From the Rav’s Desk – Q&A’s on Shabbos urns and more

When did biblical Semicha become extinct?[1]

The conventional approach is that it became extinct sometime within the Talmudic era due to government decrees which gave a penalty of death for those who gave Semicha.[2] However, the Rebbe explains, and proves, that in truth it only became completely extinct much later on in the times of the early Rishonim.[3] The Rebbe explains that while Biblical Semicha did become rare within the Talmudic era, nonetheless, it still existed as an anomaly up until the Rishonic period of the Rif.

[1] See Pesakim Uteshuvos 242:16; See regarding the general concept of Biblical Semicha: Sanhedrin 2b; Rambam Sanhedrin 4

[2] See Sanhedrin 14a [Five major Tanaim getting Semicha from Rav Yehuda Ben Bava]; Ramban Sefer Hamitzvos Asei 153 [Semicha ended with Rebbe Hillel son on Yehuda Nesia in year 4118, which is 357 ACE]; Sefer Hazechus on Rif Gittin 4; Tashbeitz in Zohar HaRakia 54; Chasam Sofer O.C. 203; Beis Efraim O.C. 51

[3] Rebbe in Toras Menachem 5745 1 p. 465-480 based on Ran, Ritva and Milchamos Hashem of Ramban Rosh Hashanha 4 that the Rif blew Shofar on Rosh Hashanah that fell on Shabbos;

Must the water in electric Shabbos urns be hot before the start of Shabbos? May one fill it with cold water anytime before Shekia?[1]

The water in electric Shabbos urns must be hot [at least Yad Soledes, 50 Celsius, 122 Fahrenheit] before the start of Shabbos. All water urns that have interchangeable modes of temperature, as do Shabbos mode urns which contain a Shabbos mode button, and as do all urns that contain a button to press in order to re-boil the water, are subject to the restrictions of Shehiya which prohibits one from leaving non-half cooked food on an open flame into Shabbos. Now, although in general one has the option of covering the heat source in order to permit leaving even raw food onto it into Shabbos for it to cook over Shabbos, this is not possible by a water urn, as nobody will place a cover within the urn over the heating element. Accordingly, the only option is to make sure that the water is at least half cooked before sunset, which requires one to place the water into the urn sometime before sunset, depending on the size of the urn and the temperature of the water.

[1] See Admur 254:14; Minchas Yitzchak 5:91; Igros Moshe 4:74; Inyanei Bishul 22; Shevet Halevi 5:30; Shabbos Kehalacha 8:6; Vol. 1 page 299; pages 315-319; SSH”K 1 footnote 120; Orchos Shabbos 2:26; Piskeiy Teshuvos 254:6