Halacha Question - To re-heat or not to re-heat

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Permalink Reply by David on January 7, 2010 at 8:26pm

Don't gather sticks........some body might stone you!

Ally, I simply cease from doing work on the Sabbath. John Carlson and I did a study last year where we gathered opinions from as many sources that we could find. The most orthodox being not to create or move energy as an example riding elevators and truning on lights, turning on water because at some point up stream a pump could start. To that degree we had to realize that even thinking caused our brains to fire and cause a "spark" (ever so small). We then figured the only way to not "work" was to sleep all day, but then we might dream and that would cause Rappid Eye movement.... So the conclusion of the matter would be to go to a hospital and get them to induce me into a coma.....(NOT)...Do you get my point?

Ok....To the question, What do "we" do? about reheating food that was prepared the day before? This Is what I do. Since Sherry does most of the cooking and preparing meals and such. I do what I can to make sure she does not do any cooking on Saturdays...Also I try to discourage her from having to do double duty the day before. Notice that what I do is mostly common sense and I am sure others take on this is quite different. Of course it helps if you are like me and love cold beens and veggies......so I quess I would say we snack all day! Its a quite and relaxing time as we study and attempt to have family time.

Now getting to the Law or instructions per say.....Do not light a fire, rest/cease from work...and so forth. I will let some of the more "observant" among us to answer your question as I can only tell you what we do! with the slight assumption that Sherry will read this and say BAh Humbug to what I said.

I look forward to others response to this question that you have asked.

dave

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Permalink Reply by Sherry Cole on January 7, 2010 at 9:04pm

Bah Humbug! Dave (no , just kidding),
I am sure there are many others on SWW that are more observant than me on this point (cooking / reheating on Shabbat), but I have considered ways to address this issue. Presently I do use a microwave to reheat (as it is labeled a "labor saving device" lol) but I have thought of preparing meals in the crockpot on Friday and setting it on the lowest setting. That way it would be warm on Saturday and would not require additional "work" to heat the food.
Just my thoughts,
Blessings,
Sherry

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Permalink Reply by Ally Kale on January 8, 2010 at 4:25am

Dave,

No gathering sticks here :-)....I'll bet those stones hurt!

You are a barrel of laughs...but yes, I get your point and agree.

Dave, you said: "I do what I can to make sure she does not do any cooking on Saturdays...Also I try to discourage her from having to do double duty the day before. " That's so nice of you...I'm sure she appreciates that.

The snack all day concept....hmmm...I think I could live with that. I try to do cold food when I can, but can't always.

Sherry,

You said: "Presently I do use a microwave to reheat (as it is labeled a "labor saving device" lol) "....Love it! LOL


I like the crock pot idea. I wouldn't want to let it go all night here, but it would definately be a good alternative way of heating without having to stand over it and watch it, etc. Thanks for that.

You guys sound like a great couple. Blessings to you both!

Shabbat Shalom,
Ally









David said:

Don't gather sticks........some body might stone you!

Ally, I simply cease from doing work on the Sabbath. John Carlson and I did a study last year where we gathered opinions from as many sources that we could find. The most orthodox being not to create or move energy as an example riding elevators and truning on lights, turning on water because at some point up stream a pump could start. To that degree we had to realize that even thinking caused our brains to fire and cause a "spark" (ever so small). We then figured the only way to not "work" was to sleep all day, but then we might dream and that would cause Rappid Eye movement.... So the conclusion of the matter would be to go to a hospital and get them to induce me into a coma.....(NOT)...Do you get my point?

Ok....To the question, What do "we" do? about reheating food that was prepared the day before? This Is what I do. Since Sherry does most of the cooking and preparing meals and such. I do what I can to make sure she does not do any cooking on Saturdays...Also I try to discourage her from having to do double duty the day before. Notice that what I do is mostly common sense and I am sure others take on this is quite different. Of course it helps if you are like me and love cold beens and veggies......so I quess I would say we snack all day! Its a quite and relaxing time as we study and attempt to have family time.

Now getting to the Law or instructions per say.....Do not light a fire, rest/cease from work...and so forth. I will let some of the more "observant" among us to answer your question as I can only tell you what we do! with the slight assumption that Sherry will read this and say BAh Humbug to what I said.

I look forward to others response to this question that you have asked.

dave

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Permalink Reply by Mary Vaught Kline on January 8, 2010 at 2:02pm

That is easy for me, I just have cold food. Challah, olive pate{kosher} , Humus, raw vegies, fruit. I do have a lot of problems with the scripture.
Shemoth 35:2-3 On six days, work may be done, but the seventh day shall be holy for you,a day of complete rest for HASHEM; whoever does work on it shall be put to death. You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwellings on the sabbath day.
I use wood heat, So I build a big fire on friday get the heat in the living room up to sometimes 75-78. But then I do not put anymore wood on the fire after sabbath starts. So the fire burns out by morning it is 60 in the house , when it is 13-17 outside. I sit around with a winter coat on, wrapped in a blanket, praying the pipes do not freeze. As it gets colder and colder as the day goes on. It is real easy to look at the Talmud [oral law] which Moses recieved at Sinai, gave to Joshua, who gave to the Men of the General assembly..... which makes clear that a fire for cooking is forbidden, but there is no prohibition for using it for heat.
So several times this winter, actually quite a few I have decided I will just build a fire and keep warm, right now it is 41 outside at night so it is easy to decide to live Torah only. So tonight I will not kindle a fire and it will still be in the 60's tomorrow. Electricity is very expensive where I live, so my budget prohibits my using it now.

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Permalink Reply by Ally Kale on January 8, 2010 at 4:10pm

Mary, thank you for your reply. I am taking all of these thoughts into consideration and asking YHVH to lead me. I could very easily go the cold food way on Shabbat.

As for using fire for heat: Here are just a couple of my thoughts on this. I realize I could be wrong. I always thought the Torah commands us not to 'kindle' a fire. To kindle a fire is to get one going which requires gathering the little bits of dry branch material etc and then to get the fire going, which can be a real task (work). It seems to me that if you started a fire before Shabbat, but occassionally place a log on the fire, that wouldn't be considered work. I just don't think that YHVH would want His people to be freezing. After all, Shabbat is to be a delight. If we are freezing, how can it be? You know, but then again (I'm pondering here), if there is a real desire in our hearts to please YHVH, we can find delight in obeying Him (even if it meant being uncomfortable physically) according to our understanding. I commend you! Maybe we've been too spoiled...?

I can relate to you in some ways. I live in Australia, but I'm from the states. I'm used to air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter. We have neither. That's not to say that all of Australia lives with no heat or a/c, because alot do have it. But alot do not. The unit we live in does not have heating or a/c. The cost of living here is high, so we have to cut corners every way that we can.

May YHVH bless you and guide you,
Ally

Mary Vaught Kline said:

That is easy for me, I just have cold food. Challah, olive pate{kosher} , Humus, raw vegies, fruit. I do have a lot of problems with the scripture.
Shemoth 35:2-3 On six days, work may be done, but the seventh day shall be holy for you,a day of complete rest for HASHEM; whoever does work on it shall be put to death. You shall not kindle fire in any of your dwellings on the sabbath day.
I use wood heat, So I build a big fire on friday get the heat in the living room up to sometimes 75-78. But then I do not put anymore wood on the fire after sabbath starts. So the fire burns out by morning it is 60 in the house , when it is 13-17 outside. I sit around with a winter coat on, wrapped in a blanket, praying the pipes do not freeze. As it gets colder and colder as the day goes on. It is real easy to look at the Talmud [oral law] which Moses recieved at Sinai, gave to Joshua, who gave to the Men of the General assembly..... which makes clear that a fire for cooking is forbidden, but there is no prohibition for using it for heat.
So several times this winter, actually quite a few I have decided I will just build a fire and keep warm, right now it is 41 outside at night so it is easy to decide to live Torah only. So tonight I will not kindle a fire and it will still be in the 60's tomorrow. Electricity is very expensive where I live, so my budget prohibits my using it now.

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Permalink Reply by Ally Kale on January 9, 2010 at 10:06pm

Thanks Shlomo...appreciate it and look forward to it.

Ally

Shlomo Gelobter said:

Ally, I will post on my blog for you sometime this week, I hope it will help! :-)

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Permalink Reply by Tammy Hulon on January 14, 2010 at 3:28pm

Shalom Ally,

I am sure you are going to get many answers on to re-heat or not to re-heat. Over the years we have changed what we would do on Shabbat and headed in the more conservative path. We eat our Shabbat lunch together as a congregation and we have a full menu that we plan a week in advance. We all take part and bring different items on the menu. Our rules for the meal are to have everything cooked and ready to be served (in the correct serving dishes, also) when you bring it to the synagogue. Any chopping or slicing also must be done before Shabbat starts. We do re-heat using crock pots, commerical size warmers, and we do cut on the oven, but no higher than 200 degrees. We say if you are changing the food, then you are cooking and that should be done ahead of time. Before we go into our teaching time, which usually last a couple of hours, two people are in charge of starting the warming process. We take turns doing this so it never becomes anyone's Shabbat job. After we eat we put any food that must be put in the fridge back and wait until after Shabbat to actually clean up from the meal. With everyone helping it only takes a few minutes.

At home for the Shabbat evening meals, we of course cook it before candle lighting, and then we only put up the food after the meal. My family uses dishes that are only used at Shabbat (something nice my mother-in-law gave me when we got married) to make it special, and when we are finished eating we push the plates more near the center of the table and cover them with our Shabbat cloth napkins. We don't clean off the table until after Shabbat. After Shabbat when we get home from synagogue, we all work quickly to get it all cleaned up, so we can enjoy the rest of the evening. Shabbat preparation is definitely a team effort around here.

Maybe I gave to much information, but I would also love to hear how everyone else makes their Shabbat separate. Maybe I will start a new forum on "How is your Shabbat different from all the other days of the week?"

Thanks for starting the forum.

Tami

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