1) A cooked dish that contains gravy or sauce (from before Shabbos) may be mixed together well, even to the point where the food and the gravy combine resulting in a firmer mass. (See Bais Yosef end of Siman 321 quoting Teshuvos HaRambam Siman 109)
It is even permitted to add additional gravy or sauce into the dish and mix it in. (ibid.)
The reason for this is that we don't look at this action as a Melacha of Lisha rather we see it as a simple adjustment in the presentation of the food which is already fully prepared. (See Chazon Ish Siman 58:9. See also Biur Halacha Siman 321:14 Dibur Hamaschil Shema)
2) Many Poskim even allow pouring gravy or sauce on top of dry mashed potatoes or rice using the same reasoning as above, since no significant act of Lisha is taking place and we see it as an adjustment in the presentation of a fully prepared food. (Biur Halacha ibid.)
Some Poskim are stringent and do not allow pouring gravy onto totally dry food [in the regular manner]. (See Chazon Ish Siman 58:7)
However, all agree that if by pouring the gravy onto the rice it will cause the individual rice grains to disperse rather than combine that it is permitted (as the effect of dispersing is the opposite of the Melacha of Lisha, combining.)
QUESTION & ANSWER CORNER
Reader Submitted Questions of interest on topics related to Halachos we covered, as well as other interesting topic and Answers. Taken from the Q & A pages on the Halacha For Today website.
Although the answers I give to questions are taken directly from the Sifrei HaPoskim, and aren't my own, they are still for study purposes only, NOT for Psak Halacha.
Questions can be emailed to HalachaForToday@Yahoo.com
Reader's Question:
If I eat and leave the place I left forgetting to make a bracha acharona, and when I remember, it's not possible or practical for me to return to the place where I ate, should I make the bracha acharona wherever I am?
Answer:
Birchas Hamazon and Al Hamichya in most cases you need to return to at least the room where you ate.
Borei Nefashos and Al Ha'eitz and Al Hagefen, may be recited even out of the place that you ate. Though, for Al Ha'eitz and Al Hagefen, if possible to be stringent and recite in place where you ate is best. (See Shulchan Aruch Siman 178:5 and Siman 184:3 and Mishna berura there.)
If you forgot Birchas Hamazon or Al Hamichya , If you already left and cannot go back to where you ate, if it was unintentionaly (Shogeg) you may recite it where you remembered.
If it was intentionally (Meizid) and you have no more bread to eat in the place where you are now, then according to some opinions you are Yotzei B'dieved, while other Poskim maintain that you are not Yotzei even B'Dieved and must return to the original place where you ate. (See Shulchan Aruch Siman184:1 and 2 and Mishna berura S"K 4 and 8)
CHIZUK CORNER
As a Zechus for the Refuah Shelaima of one of the Gedolei HaDor, the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva , HaRav Chaim Stein Shlita, R' Chaim Yaakov ben Chasya Miriam, B'soch Sha'ar Cholei Yisroel, we will B'Ezras Hashem post here each day a short inspirational thought to help us all improve our lives and grow in our service of our Father in heaven, HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
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אל תתיאש מן הרחמים
Chizuk Corner
Yankee Fans and Emunah
When my daughter was twelve years old she was an avid Yankee fan. As the oldest child in the house, she set the tone, and it wasn't long before all of the children were Yankee enthusiasts.
One day, as we were driving past Shea Stadium, my five-year-old daughter let out a loud "boooo!" Her ten-year-old sister, sitting next to her, asked, "Why did you say that?
"That's the Mets. They stink!" Was her response.
Being a bit curious, one of the other children asked her, "Do you know what they do in that stadium?"
"No."
Do you know how to play the game?"
" No."
"Do you even know what baseball is?"
" No."
"So, why do you booo the Mets?"
"Well... everyone knows that the Yankees are great, and the Mets stink", was her indignant response.
There is nothing wrong with a five year old having a simplistic understanding of things, and there is no harm in her being a baseball fan without knowing what that means. However, it sometimes seems that our Emunah has that level of sophistication, and our entire belief system is like a five year old's allegiance to the Yankees.
Ask the average orthodox Jew, "Have you thought about what Emunah means? Have you studied Hashem in any significant way?
"Studied Hashem?"
"Thought about Emunah?"
"No. Not really."
It is rather ironic that we spend so much time in the practice of our religion, yet the basics behind it, our relationship to HASHEM, is something that seems to be overlooked.
Not to say that we aren't frum, and not to say that we don't believe. We do believe. We believe that Hashem is in charge. We believe that Hashem runs the world. The problem is that we don't take the time to understand what that means. If Hashem controls every activity on the planet, how does man have free will? If Hashem determines how much money I am to make, why should I go to work?
And in a real sense we are like Yankee fans. Our Emunah remains a juvenile, undeveloped sense of "I know that I am supposed to believe-I'm just not sure what exactly it is that I am supposed to believe in." Our beliefs are supposed to be much deeper, much more refined, much more sophisticated. But, for that to happen, we have to invest time and effort on understanding what we believe in. Otherwise we remain HASHEM fans.
Excerpted from a shiur by Rabbi Shafer at www.Theshmuz.com ; Submitted by Daily reader, A.C.
Important Numbers
