03 June, 2009

Halachic Point to Ponder- Parshas Behaloscha

A huge MAZEL TOV to the Singer family on the birth of their adorable prince. We cannot wait for the shalom zachor and bris. May we share many many simchas together!

Rashi (perek 11;8) says the Mon became ground and cooked- it changed it's physical nature- at the wish of the one eating it. If you wanted a cake all you had to do is want the Mon to taste like cake and so it became. In Parshas Beshalach when we learn of the Mon Moshe tells Klal Yisroel that all their cooking and baking of the mon that was needed for Shabbos should be done by Friday. The Moshav Zekainim (a Baal Tosfes) asks what kind of prohibition was there in cooking and baking Mon? If you were able to make it taste by just thinking of the food you wanted it to be why would that be assur on Shabbos? He answers that when you made it taste to your liking you are liable for the issur tikkun.
The question is what kind of tikkun would you be doing? There are two options and both of them are problematic. It can either be bishul or makeh bepatesh. The definition of the issur bishul is changing the form of an object through the medium of fire. That surely didn't apply here becuase there was no fire involved - only words or thoughts. The Pri Megadim says that one can be liable for makeh bepatesh when preparing food. The Mishna Berurah (simin 318 in the Beir Halacha) brings many proofs that that is not the case and that there is no issur of makeh bepatesh in regard to food preparation. Can we say that the Moshev Zekainim is a proof to the Pri Megadim?

R' Chaim Kanievski (Derech Emunah hilchos Shmita perek 1) raises another point. He ponders if one is permitted to do a melacha if it's not done in a natural teva way. He states a Shela Hakodosh that asks how was Moshe able to write thirteen Sifre Torah the day he died if it was Shabbos? The Shela answers that he didn't write it - he made the Sifre Torah through shaimos- pronounching Hashem's name. You see from there that doing a miraculous act and accomplishing somthing that is assur is permitted on Shabbos. If so the question of the Moshev Zekainim is stronger. What would be the problem with preparing the Mon on Shabbos?

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