Q. Hello Rav! I wanted to add some canned beans to a salad on Shabbat. After I've dealt with the opening up the can issue, I then had an potential borer (prohibited choosing and separating) issue in rinsing the beans.
I'll explain: Once the can is opened, the beans are in a water/salt/additive mixture that although technically edible, most people will rinse off before eating the beans. Having sat in the can with the beans for a long time, it accumulates particles of beans and is quite repulsive to me. During the weekday we would do this in a strainer.
On Shabbat, I'm wondering if I can use my hand to grab a bunch of beans and then while holding them in my hand, rinse them under the faucet to remove all the excess “pesolet” udesirable liquid/particles. In effect, I would be using my hand and fingers like a strainer to keep the bean in my hand, while letting all the pesolet be washed away with the faucet water.
In the 39 melechas sefer, he discusses that one could wash a cluster of grapes under the water faucet, but in that case it might be that one is holding a stem and not using his fingers/hand like a strainer. And even in that case, he writes that it would be better to wash one grape at a time.
I spoke to one Rav who indeed told me that I would need to rinse one bean at a time. Is this correct? Thank you so much!
A.Horav Slomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that it is indeed similar to washing any fruit and therefore permitted.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit'a
Important Numbers
