?
The central halachic stake: avoiding extinguishing
All the rules of the siman converge on one concern: not to create a situation where one might be tempted to take some oil (or sparks, or an object in contact with the flame), which — directly or indirectly — would shorten the duration of burning. Now "reducing burning" = mechabeh (extinguishing) = melachah d'oraisa.
- מכבה — the primary melachah (extinguishing the flame, directly or by shortening)
- מבטל כלי מהיכנו — nullifying a vessel from its use through contact with muktzeh
- גרם כיבוי — indirect cause of extinguishing: intermediate status (generally permitted)
Place in Hilchos Shabbos
Siman רס"ה follows siman 264 (wicks and oils permitted for the Shabbos lamp) and precedes siman 266 (a traveler overtaken by Shabbos). It is the second part of a mini-sequence on the Shabbos lamp begun in siman 263 (mitzvah of lighting) and 264 (fuels). Here we deal with the relationship between the lamp and the vessels surrounding it.
3. Key Concept 1 — Mechabeh (Extinguishing)
For our siman, it is the extended form that counts: removing oil destined to burn amounts to shortening the burning — hence extinguishing. Chazal feared that a user, seeing an accessible oil reserve (the perforated vessel of seif 1, the bowl of seif 2), might yield to the temptation of using it for another purpose. Hence the gezeirah (preventive decree): these arrangements are not permitted even if the person has no intention of taking from it.
4. Key Concept 2 — Mevatel Kli Meheichano
The vessel is not broken nor physically destroyed. But once filled with oil that has become muktzeh (because it touched the flame), one can no longer move this vessel nor use it until the end of Shabbos. For Chazal, it is as if one had "broken" its preparation for Shabbos — the object has left the useful circuit.
- Before Shabbos, the vessel is not yet in contact with muktzeh — it is free
- The prohibition of mevatel kli applies only when one creates the Shabbos situation by placing the vessel during the holy day
- Once placed before Shabbos, one has no obligation to remove it — it has already "accepted" its role as receptacle
5. Key Concept 3 — Gerama D'Kibui (Indirect Cause of Extinguishing)
Famous historical example: one surrounds the walls of a burning house with vessels full of water. The flame reaches them, the vessels burst (from thermal expansion), the water spreads and extinguishes the fire. This is not direct mechabeh — but it is a predictable cause.
Halachic position: gerama d'kibui is permitted in case of a fire that would threaten lives (pikuach nefesh). In other cases, there is debate — some permit gerama, others prohibit out of concern lest one slip into direct mechabeh.
The Mechaber permits only if the intent is to raise the oil. The Rema (citing the Smag) extends: even with intent to extinguish, it is permitted — the practice is widespread.
6. The Detail of the 4 Seifim — One by One
Seif 1 — the suspended perforated vessel
| Case | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Perforated vessel of oil suspended above the lamp, feeding the wick through the holes | Forbidden (gezeirah) | Temptation to take oil = shortening burning = mechabeh |
| Same vessel, but firmly attached to the lamp (lime or clay) | Permitted | The vessel and the lamp form a single piece; one instinctively refrains from taking (badil minei) |
Seif 2 — the bowl beside with a drawing wick
A variation of seif 1, in a different arrangement: the bowl is not above but beside the lamp. The free end of the wick is dipped in the oil bowl: by capillarity, the wick draws up the oil and conducts it to the flame.
Status: forbidden for the same reason as seif 1 — the oil is accessible, temptation to take, hence gezeirah (Chazal forbid even when the person says "I will not take from it").
Seif 3 — vessel under the lamp to catch the dripping oil
| When the vessel is placed | Status | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| During Shabbos | Forbidden | Mevatel kli meheichano — the oil caught becomes muktzeh, hence the vessel becomes unusable |
| Before Shabbos (erev Shabbos) | Permitted | The vessel was already "designated" for this use before Shabbos — no nullification on Shabbos |
| Using the caught oil on Shabbos | Forbidden | This oil, separated from the flame, is muktzeh — using it amounts to benefiting from the "wick reserve" |
Seif 4 — vessel under the lamp to catch the sparks
A case distinct from seif 3: the sparks (nitzotzos) are not matter (oil) but luminous projections without permanent physical substance. When they fall into the vessel, they extinguish on their own — no muktzeh created. Hence no mevatel kli meheichano.
Consequence: one may place the vessel for sparks even during Shabbos. This is one of the rare cases where one may intervene near a lit lamp on Shabbos.
Exception (continuation of seif 4): putting water at the bottom of an oil lamp before Shabbos. The purpose: to raise the oil (density). The declared intent is positive — to prolong burning. The Mechaber permits.
Position of the Rema (continuation): citing the Smag, the Rema goes further — even with intent to extinguish (knowing that the water will eventually be reached), it is permitted: the water is not in direct contact with the flame (it is beneath the oil), so this is not a direct act of extinguishing but gerama d'kibui. The Ashkenazi minhag follows this position.
7. The Mishnah Berurah — Opening Entries
The Mishnah Berurah of Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (the Chofetz Chaim) contains 18 entries on this siman. The first clarify subtle points of the first 2 seifim:
For the complete 18 entries, see Sefaria: Mishnah Berurah 265.
8. The Position of the Rema — 2 Important Hagahos
The Rema adds two hagahos to this siman:
Hagahah 1 (on seif 3) — do not touch the suspended lamp
The Mechaber said: one does not place the vessel under the lamp on Shabbos (mevatel kli). The Rema extends: one also does not touch the suspended lamp, even without moving it. Reason: the pressure of a finger may cause the lamp to sway, and tilting the wick alters the burning (mateh esh).
Hagahah 2 (on seif 4) — water beneath the oil, even with intent to extinguish
The Rema extends the Mechaber's heter: putting water at the bottom of the lamp even with intent to extinguish (at the moment the flame reaches it) remains permitted — this is gerama d'kibui, not direct mechabeh. The Ashkenazi minhag follows the Smag.
9. Modern Practical Cases
The devices of the era (oil lamps, suspended wicks) have given way to new objects. How does one apply the principles of siman רס"ה today?
| Situation | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Classic Shabbos candles (wax/wick) | If a candle drips tallow/wax onto a tray, is this tray muktzeh on Shabbos? Yes — melted wax that has fallen is muktzeh. If the tray was placed before Shabbos, it's OK (no mevatel kli). If one needs to place the tray during Shabbos (e.g., in case of unforeseen leakage) — problematic situation, to be discussed with a Rav. |
| Electric night-light with heat accumulation | Siman 265 deals with a physical case (falling oil/wax). For an electric night-light, there is nothing to catch — the question disappears. However, the principles of mechabeh apply: do not reduce brightness, do not extinguish it. |
| Tray / metal platter at the start of Shabbos | If one anticipates that drops of wax will fall, one must place the vessel/tray before lighting. Once Shabbos has begun, one cannot add any more (mevatel kli). |
| Sparks from a suspended candle (chandelier) | One may place a tray under the chandelier on Shabbos to catch the sparks — this is direct application of seif 4. But no water in it. |
| Traditional kerosene / oil lamp | Direct application of seif 4: adding water before Shabbos to raise the oil is permitted. If one is Ashkenazi, even with intent to prolong or extinguish — the Rema permits. |
| Hanging chandelier | Do not touch it on Shabbos (Hagahah of the Rema, seif 3). Not even to push it slightly, not even to adjust its position. If a candle leans, one leaves it leaning until the end of Shabbos. |
10. Practical Synthesis of the Siman
- No oil vessel connected to the lamp — neither perforated above, nor a bowl beside with a wick: temptation to take = mechabeh (seifim 1-2).
- Vessel under the lamp before Shabbos — OK: to catch the dripping oil/wax. But the caught oil remains muktzeh during Shabbos (seif 3).
- Vessel under the lamp during Shabbos — forbidden for oil (mevatel kli), permitted only for sparks (seifim 3-4).
- No water in the vessel under the lamp (would hasten extinguishing). But water beneath the oil in the lamp — permitted before Shabbos, and per the Rema, regardless of intent (seif 4).
- ✓ All candles placed on a stable support, not suspended (or if suspended: I will not touch it)
- ✓ If I anticipate drips: tray placed now
- ✓ Wick well placed in the oil, no auxiliary bowl
- ✓ If I want to prolong burning: water beneath the oil in the lamp — it is permitted
11. Comprehension Questions
- What are the 4 cases covered by Siman רס"ה?
- Why is the suspended perforated vessel forbidden when it simply feeds the flame?
- What is the difference between placing the vessel before Shabbos and placing it during Shabbos? Which melachah comes into play?
- Why may one place a vessel for sparks during Shabbos?
- What does the water do in the lamp according to the Mechaber? And according to the Rema (Smag)?
- What is the difference between direct mechabeh and gerama d'kibui?
- Why does the Rema forbid even touching a suspended lamp?
To Go Further
- 📚 Level 2 — Lamdan: the sugya of Shabbos 47b-48a, machlokes R' Shimon/Chachamim on mevatel kli, chakirah on gerama d'kibui
- ✨ Level 3 — Synthesis: central axiom, mnemonic, decision tree in 4 cases
- 📜 Level 4 — Daat HaRav: the shittah of the Alter Rebbe on this siman (9 seifim + Kuntress Acharon)