Is one permitted to crush
ice in order to produce cold water?
The gemora in Shabbos 51b says that it is prohibited
to break ice in order to produce water. We find various reasons in the
Rishonim as to why Chazal instituted this halacha.
Rashi says that
it is prohibited because it is similar to performing a melacha, as one is
‘creating’ water.
The
Sefer haT’ruma says that it is prohibited on account of nolad – a new
entity.
What is the halachic difference between the
two reasons?
According to Rashi one is permitted to place ice in an empty
cup in the sun and benefit from the melted water. Since one is not crushing the
ice one is not performing a melacha.
According to the Sefer haT’ruma it would be forbidden to do so because
after all one is producing a new being.
Another case would be
placing meat with congealed gravy near a heat source. (Not hot enough to cause
the gravy to reach 45º C and be liable for Bishul but warm enough to melt
the gravy). According to Rashi it is permitted because one is not
crushing the gravy and according to the Sefer haT’ruma it is forbidden.
Since it is a machlokes (dispute) what is the
halacha?
The Mechaber
(Shulchan
Aruch) rules like Rashi
and
permits placing ice in an empty cup in the sun and he also permits placing
congealed gravy near a heat source.
The Rama
is
stringent similar to the Sefer haT’ruma and prohibits these two cases.
Therefore Sephardim who follow the Mechaber may place ice in empty
cup in order to drink the melted water and Ashkenazim who follow the Rama
may not.
According to the Rama, if the gravy or ice
melted must it be discarded or remain unconsumed?
The Rama only rules like the Sefer haT’ruma
l’chatchila,
and
therefore one must avoid doing it. If it was done (b’diavad) or when this
gravy is necessary one may benefit from the dissolved gravy.
Rav
Shlomo Zalman Auerbach
[6]
however says that l’chatchila, if one has other water to drink one
should not drink the water that remains from dissolved ice because it is
something so paltry it is not called b’diavad.
According to the Rama – (Ashkenazim), may
one place ice in water or cola, and if yes why?
According to all halachic opinions one may put ice into a
drink. The melted ice combines with the liquid, whether it is wine, water or
coke and is not distinguishable. The prohibition of nolad only occurs
when the new item stands alone. When it dissolves in a mixture where the
majority is the beverage it is permitted.
May one crush the ice inside one’s drink or
stir the drink to melt the ice?
It is prohibited to crush ice even according to the Mechaber.
The question is whether this prohibition changes when crushing ice in a drink
because the water hence formed is not distinguishable.
On the one hand we could say
that since the water produced is not distinguishable it should be permitted,
because the issue of nolad is waived in such circumstances, but on the
other hand one is ‘creating’ water by crushing ice. The Mishna Berura
says
that l’chatchila one should be stringent and not crush the ice in one’s
drink.
Stirring the ice gently in one’s drink is another matter because one is not
crushing and producing water, the water melts on its own accord.
Is one permitted to defrost frozen orange
juice?
During hot weather many are accustomed to placing orange juice,
raspberry juice etc. into the freezer, which subsequently turns into a frozen
drink. When required, it is removed from the freezer and after defrosting it is
drunk. Would this be similar to melting ice, which l’chatchila must not
be done, or for some reason is it different?
Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach
ztz”l
says
that it is permitted to defrost an item that has no use as a frozen solid,
because even in its frozen state it is still called a liquid and hence it is not
nolad. Accordingly he permits defrosting milk on Shabbos. He explains
that ice serves a different function to water (and is indeed called another
name) and hence its defrosting involves nolad, whereas frozen milk is
still called milk and it does not serve a function in its frozen state.
We
apply the same rule to defrosting many drinks that are merely frozen in order to
cool them and consume when required. Therefore, when necessary one may freeze
and defrost on Shabbos all drinks such as orange juice, apple juice etc.
Is one permitted to freeze water to make
ice on Shabbos?
We find a machlokes as to whether making ice is called
nolad being it a new entity, or it is permitted. The Rav of Tchebin, in his
classical work the
ãåáá
îéùøéí rules that it
is nolad and forbidden. Others permit it.
The
halacha is that A) one should prepare sufficient ice cubes before
Shabbos. B) When very necessary, such as when guests are arriving, one may rely
on the lenient opinions and prepare ice for them.