Hilchos Shabbos Table Learning

A Weekly Guide to Shabbos Laws for Personal Study and Family Discussion

🛠️ Melacha Corner 🛠️

☕ Making Turkish / Ground Coffee on Shabbos — Issues of Borer

Preparing coffee on Shabbos can involve questions of Borer (separating), especially when dealing with ground or Turkish coffee.

📜 The General Rule of Filtering Liquids on Shabbos

The prohibition of Borer applies when separating:
• Liquid from solid
• Where the solid is not normally consumed

✅ Key principle:
If the solid material mixed into the liquid is drinkable or edible by most people together with the liquid, filtering is permitted — provided one is not particular to avoid it.

⚠️ However:
If a person is always particular not to drink the liquid with this solid, then it is forbidden for him to filter it on Shabbos — even if others drink it that way.

📌 Practical reality:
• Many people (e.g., soldiers, campers) drink coffee together with the grounds
• Others are careful to always filter it
• It is unclear which group is the majority

With this in mind, we will analyze the common methods of preparing ground coffee on Shabbos.

☕ Pouring Coffee from One Cup to Another

Leaving Grounds at the Bottom

✅ Permitted:
One may pour the coffee liquid into another cup as long as:
• Some liquid remains above the coffee grounds
• The grounds stay on the bottom of the original cup

⚠️ Pouring until fully separated:
• Many Poskim permit this if one intends to drink it immediately
• However, Admur in his Siddur treats this as questionable even when drinking right away

✅ Practical guidance:
• It is preferable to stop pouring before reaching the grounds
• Those who are lenient have whom to rely upon, especially if they are not particular to filter

🫖 Using a French Press or Built‑In Strainer

✅ Permitted:
One may pour coffee from a French press until:
• The liquid above the strainer is removed
• Some liquid remains above the grounds

⚠️ Pouring all the way down:
This is debated among the Poskim:

• Stringent view:
  – Coffee grounds are not edible by most people
  – Filtering through a strainer is classic Borer
• Lenient view:
  – Justifies the common practice to pour even below the strainer
  – Based on several halachic considerations

✅ Practical ruling:
• Best to stop pouring once reaching the level of the grounds or strainer
• This is permitted according to all opinions

❗ Especially important:
One who is always particular to filter coffee grounds should certainly avoid pouring out all the liquid.

💧 Pouring Hot Water onto Grounds in a Strainer

✅ Permitted method:
• Place ground coffee into a strainer
• Pour hot water (from a Keli Sheini or later) over it
• Allow the liquid to drip into the cup below

📌 This applies even if:
• The dripping takes time

🚫 Not permitted:
• Pouring coffee liquid already mixed with grounds through a strainer to filter it
• This is especially forbidden for one who is particular to strain

⚠️ Important Cautions:

When using this method, one must be careful to:

• ❌ Not shake the strainer
  • ❌ Not stir or assist the flow with a finger or utensil
  • ✅ If the strainer sits in the liquid, remove it with a spoon or utensil
  – So drops do not fall back into the coffee

✅ Summary

• It is permitted to make Turkish or ground coffee on Shabbos using:
  – A Keli Shelishi, or
  – Irui from a Keli Sheini

☕ Pouring from a Cup or French Press:

• One may pour coffee into another cup
  • Must stop once reaching the area mixed with grounds
  • Best not to pour out all the liquid, even if drinking immediately

🚫 Pouring Through a Strainer:

• One should not strain coffee liquid through a strainer
  • It is permitted to pour hot water onto grounds already in a strainer
  • One must not shake or assist the filtering process

Sources:

See Admur 319:13; Rama 319:10; Michaber 319:9; Shabbos 139b; Admur 319:12, Michaber 319:9 and Mishneh Shabbos 139b; Admur 319:18; M”A 319:15; M”B 319:55; Kaf Hachaim 319:113Minchas Yitzchak 4:99-2; Sheivet Halevy 8:58; SSH”K 3 footnote 171 in name of Rav SZ”A