Opinion & Comment
Letter to the Editor

Using Salt in Israel in Hot Foods on Shabbos

To The Editor:

A commonly-asked question: Is the salt we use today cooked, as far as the laws of Shabbos are concerned?

Answer: No, it is not cooked. I have in my possession a document from Mifal Yam Hamelach [stating this] and I wrote as much in Volumes I and II of Me'or HaShabbos.

On page 225 of Volume I, I quoted from the Beis Levy halachic journal published Nisan, 5753, "The salt currently found is generally not cooked, but just dried out in an oven and dehydrated in an oven."

Therefore on Shabbos one should avoid putting salt in a pot containing any hot food or soup. Even if the soup is in a bowl which is a kli sheini, one should avoid adding salt unless he waits until it cools off below yad soledes bo, or at least does not pour the soup directly from the pot into the bowl but uses a spoon or ladle, which makes the bowl a kli shlishi (see Shulchan Oruch, 318, 5 including Ramo, M.B. 45 and Pri Megodim 31).

And in the merit of keeping Shabbos according to halocho may we merit the complete Redemption speedily in our days, amen.

Moshe M. Yadler

Author of Me'or HaShabbos

The Editor Adds: This information applies to Eretz Yisroel. Readers living in other communities should determine if the locally used salt is cooked. Those with accurate, reliable information are invited to send it to us so that we can share it with our readers. (Email: yatedmp@netivision.net.il; Fax: 972 2 538 7855)

Also, another letter writer pointed out that using a ladle does not make the bowl a kli shlishi according to all opinions.

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