Dirshu Mishnah Berurah

MB 319.4 – MB 319.6 – Borer on Shabbos: Selecting Food, Refuse, and Proper Technique


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This episode continues the detailed laws of borer (selection) on Shabbos. We clarify the three core conditions that permit food selection: taking the desired item from the undesired, using one’s hand rather than a specialized tool, and eating immediately. The discussion explains why removing refuse—even by hand—creates liability, how using utensils changes the halachic status, and why timing matters. Practical cases include sorting large quantities of food, separating legumes, rubbing grain, removing peas from pods, cracking nuts, and peeling shells. We also explore when a change in normal technique (shinui) helps, when it does not, and where authorities are stringent, especially in actions that resemble threshing. Clear guidance is provided for everyday food preparation on Shabbos, distinguishing normal eating from prohibited sorting.

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Dirshu Mishnah BerurahBy Moshe Zeidman