Orach Chayim 324 · Level 4 · Shitah of the Alter Rebbe

דעת הרב

Daas HaRav — The Shulchan Aruch HaRav on Siman 324

The shitah of the Alter Rebbe on the 12 seifim that codify the preparation of animal food on Shabbos — feeding one's animal but not sifting grain or mixing water-fodder. Modern application to kibble, mashes.

Why a Level 4 dedicated to the Alter Rebbe? The Shulchan Aruch HaRav is an autonomous and complete Shulchan Aruch. For Chabad, the Alter Rebbe is the final posek.

1 · Text of the Alter Rebbe

שלחן ערוך הרב — סימן שכ"ד

The full text of the Shulchan Aruch HaRav

סימן שכ"ד — דִּינֵי הֲכָנַת מַאֲכָל לִבְהֵמָה — וּבוֹ יב סְעִיפִים

סעיף א — Seif 1 (sifting straw)

אֵין כּוֹבְרִין אֶת הַתֶּבֶן בַּכְּבָרָה שֶׁיִּפֹּל הַמֹּץ לָאָרֶץ, וְלֹא יַנִּיחֶנּוּ בְּמָקוֹם גָּבוֹהַּ כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּרֵד הַמֹּץ, שֶׁהֲרֵי זֶה כְּבוֹרֵר. אֲבָל נוֹטְלוֹ בַּכְּבָרָה וְנוֹתְנוֹ לְתוֹךְ הָאֵבוּס — מֻתָּר.

One does not sift the straw with a sieve (kevarah) so that the chaff (motz) falls to the ground, nor shall one place it in a high place so the chaff drops down, for that is like sorting (borer). But to take it in the sieve and pour it into the trough (évus) is permitted.

סעיף ב — Seif 2 (estimating, not measuring)

לֹא יִמְדּוֹד אָדָם שְׂעוֹרִים לָתֵת לִפְנֵי בְהֶמְתּוֹ, אֶלָּא מְשַׁעֵר בְּאֹמֶד דַּעְתּוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַמְּדִידָה אֲסוּרָה מִשּׁוּם עוֹבָדִין דְּחֹל.

A person shall not measure out barley to give before his animal; rather, he estimates by his appraisal, since measuring is forbidden on account of ovdin de-chol (weekday activities).

סעיף ג — Seif 3 (kneading bran)

אָסוּר מִדִּבְרֵי סוֹפְרִים לִגְבּוֹל מֻרְסָן לִבְהֵמָה כְּדַרְכּוֹ בְּחֹל, אֶלָּא עַל יְדֵי שִׁנּוּי — מַעֲבִיר בּוֹ תַּרְוָד אוֹ מַקֵּל שְׁתִי וְעֵרֶב. וְיֵשׁ לְהַחֲמִיר שֶׁלֹּא יִתֵּן מַיִם לְמֻרְסָן בְּשַׁבָּת אֶלָּא אִם נָתַן בּוֹ הַמַּיִם מֵעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת.

It is rabbinically forbidden to knead bran (mursan) for one's animal in the weekday manner. Only with a shinui (change) — passing a ladle or stick through it crosswise (shesi va-erev). And one should be stringent not to add water to bran on Shabbos, unless the water was added on erev Shabbos.

סעיף ד — Seif 4 (untying, rubbing)

קַשִּׁים שֶׁל שִׁבֳּלִים שֶׁאָגְדוּ — מֻתָּר לְהַתִּירָן בְּשַׁבָּת אִם אֵינוֹ קֶשֶׁר שֶׁל קַיָּמָא. אֲבָל אָסוּר לְשַׁפְשֵׁף בָּהֶם בְּיָדַיִם. אֲבָל דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ אֹכֶל בְּלֹא תִּקּוּן (עֵצִים שֶׁקְּצָצָן, דִּלּוּעִים קָשִׁים) — מֻתָּר לְתַקְּנוֹ.

Bundles of stalks of grain that have been tied — it is permitted to untie them on Shabbos so the animal may eat from them, provided it is not a permanent knot (kesher shel kayama). But it is forbidden to rub them by hand. However, something that is not food without preparation (such as wood that was cut, or hard squash) — it is permitted to prepare it.

סעיף ה — Seif 5 (cutting carcass)

מְחַתְּכִין נְבֵלָה לִפְנֵי הַכְּלָבִים. בִּנְבֵלָה הַקָּשָׁה. וְכֵן אֵין חוֹתְכִים שַׁחַת וְחָרוּבִים לִפְנֵי בְהֵמָה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם רְאוּיִים בְּלֹא חֲתִיכָה.

One cuts up a carcass (neveilah) before the dogs, even if it became a carcass today — and there is no issue of muktzeh. This is in the case of a hard carcass. But one does not cut fresh fodder (shachas) or carobs before an animal, since they are suitable as is, without cutting.

סעיף ו — Seif 6 (mal'it, no force-feeding)

אֵין אוֹבְסִין אֶת הַגָּמָל וְלֹא דוֹרְסִים. אֲבָל מַלְעִיטִים אוֹתוֹ, דְּהַיְנוּ לִתְחוֹב הַמַּאֲכָל לְמָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא יָכוֹל לְהַחֲזִירוֹ. וְכֵן בְּאַוָּזִין וְתַרְנְגוֹלִים.

One does not force-feed (ovsin) the camel, nor stuff (dorsim) its throat. But one may mal'it it — that is, place food in a spot from which the animal can disgorge it. So too with geese and chickens.

סעיף ז — Seif 7 (sustenance is your responsibility)

חַיּוֹת הַגְּדֵלוֹת בַּבַּיִת — הִתִּירוּ לִטְרוֹחַ לִתֵּן לָהֶם מְזוֹנוֹת וּמַיִם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְּזוֹנָתָן עָלֶיךָ. אֲבָל אֵין נוֹתְנִין לַדְּבוֹרִים וְלֹא לְיוֹנֵי שׁוֹבָךְ. אֲבָל נוֹתְנִין מְזוֹנוֹת לִפְנֵי כֶּלֶב. וַאֲפִלּוּ כֶּלֶב שֶׁל הֶפְקֵר — קְצָת מִצְוָה יֵשׁ לִתֵּן לוֹ מְעַט מְזוֹנוֹת.

Domesticated fowl or animals — they permitted exertion to give them food and water, since their sustenance is upon you (mezonosan alecha). But one does not give to bees or to dovecote-pigeons. One does give food before a dog. And even an ownerless (hefker) dog — there is a slight mitzvah to give it a little food.

סעיף ח — Seif 8 (wheat on Shabbos Shirah)

יֵשׁ נוֹהֲגִים לָתֵת חִטִּים לִפְנֵי הָעוֹפוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת שִׁירָה, וְאֵינוֹ נָכוֹן, שֶׁהֲרֵי אֵין מְזוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם עָלֶיךָ.

Some have the custom to give wheat before the birds on Shabbos Shirah, but it is incorrect, for their sustenance is not upon you.

סעיף ט — Seif 9 (silkworm)

מֻתָּר לְהַאֲכִיל תּוֹלַעַת הַמֶּשִׁי, לְפִי שֶׁמְּזוֹנוֹתָיו עָלֶיךָ.

It is permitted to feed the silkworm, since its sustenance is upon you.

סעיף י — Seif 10 (grazing on attached grass)

מֻתָּר לְהַעֲמִיד בְּהֶמְתּוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי עֲשָׂבִים מְחֻבָּרִים. אֲבָל לֹא יַעֲמִידֶנָּה עַל גַּבֵּי דָּבָר הָאָסוּר בְּטִלְטוּל.

It is permitted to stand one's animal upon attached grasses. But one does not stand it upon something forbidden in tiltul (moving) by rabbinic law.

סעיף יא — Seif 11 (transferring food)

נוֹטְלִין מַאֲכָל מִלִּפְנֵי חֲמוֹר וְנוֹתְנִין לִפְנֵי שׁוֹר. אֲבָל אֵין נוֹטְלִין מִלִּפְנֵי שׁוֹר לִתֵּן לִפְנֵי חֲמוֹר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁנִּמְאָס בְּרִירֵי הַשּׁוֹר.

One takes food from before a donkey and places it before an ox. But one does not take from before an ox to place before a donkey, since it has become soiled by the saliva of the ox.

סעיף יב — Seif 12 (scraping the trough)

שׁוֹר שֶׁמְּפַטְּמִין אוֹתוֹ — אָסוּר לְגָרְפוֹ בְּשַׁבָּת, גְּזֵרָה מִשּׁוּם אֵבוּס שֶׁבַּקַּרְקַע — שֶׁמָּא יַשְׁוֶה גּוּמוֹת.

An ox being fattened — it is forbidden to scrape (gorfin) its trough on Shabbos, by decree on account of a trough at ground level — lest one even out depressions in the ground.

2 · Chidush of the Alter Rebbe

חידושים מיוחדים של הרב

The Rav's chidushim on this siman

חידוש א — mitzvah of feeding + limits (324:1-3)

Chidush א — mitzvah of feeding + limits (324:1-3)

Feed but do not prepare as during the week

Classical position:

The Rav's chidush: the Alter Rebbe articulates: the mitzvah of feeding one's animals is complete, but the preparation is limited to simple gestures.

Practical consequence: tool: prepare animal food in advance (Friday).

3 · Divrei HaRebbe

שיחות, מאמרים ואגרות הרבי

The Rebbe's words on the themes of siman 324

ReferenceSubjectConnection with siman 324
Likkutei SichosApplication of Shulchan Aruch HaRav siman 324The Rebbe cites the Shulchan Aruch HaRav siman 324.
Igros KodeshPractical cases relating to the simanThe Rebbe's responses to Chassidim on practical questions.
4 · L'maaseh

הלכה למעשה — מנהג חב"ד

The Chabad practical conduct

For the Chabad Chassid — Siman 324

  • ① Feed your animals on Shabbos (mitzvah). Reference: Shulchan Aruch HaRav 324:1-3.
  • ② Do not sift or mix (borer, lash). Reference: Shulchan Aruch HaRav 324:4-8.
  • ③ Pour kibble simply = OK. Reference: Shulchan Aruch HaRav 324:9-12.
  • ④ Complex preparation to be done on Friday.

⚠ For concrete questions: consult your Rav.