I once saw a gentile, in a certain hotel, take boiling water that was in a pot on the gas and pour it into a hot water urn. Is this permitted l’chatchila, and if not, may the water be used?

            I do not think that it should be permitted because the gentile is in fact “returning” food or liquid to an uncovered fire and is prohibited because it looks like cooking, as the hot water urn is not called garuf v’katum, and anything a Jew may not do, a gentile is also prohibited from doing.

            I think though that the water may be consumed because the water was fully cooked, and when a gentile does chazora (returning food or liquid to the fire) against the halacha, if it was fully cooked the Jew may benefit from it. [1] Many hotels with mehadrin supervisions have the urns padlocked in order to avoid this scenario.

            Is there a limit as to what one may speak about on Shabbos?

            We will deal with this question on two levels - the first pertains to one’s spiritual conduct and the second is a halachic perspective.

            In éùòéä 58:13 we find the following possuk:

éâ àÄí-úÌÈùÑÄéá îÄùÌÑÇáÌÈú øÇâÀìÆêÈ, òÂùÒåÉú çÂôÈöÆêÈ áÌÀéåÉí ÷ÈãÀùÑÄé; åÀ÷ÈøÈàúÈ ìÇùÌÑÇáÌÈú òðÆâ, ìÄ÷ÀãåÉùÑ ä' îÀëËáÌÈã, åÀëÄáÌÇãÀúÌåÉ îÅòÂùÒåÉú ãÌÀøÈëÆéêÈ, îÄîÌÀöåÉà çÆôÀöÀêÈ åÀãÇáÌÅø ãÌÈáÈø. 

            This entire possuk is utilized to teach how one is to conduct oneself on Shabbos. We learn the issue of oneg Shabbos – enjoying the Shabbos, honoring the Shabbos and more.

            We also learn that one’s speech on Shabbos must not be the same as weekday speech. One must not only refrain from violating the Shabbos by not performing the melachos and the many rabbinical prohibitions, but one must transform oneself and be a different person on Shabbos. Thus one’s dress, actions and speech should be  different from that of during the week.

Of course the level to which this is taken varies from person to person as it depends on one’s spiritual purification and perfection.

Let us begin at the top –

            The Mishna Berura writes [2] that one who refrains from speaking about weekday matters on Shabbos will be called holy. He continues saying that “people of deeds” would only speak in Lashon HaKodesh on Shabbos, even when essential matters are involved, in order not to be drawn into idle chatter.

            Is that type of conduct not meant for very pious people?

            To conduct oneself in such a manner for an entire Shabbos is indeed above most of our spiritual levels. Nevertheless it does not mean that we are exempt from knowing where we should be heading and what we must strive for. For example, the Mishna Berura [3] cites the Sheloh HaKadosh [4] who says that one who greets a fellowman on Shabbos should not greet him in the weekday fashion - good morning etc. rather one should say gut Shabbos or Shabbat Shalom, in order to fulfill the mitzvah of remembering the Shabbos.

            We all conduct ourselves in this manner (although we may not have been aware of the reason for it) because we know Shabbos is different. (For this reason some have the custom not to say good night, before going to sleep on Shabbos, because it is Shabbos and one should say gut Shabbos or Shabbat Shalom). [5]

            Are there any restrictions as to which thoughts are permitted on Shabbos and which are not?

            From a purely halachic view point we learn from the possuk that states åãáø ãáø – that certain speech is forbidden on Shabbos, not thoughts, and one may think about one’s business on Shabbos. However, the Shulchan Aruch [6] writes that one should not think about business matters at all because of oneg Shabbos, especially if it causes worry and anxiety.

            The Mechaber continues that one should feel on Shabbos as if one has concluded all of one’s business transactions and the M”B says this is learned from ùùú éîéí úòáåã åòùéú ëì îìàëúê – one should conclude all of one’s work in 6 days, and that comes about because it should be that when Shabbos begins - åáéåí äùáéòé ùáú, it should be as if one’s business is concluded. When Shabbos begins there is no need for more work. This indeed is a high plane for one who is in the middle of a complicated business issue, but it is expected of us.

            What if my business is B”H very successful. May I not think about it?

            Thinking about and being excited about $1,000,000 in the bank is not a crime, but it will most probably lead to problems. One will start thinking whether it is invested wisely, is it earning enough etc. The same with a successful business. There are many complicated matters involved and one will begin to think about them on Shabbos. The optimal conduct on Shabbos therefore, is to totally disconnect one’s mind from such matters and focus on more spiritual matters.

            Am I permitted to walk through my vegetable patch on Shabbos?

            The Shulchan Aruch [7] says that one may not stand next to one’s field during the reaping or the plowing season and see what the field requires. [8] The same would apply to walking through a vegetable patch and deciding what needs to be picked, which vegetables require watering etc.

            Did we not learn that one may think [9] about one’s matters and here, after all, one is merely thinking and not doing anything?

            Indeed thinking and contemplating per se is permitted but in the above cases one is actually walking in the vegetable patch or standing next to one’s field during the plowing season and as such one’s thoughts are “noticeable”. One cannot say that it is merely thinking because one’s thoughts are accompanied with the action of being in the ‘wrong’ place. [10]