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DAAT · LEVEL 1 — INTRODUCTION
Siman 321 · 19 Seifim
Tolesh, tochen, me'abed, lash on Shabbos — to discover and understand
סימן שכ״א
דִּינֵי תּוֹלֵשׁ בְּשַׁבָּת וְדֵין טוֹחֵן וְדִין תִּקּוּנֵי מַאֲכָל אוֹ מְעַבֵּד וְלָשׁ
🌱 Introductory Level · Beginners
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First approach to Siman 321: full Hebrew text of the Mechaber, fluent English translation, pedagogical explanations of halachic concepts, modern practical cases and summary.
📑 Study Plan
1. The text of the Shulchan Aruch — the 19 seifim of the Mechaber
2. The general context: why this siman, what is the question?
3. The key halachic concepts of this siman
4. Detail of the seifim — one by one
5. The Mishnah Berurah — first entries
6. The Rema's position — Ashkenazic vs Sephardic differences
7. Modern practical cases
8. Practical summary and rules to remember
9. Comprehension questions
1. The text of the Shulchan Aruch
Siman 321 contains 19 seifim of the Mechaber (Rabbi Yosef Karo) which codify the laws relating to tolesh (plucking), tochen (grinding), me'abed (tanning/salting), lash (kneading) on Shabbos.
Seif 1 — Herbs: food use vs fuel
דיני תולש בשבת ודין טוחן ודין תיקוני מאכל או מעבד ולש. ובו יט סעיפים:
חבילי פאה אזוב וקורנית [פירוש מין עשב] הכניסן לעצים אין מסתפקין מהם הכניסן למאכל בהמה קוטם ואוכל ביד אבל לא בכלי ומולל בראשי אצבעותיו:
Translation: Bundles of pe'ah, hyssop, and savory (types of herbs): if one brought them in as firewood — one does not take from them (they are muktzeh). If one brought them in as animal feed — one may break off and eat by hand, but not with a utensil, and one crumbles them with the fingertips (in an unusual manner, to avoid tochen).
What this seif says:
- Bundles of savory, hyssop and thyme — if he brought them in for firewood: one does not take from them.
- If he brought them in for cattle fodder: he snips and eats by hand, but not with a vessel, and rubs with his fingertips.
Seif 2 — Preparing brine
אין עושין מי מלח הרבה ביחד לתת לתוך הכבשים משום דדמי לעיבוד אבל יכול לעשות ממנו מעט לתת לתוך התבשיל ואם נתן לתוכו שני שלישי מלח אסור לעשות ממנו אפילו מעט:
Translation: One does not prepare a large quantity of brine (salt water) at once to pour over pickled foods — because this resembles tanning (me'abed). But one may prepare a small quantity to put into a dish. And if one added two-thirds salt (highly concentrated brine) — it is forbidden to make even a small quantity.
What this seif says:
- One does not make brine in quantity to put into the pickles — because it resembles tanning.
- But he may make a little of it to put into the dish.
- And if he put two thirds salt into it — forbidden to make even a little.
Seif 3 — Salting radishes — like pickling
אסור למלוח חתיכות צנון ד' או ה' ביחד מפני שנראה ככובש כבשין והכובש אסור מפני שהוא כמבשל אלא מטבל כל אחת לבדה ואוכלה אבל בצים מותר למלחן:
Translation: It is forbidden to salt together four or five pieces of radish, because it appears like pickling (kovesh kevashin) — and pickling is forbidden, because it is like cooking. But he dips each piece separately and eats it. Eggs, however, may be salted.
What this seif says:
- Forbidden to salt four or five pieces of radish together — because it looks like pickling, and pickling is forbidden because it is like cooking.
- Rather he dips each one alone and eats it.
- But eggs — permitted to salt them.
Seif 4 — Dipping one by one and setting them together
יש מי שכתב שמותר לטבול כמה חתיכות צנון אחת אחת לבדה ולהניחם יחד לפניו כדי לאכלם מיד זו אחר זו:
Translation: One authority wrote that it is permitted to dip several pieces of radish one by one, separately, and to set them down together before him in order to eat them at once, one after another.
What this seif says:
- There is one who wrote that it is permitted to dip several pieces of radish, one at a time, each alone, and set them together before him.
- Provided it be to eat them at once, one after another.
Seif 5 — Salting cooked meat and a cooked egg
אסור למלוח בשר מבושל או ביצה מבושלת להניחה:
Translation: It is forbidden to salt cooked meat or a cooked egg in order to set it aside.
What this seif says:
- Forbidden to salt cooked meat or a cooked egg — to keep it.
Seif 6 — Beans and lentils cooked in their skins
אין למלוח ביחד הרבה פולין ועדשים שנתבשלו בקליפתן:
Translation: One should not salt together a quantity of beans and lentils cooked in their skins.
What this seif says:
- One does not salt together many beans and lentils cooked in their husk.
Seif 7 — Pounding pepper — with a knife-handle, in a dish
מותר לדוך פלפלין אפילו הרבה יחד והוא שידוכם בקתא של סכין ובקערה:
Translation: It is permitted to pound pepper, even a quantity together — provided he pounds it with a knife-handle and in a dish.
What this seif says:
- Permitted to crush peppers, even many together — provided he crush them with the haft of a knife and in a bowl.
- It is the change of vessel that permits it.
Seif 8 — Crushing salt
אין כותתין מלח במדוך של עץ אבל מרסק הוא ביד של סכין ובעץ הפרור ואינו חושש: הגה ודוקא מלח הגס אבל מלח שהיה דק מתחלה ונתבשל ונעשה פתיתין מותר לחתכן בסכין כמו שחותך הפת [כל בו]:
Translation: One does not crush salt with a wooden pestle; but he may break it up with a knife-handle or with the wood of a ladle, and need not be concerned. Rama's gloss: and this specifically for coarse salt; but salt that was fine to begin with, which was cooked and became lumps, may be cut with a knife as one cuts bread (Kol Bo).
What this seif says:
- One does not pound salt in a wooden mortar; but he crushes it with the haft of a knife and the handle of the ladle, and need not be concerned.
- Rama: and this of coarse salt; but salt fine from the outset, which cooked and set into lumps — permitted to cut it with a knife, as one cuts bread.
Seif 9 — Cutting fine — cooked and raw
מותר לחתוך בשר מבושל או צלי דק דק בסכין: הגה אבל אסור לחתוך דק דק בשר חי לפני העופות הואיל ואינן יכולים לאכלו בלא חיתוך קמשוי לה אוכל [תה״ד סי' כ״ז] [ועיין לעיל סי' שכ״ד ס״ז]:
Translation: It is permitted to cut very fine with a knife meat that is cooked or roasted. Rama's gloss: but it is forbidden to cut raw meat very fine before fowl — since they cannot eat it without cutting, he thereby makes it into food (Terumas ha-Deshen — and see above siman 324, seif ז).
What this seif says:
- Permitted to cut cooked or roasted meat very fine with a knife.
- Rama: but forbidden to cut raw meat very fine before the fowl — since they cannot eat it without cutting, he thereby makes it food.
Seif 10 — Grating cheese
אסור לגרור הגבינה בשבת במורג חרוץ בעל פיפיות שקורין ראלי״ו:
Translation: It is forbidden to grate cheese on Shabbos with a toothed, many-edged grater, called ralio.
What this seif says:
- Forbidden to grate cheese on Shabbat — with the toothed grater with blades.
Seif 11 — Watering what is already plucked
מותר להשקות את התלוש כדי שלא יכמוש:
Translation: It is permitted to water what has already been plucked, so that it should not wilt.
What this seif says:
- Permitted to water what is already detached — so that it not wither.
- Detached, it is no longer joined to the ground: watering it grows nothing.
Seif 12 — Cutting vegetables fine — tochen
המחתך הירק דק דק חייב משום טוחן. הגה וה״ה דאסור לחתוך גרוגרות וחרובים לפני זקנים [ב״י בשם תוספתא] ודוקא פירות וכדומה לזה אסור אבל מותר לפרר לחם לפני התרנגולים דהואיל וכבר נטחן אין לחוש דאין טוחן אחר טוחן [הגה״מ פרק כ״א ומרדכי ור״ן פרק כלל גדול וסמ״ג] וכל זה לא מיירי אלא לחותך ומניח אבל אם לאכלו מיד הכל שרי מידי דהוי אבורר לאכול מיד דשרי [תשובת הרשב״א והר״ן פרק כלל גדול] כדלעיל סי' שי״ט:
Translation: One who cuts vegetables very fine is liable on account of tochen (grinding). Rama's gloss: and likewise it is forbidden to cut dried figs and carobs before the elderly (Beis Yosef in the name of the Tosefta). And this applies specifically to fruit and the like; but it is permitted to crumble bread before the hens, since it has already been ground there is no concern — there is no tochen after tochen (Hagahos Maimoniyos, Mordechai, Ran and Semag). And all this refers only to one who cuts and sets aside; but if it is to eat at once, all is permitted — just as with borer, where selecting to eat at once is permitted (Responsa of the Rashba and the Ran), as above in siman 319.
What this seif says:
- One who cuts the vegetable very fine is liable for grinding.
- Rama: and the same for dried figs and carobs before the elderly; but permitted to crumble bread before the hens — already ground, there is no grinding after grinding.
- And all this speaks only of one who cuts and sets aside: to eat at once, all is permitted, as with selecting to eat at once.
Seif 13 — Taking honey from the hive
אסור לרדות דבש מהכורת [פי' הקן שהדבורים עושים בו הדבש] מפני שדומה לתולש: הגה ודוקא אם דבוקים בכוורת [המגיד פרק כ״א] אבל אם נתלשו מבעוד יום או שנתרסקו מבעוד יום והדבש צף בכוורת מותר לרדותו בשבת [ב״י]:
Translation: It is forbidden to take honey from the hive [explanation: the comb in which the bees make the honey], because it resembles tolesh (detaching). Rama's gloss: and this specifically if they adhere to the hive (Maggid); but if they were detached while it was still day, or crushed while it was still day and the honey floats in the hive, it is permitted to take it on Shabbos (Beis Yosef).
What this seif says:
- Forbidden to take honey from the hive — because it resembles detaching.
- Rama: and this of combs stuck to the hive; but if they were detached while still day, or crushed while still day and the honey floats in the hive — permitted to take it on Shabbat.
Seif 14 — Gibul — kneading, and the reversed order
אין מגבלין (פי' נתינת מים בקמח נקרא גיבול) קמח קלי הרבה שמא יבא ללוש קמח שאינו קלוי ומותר לגבל את הקלי מעט מעט אבל תבואה שלא הביאה שליש שקלו אותה ואח״כ טחנו אותה טחינה גסה שהרי הוא כחול והיא הנקראת שתיתא מותר לגבל ממנה בחומץ וכיוצא בו הרבה בבת אחת והוא שיהי' רך אבל קשה אסור מפני שנראה כלש (ואפי' ברך) צריך לשנות כיצד נותן את השתיתא ואח״כ נותן את החומץ:
Translation: One does not knead (explanation: putting water into flour is called gibul) much parched flour, lest he come to knead unparched flour; and it is permitted to knead the parched little by little. But grain that had not reached a third of its ripening, which was parched and then ground with a coarse grinding, so that it is like sand — and that is what is called shesisa — may be kneaded in quantity all at once with vinegar or the like, provided it is soft; but stiff is forbidden, since it appears like kneading. (And even where it is soft) he must make a change: how? He puts in the shesisa first, and then the vinegar.
What this seif says:
- One does not knead much parched flour — lest he come to knead flour that is not parched; and it is permitted to knead the parched little by little.
- But the שתיתא — grain that had not reached a third of its growth, parched then coarsely ground, being like sand — permitted to knead much of it at once with vinegar, provided it be soft; hard is forbidden, because it looks like kneading.
- Rama: and even for the soft a change is required — he puts in the שתיתא and afterwards the vinegar.
Seif 15 — Mustard kneaded before Shabbos
חרדל שלשו מע״ש למחר יכול לערבו הן ביד הן בכלי ונותן לתוכו דבש ולא יטרוף לערבו בכח אלא מערבו מעט מעט:
Translation: Mustard that was kneaded before Shabbos: the next day he may stir it, whether by hand or with a vessel, and put honey into it — but he should not beat it to mix it forcefully; he stirs it little by little.
What this seif says:
- Mustard kneaded on the eve of Shabbat: the next day he may stir it, by hand or with a vessel, and put honey into it.
- But he shall not beat it to mix it forcefully — he mixes it little by little.
Seif 16 — Cress and garlic — stirring without beating
שחלים [פי' שחלים בערבי תכא לשאר ובלע״ז קרישין] שדכן מערב שבת למחר נותן יין וחומץ ולא יטרוף אלא מערב וכן שום שדכו מע״ש למחר נותן פול וגריסין ולא יטרוף אלא מערב: הגה וי״א דלא יערב בכף אלא ביד [אור זרוע ומרדכי סוף פרק תולין] ויש אומרים דהא דשרי לערב משקה בחרדל דוקא שנתנו מבעוד יום אבל בשבת אסור לתת משקה בחרדל או בשום הכתושים משום לש: הגה ואם נתן האוכל תחלה ואח״כ החומץ או היין ומערבו באצבעו שרי דהוי שינוי כמו בשתיתא דלעיל וכן נוהגין להתיר ע״י שינוי ומקום שדרכו לעשות כך בחול יתן בשבת החומץ תחלה ואח״כ האוכל:
Translation: Cress [explanation: shachalim, in Arabic takha lisa'ar, in the vernacular krishin] that he pounded before Shabbos: the next day he puts in wine and vinegar, and does not beat but only stirs. Likewise garlic that he pounded before Shabbos: the next day he puts in bean and groats, and does not beat but only stirs. Rama's gloss: and some say he should not stir with a spoon but with the hand (Or Zarua and Mordechai). And some say that this permission to stir liquid into mustard applies only where he put it in while it was still day; but on Shabbos it is forbidden to put liquid into pounded mustard or garlic, on account of lash (kneading). Rama's gloss: and if he put the food in first and then the vinegar or wine, and stirs with his finger, it is permitted — for that is a shinui, as with the shesisa above. And so the custom is to permit by means of a shinui; and in a place where it is usual to do it that way on weekdays, on Shabbos he should put the vinegar in first and then the food.
What this seif says:
- Cress pounded on the eve of Shabbat: the next day he puts wine and vinegar — he shall not beat but mix. Likewise garlic pounded on the eve: the next day he puts beans and grits, and shall not beat but mix.
- Rama: and some say not with a spoon but by hand; and some say that mixing liquid into mustard is permitted only where it was put in while still day — but on Shabbat it is forbidden, because of kneading.
- Rama: if he put the food first and the vinegar after, mixing with his finger — permitted, for it is a change, as with the שתיתא; and where the weekday way is already that, on Shabbat he puts the vinegar first.
Seif 17 — Yeinomlin and alunteis — drink and remedy
מותר לעשות יינומלין שהוא יין ישן דבש ופלפלין מפני שהוא לשתיה ואין עושין אלונתית שהוא יין ישן ומים צלולים ושמן אפרסמון שהוא לרפואה:
Translation: It is permitted to make yeinomlin — old wine, honey and pepper — because it is for drinking. But one does not make alunteis — old wine, clear water and balsam oil — because it is for healing.
What this seif says:
- Permitted to make יינומלין — old wine, honey and pepper — because it is for drinking.
- And one does not make אלונתית — old wine, clear water and balsam oil — for it is for medicine.
Seif 18 — Chiltis — where health is at stake
אין שורין את החלתית לא בפושרין ולא בצוננין שדרך לשרותו לרפואה אבל נותנו לתוך החומץ ומטבל בו פתו היה שרוי מאתמול מותר לשתותו בשבת ואם שתה ממנו יום חמישי ויום ששי וצריך לשתותו גם בשבת מותר שכך הוא דרך רפואתו לשתותו שבעה ימים זה אחר זה הילכך מותר לשרותו בצונן וליתנו בחמה מפני שהוא סכנה אם לא ישתה ממנו:
Translation: One does not steep chiltis, neither in lukewarm nor in cold water, since it is usually steeped for healing; but he puts it into vinegar and dips his bread in it. If it had been steeping since the day before, it is permitted to drink it on Shabbos. And if he drank of it on Thursday and Friday and must drink of it on Shabbos too, it is permitted — for such is the manner of this remedy, to drink it seven days in succession. Therefore it is permitted to steep it in cold water and to place it in the sun, because there is danger if he does not drink of it.
What this seif says:
- One does not steep חלתית, neither in lukewarm nor in cold water — since the way is to steep it for medicine; but he puts it into vinegar and dips his bread in it.
- If it was steeping from yesterday — permitted to drink it on Shabbat.
- And if he drank of it on Thursday and Friday and must drink it on Shabbat too — permitted, for such is the way of this cure, seven days in succession; therefore permitted to steep it cold and set it in the sun — because there is danger if he does not drink of it.
Seif 19 — Finishing the pounding — and peeling to eat at once
שום בוסר ומלילות שריסקן מערב שבת מחוסרים דיכה אסור לגמור דיכתן בשבת ואם אין מחוסרים אלא שחיקה מותר לגמור בשבת לפיכך מותר לגמור שחיקת הריפות בעץ פרור בקדירה בשבת אחר שמורידין אותה מעל האש: הגה ומותר להחליק האוכל בשבת ולא הוי בזה משום ממחק הואיל ואפשר לאכלו בלא זה ומ״מ המחמיר במאכל של תפוחים וכדומה שדרכו בכך תע״ב [מרדכי ר״פ כלל גדול] אסור לקלוף שומים ובצלים כשקולף להניח אבל לאכול לאלתר שרי ועיין לקמן סימן שי״ט [סמ״ג הגה״מ סי' כ״ב וב״י בשם סמ״ק ותה״ד ורבינו ירוחם]:
Translation: Garlic, unripe grapes and ears of grain that he crushed before Shabbos: if they still lack pounding, it is forbidden to complete their pounding on Shabbos; and if they lack only grinding, it is permitted to complete it on Shabbos. Therefore it is permitted to complete on Shabbos the grinding of groats with the wood of the ladle in the pot, after it has been taken off the fire. Rama's gloss: and it is permitted to smooth food on Shabbos — there is no memachek in this, since it is possible to eat it without doing so; nevertheless, may blessing come upon one who is stringent with an apple dish and the like, where that is the usual way (Mordechai). It is forbidden to peel garlic and onions when he peels in order to set aside; but to eat at once it is permitted — and see above siman 319 (Semag, Hagahos Maimoniyos, Beis Yosef in the name of the Semak, Terumas ha-Deshen and Rabbenu Yerucham).
Complete text: these 19 seifim constitute the entire codification of the Mechaber on this topic. Each one specifies a case, a condition, or an exception.
What this seif says:
- Garlic, unripe grapes and ears crushed on the eve of Shabbat: if they still lack pounding — forbidden to finish it on Shabbat; if they lack only grinding — permitted to finish on Shabbat.
- Hence: permitted to finish grinding the groats with the ladle's handle, in the pot, after taking it off the fire.
- Rama: permitted to smooth the food on Shabbat, and there is no ממחק in this, since it can be eaten without it; forbidden to peel garlic and onions to set aside — but to eat at once, permitted.
2. The general context — one siman, several melachos
What does this siman deal with?
Siman 321 is a composite siman: it gathers several melachos that converge in food preparation — tochen (grinding), lash (kneading), me'abed (tanning/salting), and some aspects of tolesh (plucking) and tikkun ochel ("preparing" food).
The melachos of the siman:
- טוחן (tochen — grinding): reducing food to small particles/powder. Grating, finely chopping, mashing.
- לש (lash — kneading): binding a substance into dough through a liquid.
- מעבד / עיבוד (me'abed — tanning): by extension, heavy salting for preservation = "tanning" the food.
The common thread: this siman governs cutting, grinding, salting, and mixing of foods on Shabbos. Three key principles recur: (1) ein tochen achar tochen — no grinding after grinding (what is already ground/transformed may be re-broken down); (2) the shinui (unusual manner) mitigates; (3) l'altar — cutting finely just before the meal is often permitted.
Place in Hilchos Shabbos
Siman 321 continues the food-preparation block (318 cooking, 319 sorting, 320 pressing). It is extremely practical: cutting a salad, grating, mashing a banana for a baby, salting vegetables, preparing a vinaigrette.
3. The key halachic concepts
1. טוחן (tochen) — grinding. Reducing into small particles. Cutting a vegetable very finely, grating, mashing = toldah of tochen.
2. אין טוחן אחר טוחן — no grinding after grinding. A food already ground/transformed (bread, cheese) may be re-cut up — it has already lost its "natural" form.
3. לש (lash) — kneading. Binding a powder/substance into a mass through a liquid (making a dough, a thick puree). Concepts: order of ingredients, blilah avah (thick mixture) vs blilah rakah (liquid mixture).
4. עיבוד / מליחה (me'abed) — tanning / salting. Heavily salting foods to preserve them "resembles tanning" → forbidden. Light salting for the immediate meal = permitted.
5. שינוי (shinui) — the unusual manner. Crumbling an herb with fingertips, cutting differently than during the week — the shinui transforms a melachah into a simple permitted or lightened act.
4. Mapping the 19 seifim
| Seifim | Theme | Melachah |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Herbs: food/fuel use; crumbling | tochen + muktzeh |
| 2-4 | Brine, salting of vegetables (radish, pickles) | me'abed / koveish |
| 5-9 | Finely chopping vegetables and meat | tochen |
| 10-12 | Grating, mashing, crushing | tochen — toldos |
| 13-16 | Kneading, mixing dough, order of ingredients | lash |
| 17-19 | Beating eggs, vinaigrette, borderline cases | lash / tochen |
Reading method:
- Identify the action: finely chopping (tochen)? mixing into dough (lash)? salting (me'abed)?
- Is the food already transformed? → ein tochen achar tochen
- Can it be done with a shinui?
- Is it for now (l'altar)?
5. The Mishnah Berurah — first entries
The Mishnah Berurah of Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (the Chofetz Chaim) has 84 entries on this siman. Here are the first ones:
משנה ברורה (א) — (א) פירוש מין עשב - צ״ל מיני עשבים הם. וראוים להסקה וראוים למאכל בהמה לפיכך הכל הולך אחר מחשבתו [מ״מ]:
משנה ברורה (ב) — (ב) לעצים - ליבשן ואם הכניסן סתמא נעשה כמי שהכניסן למאכל בהמה:
משנה ברורה (ג) — (ג) מהן - דמקצה דעתו מינייהו והו״ל מוקצה:
For the full text of the 84 entries, see Sefaria: Mishnah Berurah 321.
6. The Rema's position
The Rema adds several practical glosses to the siman:
Main glosses of the Rema:
- Cutting finely for now — the Rema (and the Ashkenazim) holds that cutting vegetables very finely remains problematic even for the immediate meal; cutting into medium pieces just before eating is permitted.
- Salting — the Rema broadens the prohibition of salting several vegetables together (radishes, cucumbers); one salts each piece separately, just before eating it.
- Kneading — the Rema specifies the order of ingredients and the need for a shinui (mixing crosswise, pouring differently).
Difference Mechaber vs Rema:
- Mechaber → cutting finely for the immediate meal = more broadly permitted.
- Rema → restricts very fine cutting, even for now; insists on the shinui.
- Chabad → Shulchan Aruch HaRav siman 321.
7. Modern practical cases
| Situation | Halachic analysis |
|---|---|
| Cutting a salad into medium pieces, just before the meal | Permitted (l'altar). Cutting very finely (into crumbs) → tochen, to avoid; for the immediate meal Sephardim are more lenient. |
| Grating vegetables / cheese | Forbidden — the grater is a grinding instrument (tochen). Prepare before Shabbos. |
| Mashing a banana / a potato for a baby | Mashing a raw food = tochen. Solution: mash with a shinui (spoon handle) and for now. Already-cooked/soft banana = more flexible. |
| Salting a salad | Salt lightly, just before eating, and stir = permitted. Salting heavily for preservation = forbidden (me'abed). |
| Preparing a puree / hummus | Mixing ingredients into a paste = lash. If the paste is already made (store-bought hummus) — stirring is OK. Making the paste from scratch → forbidden. |
| Beating eggs / a vinaigrette | Liquid mixture (blilah rakah) — often permitted with shinui. Thick mixture (blilah avah) → lash, forbidden. |
| Cutting bread, cake (already "ground") | Permitted — ein tochen achar tochen: bread has already lost its natural form. |
For halachah l'maaseh: The golden rules: (1) no grater or grinding instrument; (2) cut finely only for the immediate meal and not into crumbs; (3) no heavy salting; (4) making a dough from scratch = forbidden. Bread and already-transformed foods escape tochen. When in doubt → consult your Rav.
8. Practical summary of the Siman
Key teachings of Siman 321:
- Composite siman: tochen (grinding), lash (kneading), me'abed (salting) — the melachos of food preparation.
- Tochen: cutting very finely, grating, mashing a raw food = forbidden.
- Ein tochen achar tochen: an already-transformed food (bread) may be re-cut.
- Lash: making a dough from scratch = forbidden; stirring with shinui = often permitted.
- Me'abed: heavy salting for preservation = forbidden; light salting for now = permitted.
- Shinui and l'altar: the two great mitigators of the siman.
9. Comprehension questions
Check your understanding:
- What are the melachos grouped in this siman?
- What is tochen? Give 3 modern examples.
- What does ein tochen achar tochen mean? Why can we cut bread?
- What is lash? What is the difference between blilah avah and blilah rakah?
- Why is heavy salting of vegetables forbidden?
- What role does shinui play in this siman?
- Can we grate vegetables on Shabbos? And mash a banana for a baby?
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DAAT · Rav Yossef Haim Samama
Siman 321 · Level 1 — Introduction
DAAT · Rav Yossef Haim Samama
Siman 321 · Level 1 — Introduction