✦ ❖ ✦ D A A T · L E V E L 3 — S Y N T H E S I S / R E V I E W ✦ ❖ ✦
Siman 108 — Does Smell Transfer Prohibition? (Reicha)
שלא לאפות היתר ואיסור בתנור אחד
ריחא לאו מילתא, the large open oven / one covered, the דבר חריף, the one pan (מחבת), the 60, the baker's peel (מרדה), hot bread on a wine barrel, smelling / tasting a forbidden thing
Structured review, master grid, fast memorization
Source: Shulchan Aroukh, Yoreh De'ah ק״ח — 7 seifim
Nossei kelim: ש״ך (Shach) · ט״ז (Taz) · פר״מ (Pri Megadim) · פתחי תשובה (Pithei Teshuva)
Compiled by: הרב יוסף חיים סממה · DAAT
For students who have mastered Levels 1 and 2
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📑 Outline of the synthesis
- The axiom: ריחא לאו מילתא — smell alone does not forbid (permitted בדיעבד)
- The 3 reflex questions: לכתחילה or בדיעבד · open/covered · חריף or not
- The master grid: the thresholds of ריחא (open / covered / חריף / 60)
- The 5 golden rules
- Mnemonic — the "ריחא" memory aid
- The 4 classic pitfalls
- Recap of the 7 seifim — one line each
- Final flashcard
1. The axiom: ריחא לאו מילתא — smell alone does not forbid
The starting point:
Siman 108 deals with smell (ריחא): a forbidden item roasted or cooked in the same oven as a permitted one — does it transfer its prohibition by smell alone? The Gemara (Pesachim 76, Avoda Zara 66) rules: ריחא לאו מילתא — smell alone does not forbid. The Mehaber (seif 1): one does not roast kosher meat with נבילה in one oven, "אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין נוֹגְעִים זֶה בָּזֶה" — but if one did → permitted [בדיעבד], "וַאֲפִלּוּ הָיְתָה הָאֲסוּרָה שְׁמֵנָה הַרְבֵּה וְהַמֻּתֶּרֶת רָזָה". The rule is thus read on two levels: לכתחילה one refrains, בדיעבד permitted.
| Level | Basic rule | Why |
|---|
| לכתחילה | One does not bake forbidden + permitted in one oven | Fear of the smell (פיטום — Rashi: the smell "fattens") |
| בדיעבד | Permitted, even forbidden fatty and permitted lean | ריחא לאו מילתא — smell alone does not forbid |
| Lean + lean | Permitted even לכתחילה | No פיטום (Shach s.k. 1; cross-ref siman 105) |
💡 The marker: this siman no longer speaks of "contact / 60 in a pot" but of smell in a shared oven. The default rule is lenient בדיעבד (ריחא לאו מילתא). The whole point is to spot the 3 exceptions where ריחא מילתא (the smell forbids even בדיעבד): דבר חריף, one uncovered pan / lid (מחבת), and for some a prohibition במשהו (חמץ בפסח).
2. The 3 reflex questions
■ לכתחילה OR בדיעבד? (ריחא לאו מילתא) — has the baking already happened (בדיעבד → permitted) or is one about to bake (לכתחילה → refrain)? The custom (Rama): "having another bread" = לכתחילה (forbidden); "no other bread" = בדיעבד (permitted) — seif 1.
↓ we look at the arrangement
■ OVEN OPEN / ONE COVERED? (תנור גדול ופתוח / מכוסה) — may one roast even לכתחילה? Yes if the oven is large (12 עשרונים) and its mouth open, or if one is covered (dish / dough), and they do not touch (seif 1).
↓ we look at the nature
■ חריף · ONE PAN · במשהו? (ריחא מילתא) — forbidden (or permitted) חריף uncovered, one pan / מחבת uncovered, or a prohibition במשהו (חמץ בפסח)? Then ריחא מילתא → forbidden even בדיעבד (unless one is covered) — seif 1.
⚖ The conditions for permission לכתחילה (seif 1)
One may roast forbidden and permitted in one oven לכתחילה if one of these conditions holds: large oven (12 עשרונים) with open mouth (Taz s.k. 2: it must be large and open); or one is covered with a dish, dough, or the like (then permitted even in a small closed-mouth oven); and in any case they do not touch. For meat and milk (Rama): strict לכתחילה even in a large oven, lenient בדיעבד even in a small oven.
3. The master grid: the thresholds of ריחא
An absolute must to memorize. Basis: Mehaber seif 1, read with the Rama, the Taz (s.k. 1-2, 5-6) and the Shach (s.k. 1-2, 9, 13).
| Situation | Decisive criterion | Result |
|---|
| Forbidden + permitted roasted, already done (base case) |
ריחא לאו מילתא |
🟢 Permitted בדיעבד, even forbidden fatty / permitted lean |
| Before cooking (base case) |
לכתחילה |
🔴 One does not bake together |
| Large oven (12 עשרונים) with open mouth, no contact |
Large + open oven |
🟢 Permitted לכתחילה |
| One covered (dish / dough), even small closed oven |
כיסוי (covered) |
🟢 Permitted לכתחילה |
| דבר חריף (spicy) uncovered — all the more if the permitted is חריף |
ריחא מילתא |
🔴 Forbidden even בדיעבד (unless one covered) |
| Under one pan (מחבת) uncovered |
Like cooking (cross-ref 93) |
🔴 Forbidden even בדיעבד; one after the other permitted (unless the pan sweated) |
| Forbidden במשהו (חמץ בפסח), small closed oven uncovered |
יש אומרים: ריחא מילתא |
🟡 Forbidden even בדיעבד (ויש אומרים no distinction; loss → lenient) |
| Where ריחא forbids בדיעבד, but there is 60 of permitted |
60 against the forbidden |
🟢 60 (even in the whole oven) nullifies — for a loss (Shach s.k. 13) |
📌 Key reading: in ריחא, first ask is it already done (בדיעבד) — then by default permitted. To forbid it even בדיעבד, an exception is needed: חריף, one uncovered pan, or במשהו. And everywhere ריחא forbids בדיעבד, 60 against the forbidden can save it (for a loss).
4. The 5 golden rules
- "ריחא לאו מילתא". Smell alone does not forbid; the base case is permitted בדיעבד, even forbidden fatty and permitted lean (Mehaber seif 1).
- לכתחילה one refrains. Except a large oven with open mouth, or one covered, and always no contact (Mehaber seif 1; Taz s.k. 2).
- 3 exceptions where ריחא מילתא (forbidden even בדיעבד): דבר חריף (all the more permitted חריף); one pan / מחבת uncovered (= like cooking); for some a prohibition במשהו (חמץ בפסח) — unless one is covered (Rama seif 1).
- The pot separates (seif 2). Cooking in a pot (vs roasting bare) → the pot is a barrier → permitted even in a small closed oven; but fully sealed (the הטמנה of Shabbat) → forbidden.
- 60 against the forbidden (Rama). Everywhere ריחא forbids בדיעבד, 60 of permitted (even in the whole oven) nullifies — for a loss (Shach s.k. 13; cross-ref siman 111).
5. Mnemonic — the "ריחא" memory aid
"ר-י-ח-א" — after the ריחא (smell) of the siman
- רֵיחַ לאו מילתא: smell alone does not forbid → base case permitted בדיעבד.
- יֵשׁ פֶּתַח: "large and open oven" or "one covered" → permitted לכתחילה (no contact).
- חָרִיף: a דבר חריף (or an uncovered pan) → ריחא מילתא, forbidden even בדיעבד.
- אֶחָד מְכֻסֶּה / 60: cover one, or 60 against the forbidden → permitted again (for a loss).
The ladder of sensing a forbidden thing (seif 4-7)
- hot bread / wine (seif 4) → forbidden facing the bung; cold or sealed → permitted; barley stricter
- smelling the wine (seif 5) → permitted (to test); tasting → forbidden; sprinkling a benefit-forbidden wine → forbidden
- smelling spices from a jar (seif 6) → permitted; but בשמים of Havdala → forbidden
- smelling ע״ז / ערלה / כלאי הכרם (seif 7) → forbidden (benefit-forbidden, עומדים להריח)
6. The 4 classic pitfalls
❌ Pitfall 1 — Reading seif 1 as a general leniency: "permitted" in the base case is בדיעבד only. לכתחילה one does not bake forbidden + permitted together, except a large oven with open mouth or one covered, and always no contact. The Taz (s.k. 2) stresses: it must be large AND open, not one without the other.
❌ Pitfall 2 — Forgetting that חריף reverses the rule: as soon as the forbidden (and all the more the permitted) is a דבר חריף (spicy), ריחא מילתא: the smell forbids even בדיעבד if both are uncovered (Shach s.k. 9: even an oven open at the side). The remedy remains to cover one, even with plain dough → permitted.
❌ Pitfall 3 — Confusing "roasting bare" and "one pan": under one pan (מחבת) uncovered, it is like cooking → forbidden even בדיעבד (and bread with meat → forbidden with milk). But one after the other (זה אחר זה), no concern — unless the pan sweated from both (like a pot lid, siman 93), then forbidden even one after the other if uncovered.
❌ Pitfall 4 — "Smelling": not everything is permitted: smelling the wine to test it is permitted (seif 5), but tasting is forbidden even without swallowing (Rivash), and sprinkling (זילוף) from a benefit-forbidden wine is forbidden (it is a benefit). Likewise, smelling בשמים עומדים להריח of a benefit-forbidden item (ע״ז, ערלה, כלאי הכרם) is forbidden (seif 7); and even a thing permitted to smell (pepper in a jar) becomes forbidden if it is the בשמים of Havdala (seif 6 — הקריבהו נא לפחתך).
For the halacha le-ma'aseh, consult your Rav.
7. Recap of the 7 seifim — one line each
| Seif | Topic | The essential |
|---|
| 1 | ריחא מילתא / לאו מילתא | One does not roast forbidden + permitted in one oven even without contact, but if one did → permitted בדיעבד (even forbidden fatty / permitted lean). לכתחילה permitted if the oven is large and open, or one covered, no contact. Rama: meat/milk strict לכתחילה, lenient בדיעבד; "another bread" = לכתחילה. ריחא מילתא (forbidden even בדיעבד) for: דבר חריף, one pan (מחבת) uncovered, prohibition במשהו (חמץ בפסח). 60 against the forbidden nullifies for a loss (siman 118). |
| 2 | Cooking in a pot | All this is for a roast; but cooking in a pot, each on its own, → permitted even in a small closed oven, even with the pots' mouths uncovered (the pot separates). Rama: only if the oven is a little open; closed on all sides (like the Shabbat הטמנה) → forbidden; great loss → lenient. |
| 3 | The baker's peel (מרדה) | Forbidden fat on the מרדה (peel) → forbidden to place permitted on it all day (בת יומא); not בת יומא → permitted, because אי אפשר בעניין אחר (impossible otherwise). Rama: while בת יומא, neither הגעלה nor קליפה helps for a craftsman's utensil (ליבון, siman 121). |
| 4 | Hot bread on a wine barrel | Bread hot on an open barrel of יין נסך → forbidden (only facing the bung / מגופה). Bread cold (even an open barrel), or hot bread on a sealed barrel → permitted. Barley bread (more absorbent) → forbidden even a sealed barrel. |
| 5 | Smelling / tasting / sprinkling wine | Drawing in the smell of יין נסך through a hole (to test it) → permitted. Rama: tasting even without swallowing → forbidden (Rivash); sprinkling (זילוף) a benefit-forbidden יין נסך → forbidden; but sprinkling סתם יינם (benefit-permitted) → permitted. |
| 6 | Smelling spices from a wine jar | A sack of pepper and ginger placed in jars of יין נסך → permitted to smell them (the spices flavor the wine, not the reverse). But the בשמים of Havdala → forbidden (הקריבהו נא לפחתך). |
| 7 | Smelling benefit-forbidden items | The בשמים of idolatry (עבודה זרה), כלאי הכרם and ערלה → forbidden to smell them (they are benefit-forbidden, עומדים להריח like a rose / a myrtle). |
8. Final flashcard
| Question | Reflex answer | Source |
|---|
| Forbidden + permitted already roasted together? | Permitted בדיעבד (ריחא לאו מילתא), even fatty / lean | Mehaber seif 1 |
| Before cooking — may one לכתחילה? | Yes if a large open oven or one covered, no contact | Mehaber seif 1; Taz s.k. 2 |
| The forbidden (or permitted) is חריף? | ריחא מילתא → forbidden even בדיעבד (unless one covered) | Rama seif 1; Shach s.k. 9 |
| Under one pan (מחבת) uncovered? | Like cooking → forbidden even בדיעבד; one after the other permitted | Rama seif 1 (siman 93) |
| Is there 60 of permitted against the forbidden? | Nullifies even in the whole oven — for a loss | Rama seif 1; Shach s.k. 13 |
| Cooking in a pot rather than roasting bare? | The pot separates → permitted; unless sealed on all sides | Mehaber + Rama seif 2 |
| Forbidden fat on the peel (מרדה)? | בת יומא → forbidden; not בת יומא → permitted (אי אפשר) | Mehaber seif 3 |
| Hot bread on a wine barrel? | Facing the bung → forbidden; cold / sealed → permitted; barley stricter | Mehaber seif 4 |
| Smelling / tasting / sprinkling a forbidden thing? | Smelling (test) permitted; tasting forbidden; ע״ז/ערלה/כלאי הכרם → smelling forbidden | Mehaber + Rama seif 5-7 |
⚖ The reflex in 3 questions
- Already done or not? בדיעבד → permitted (ריחא לאו מילתא). לכתחילה → refrain, except a large open oven / one covered / no contact.
- Is there an exception? חריף, an uncovered pan, or במשהו → ריחא מילתא, forbidden even בדיעבד. Remedy: cover one, or 60 against the forbidden (for a loss).
- Smelling or tasting? Smelling to test = permitted; tasting = forbidden; smelling a benefit-forbidden item (ע״ז, ערלה, כלאי הכרם) = forbidden.
For the halacha le-ma'aseh, consult your Rav.
🎓 Recap of the study path
| Level | Content | Acquired |
|---|
| 🌱 Level 1 — Base |
Text of the 7 seifim, translation, clear tables |
Overall understanding |
| ⚡ Level 2 — Lamdan |
Yesod of ריחא מילתא / לאו מילתא, the פיטום (Rashi), the דבר חריף, the צירוף of 60 (Shach), the pot that separates |
In-depth study |
| ✨ Level 3 — Synthesis |
Master grid, golden rules, mnemonic, pitfalls, recap of the seifim |
Practical mastery + review |
💡 Suggested next steps:
- Re-read Siman ק״ח in the original Choulhan Aroukh (Hebrew) with the Shach and the Taz
- Study the adjacent Simanim: 93 (the sweating pot lid), 97 (בשר בחלב cooked together, the bread), 105 (פיטום / פעפוע and the diffusion), 111 (the צירוף of 60), 118 (חמץ and the prohibitions במשהו), 121-123 (kashering utensils, יין נסך)
- Delve into Pesachim 76 and Avoda Zara 66 (ריחא מילתא / לאו מילתא)
- Discuss personal cases with a Rav (meat and a dairy dish in one oven, microwave, smelling a non-kosher food) — the halacha le-ma'aseh is decided with a Rav
📖 Sources of this siman on Sefaria:
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DAAT · הרב יוסף חיים סממה
תלמיד חכם · מעביר שיעורים בהלכה ובחסידות
סימן ק״ח · Level 3 — Synthesis / Review · שלא לאפות היתר ואיסור בתנור אחד
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