KollelBoker: Is one allowed to soak dishes on Shabbos?

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Vol. 1 Iss. 20

פרשת שמיני

Dvar Torah

By: R' Chananya Berman

The pasuk at the end of Parshas Tzav tells us that Aharon did everything that Hashem commanded him through Moshe. The Toras Kohanim explains that the pasuk is telling us this to teach us that he acted with great joy as if he heard it directly from Hashem. The Maharal explains that the way of the world is if someone tells you what to do, you wont do it with joy because you are listening to someone else. So the Torah is praising Aharon for doing it with joy even though he is listening to someone else.

If we think about this we can learn an important lesson from here. Aharon Knew that everything Moshe told him was from Hashem, yet the Torah is telling us Aharon acted with joy. This means that I would have thought perhaps Aharon didn't act with complete joy. This means that even someone on as high a level as Aharon is susceptible to this natural feeling of not wanting to listen to others. Even when he knows it is coming from Hashem! Perhaps this is because we don't want to feel as if we need to be told what to do. We want to be able to make our own decisions.

If we realize that we, as humans, have this weakness we will be able to recognize it when it rears it's head next time someone asks us to do something. We will be able to listen with joy and without a feeling of lowering ourselves to others.

Dvar Halacha

By: R' Chananya Berman

Question: Is one allowed to soak dishes on Shabbos in order to make it easier to wash them after Shabbos?

Discussion: A person is not permitted to engage in any post-Shabbos preparation. The reason for this prohibition is; it would be disgraceful to the honor of Shabbos to prepare for the week. Therefore, even an act which is one of the Melachos of Shabbos may be prohibited if it is being done for after Shabbos.

One common question that arises is can one soak his dishes on Shabbos to aid in cleaning up after Shabbos? Rav Shlomo Zalman Aurebach says in שמירת שבת כהלכתה that one is allowed to soak the pots or pans as long as the food has not dried out. If the food has already dried out one would not be allowed to soak it (ע"ש פרק י"ב סעיף ב-ג). Rav Belsky Shlita is quoted in Rabbi Ribiat's 39 melachos sefer as disagreeing with this method.

There are two other methods that one can use. One would be allowed to prepare a pot of soapy water before Shabbos and then put the dishes in on Shabbos. Or one can place the dishes in the sink and then continue to use the sink in a normal fashion while the water runs over the dishes (see The Kosher Kitchen page 204).

There are two exceptions to this; if the dirty pot will emit an unpleasant odor one would be allowed to soak it or wash it off on Shabbos. This is because we view it as a need for Shabbos and not as a preparation for the week (One should ask a rav regarding the proper method for washing dishes on Shabbos). The other exception would be if the pot will stain and get ruined by not washing or soaking it immediately (שמירת שבת כהלכתה י"ב: ב).

For all practical questions please ask your Rav.

Food For Thought

The halacha is that we don't say tachanun the entire month of Nissan. The reason we don't say it for the first 12 days is because it was a holiday for each נשיא on the day he brought his korban to dedicate the mishkan. The question is why would the people of the other shevatim not say tachanun just because it is a holiday for one shavet?

Gemara Shiur 30 Min before Shacharis, given by Rabbi Goldman.

Halacha Shiur preceding maariv at Ahavas Yisroel 9:00-9:30 Monday and Thursday, given by R' Chananya Berman.

For any comments or suggestion please email Kollelboker@hotmail.com or speak to Rabbi Goldman

Shabbos zimanim are:

Candle lighting 6:54

Sh'kea 7:12

Sof Zman Kriyas shma 9:54

Mogen Avroham 9:18