Home Issur ve-Heter Siman 111

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Siman 111 — Attribution (Tolin / Shani Omer) and Mixtures That Combine in Doubt (Hakol Nichnas be-Safek)

The direct continuation of siman 110: when a piece of forbidden and a piece of permitted fall into two pots (one permitted, one forbidden), one attributes (תולין / שאני אומר) the forbidden to the forbidden side → permitted — but only for a דרבנן prohibition (or a דאורייתא prohibition nullified by the majority), and as long as the prohibition is not the majority; and the rule of הכל נכנס בספק: two pots that "enter into doubt" combine to reach 60 — even far apart (one in the cellar, one in the attic), provided they belong to one and the same person (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 111 — 7 se'ifim)

שְׁתֵּי קְדֵרוֹת, אַחַת שֶׁל הֶתֵּר וְאַחַת שֶׁל אִסּוּר, וּלְפָנָיו שְׁתֵּי חֲתִיכוֹת, אַחַת שֶׁל הֶתֵּר וְאַחַת שֶׁל אִסּוּר — אִם הַחֲתִיכָה הִיא מֵאִסּוּר דְּרַבָּנָן, כְּגוֹן שׁוּמָּנוֹ שֶׁל גִּיד, וְנָפְלוּ אֵלּוּ לְתוֹךְ אֵלּוּ — מֻתָּרִים, שֶׁאָנוּ תּוֹלִין לוֹמַר הָאִסּוּר נָפַל לְתוֹךְ הָאִסּוּר וְהַהֶתֵּר לְתוֹךְ שֶׁל הֶתֵּר.

Two pots, one of permitted and one of forbidden, and before him two pieces, one of permitted and one of forbidden: if the piece is a rabbinic prohibition, such as the fat of the gid (שומנו של גיד), and they fell into one another, they are permitted, because we attribute (תולין) by saying: the forbidden fell into the forbidden and the permitted into the permitted.

Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah 111:1

The 4 levels of study

LEVEL 01

רמת המתחיל

Basics — Beginner & Intermediate

Hebrew text of the 7 se'ifim with a fluent English translation. תולין / שאני אומר, the דרבנן / דאורייתא conditions, מין במינו and 60, the two pots of permitted, successive falls and the צירוף explained with practical cases.

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LEVEL 02

רמת הלמדן

Lamdan — Talmid Chacham

In-depth pilpul: the sugya of Yevamot 82 (שאני אומר of the two baskets), the קל וחומר of the bavot of the Taz, a ספק איסור דאורייתא of שיעור דרבנן permitted by שאני אומר, the מחלוקת Ramban / Rashba on the two persons and the צירוף (Shach sk13-19), the חנ״נ that does not block the צירוף, חקירות and נפקא מינות.

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LEVEL 03

חזרה וסיכום

Synthesis — Review

Comparative tables (דרבנן / דאורייתא, מין במינו / אינו מינו, one pot / two pots, known / unknown falls), golden rules, classic pitfalls (מאי חזית, צירוף, single person / two persons) and memorization of the 7 se'ifim.

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LEVEL 04

הלכה למעשה

Halacha le-ma'aseh — Psak

The practical halacha according to the Shach, Taz, Pri Megadim and Pitchei Teshuva, then the Sephardic poskim (Yabia Omer, Yalkut Yosef, Or LeTzion) and Ashkenazi poskim: a forbidden ingredient (דרבנן) fallen into one of two pots, combining two dishes of a single person to reach 60, two successive falls. Note: the Shulchan Aruch HaRav does not deal with this siman — this is a level of psak, not "Daat HaRav".

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Frequently asked questions — Siman 111

What is תולין / שאני אומר (attributing the doubt)?

According to the Shulchan Aruch (YD 111:1), when there are two pots — one of permitted, one of forbidden — and before them two pieces — one of permitted, one of forbidden — that fall into one another, one attributes (תולין) by saying: the forbidden fell into the forbidden and the permitted into the permitted (שאני אומר). It is permitted even if the permitted in the pot is not greater than the piece, but only for a דרבנן prohibition (e.g. שומנו של גיד). The basis is ספק דרבנן לקולא (Yevamot 82). For practical halacha, consult your Rav.

When does one NOT attribute leniently?

Three limits (se'ifim 2-4): (1) one attributes as long as the prohibition is not the majority; if the forbidden is greater than the permitted, one does not attribute (se'if 2). (2) For a דאורייתא prohibition, a majority of permitted is required to nullify it מן התורה (se'if 3). (3) When the permitted is the majority: in מין במינו the majority suffices (מן התורה בטל ברוב), but in אינו מינו one needs sixty times (se'if 4). For practical halacha, consult your Rav.

What is הכל נכנס בספק (the combination / צירוף)?

This is the principle of se'if 7: if a prohibition falls into one of two pots of permitted without knowing which, and neither alone contains enough to nullify it, but the two together do, then the two combine (מצטרפות) to nullify it. And even one at home and one in the attic (אחת בבית ואחת בעלייה) combine, and so up to a hundred — provided they belong to a single person (destined to be mixed); for two persons, they do not combine. The Rama adds: יש מחמירין even for a single person, and in a case of loss one only eats it after mixing them together. For practical halacha, consult your Rav.