Summary-Does peeling fruits and vegetables contain the Separating prohibition?[5]

The Summary takes into account that which is explained in the Q&A below-see there!

If the food is eaten by most people together with its peel: According to some Poskim[6] it may be peeled without the separating restrictions. Thus, it may be peeled to eat later on and may be peeled using a peeler. However other Poskim[7] hold that it does contain the separating prohibition and thus may not be peeled with a peeler, and may only be peeled to eat right away.

The Final Ruling: Rav Farkash rules that one who wishes to be stringent like all the opinions should always apply the separating prohibition to anything being peeled.

If the food is not eaten by most people together with its peel: Then according to all opinions, the separating restrictions apply and thus it may not be peeled using a peeler or any other designated vessel, and may only be peeled in order to eat right away.

Do the Borer restrictions [i.e. to peel for a right away use] apply even when peeling fruits/vegetables which are edible with their peel?[8]

If the food is not eaten by most people together with its peel such as carrots and the like: Then according to all opinions, the separating restrictions apply even to a person which usually always eats this fruit/vegetable with its peel, and thus it may not be peeled using a peeler or any other designated vessel, and may only be done in order to eat right away.

If the food is eaten by most people together with its peel such as cucumbers [in some places], apples, tomatoes, pears, apricots, plum, peaches: According to many Poskim[9] it may be peeled without the separating restrictions and thus may be peeled to eat later on and may be peeled using a peeler. [Regarding if the person peeling it is someone who cannot eat the food with the peel due to it being disgusting to him and the like then some hold[10] that even according to this opinion it is proper to be stringent and follow all the separating restrictions.] Other Poskim[11] hold that it does contain the separating prohibition and thus may not be peeled with a peeler, and may only be peeled to eat right away.[12]

The Final Ruling: Practically, those who are stringent are doing a proper act, although those who are lenient have upon whom to rely, and each person is to ask his Rav.[13] In a case that one is pressured to peel using a peeler, such as when one has a lot of fruits/vegetables to peel, or in a case that one is pressured to peel the fruits a while prior to the meal, such as in a case that one must leave ones house now and will only return when the meal will commence, then although one may be lenient like the latter opinions, nevertheless it is proper to also cut off part of the actual fruit together with the peel.[14]

In any case whenever one chooses to be lenient to follow the latter opinions one must know that in truth the selected fruit/vegetable is eaten with its peel by most people. Thus, cucumbers for example must be verified in each area if it is in truth eaten with its peel by most people.

May one peel off the outer peel of garlic [the peel which contains within it all the cloves] and take apart the cloves from each other on Shabbos?

See above Halacha 1 Q&A 8!

May one remove dates from its stalk?[15]

See above.

May one remove bananas from the stalk or grapes from their vine?[16]

See above.

May one remove the stems from fruits and vegetables?[17]

Yes, although this may only be done immediately prior to the meal.

May one peel fruits/vegetables which do not contain the separating restriction even for the need of after Shabbos?

No, this is forbidden as it is always forbidden to prepare on Shabbos for a weekday.

May one use a peeler to peel fruits and vegetables on Shabbos?[18]

Whenever the peeling of the fruit/vegetable contains the separating restriction [as explained in the summary above] it is forbidden to peel them using a peeler even if he plans peel them in close proximity to the meal.[19] Thus according to all Poskim it is forbidden to use a peeler to remove peels that are not eaten by majority of people. However, those peels that majority of people eat, are permitted to be peeled using a peeler according to those Poskim[20] who rule that such peels do not contain a Borer prohibition, as explained above.

May one use a peeler to peel fruits and vegetables on Shabbos?[21]

Inedible peels:[22] Those fruits and vegetable which majority of people do not eat together with the peel, and it is rather removed and discarded prior to eating, according to all opinions, it is [Biblically[23]] forbidden to use a peeler to remove the peel on Shabbos.[24] This applies even if one intends to do so in order to eat the food right away.

Edible peels: Those fruits and vegetables which majority of people eat together with the peel, some Poskim[25] rule it is forbidden to be peeled using a peeler, and rather may only be peeled with a knife for right away use.[26] Other Poskim[27] however rule it may be peeled using a peeler, and may even be peeled for later use on Shabbos.[28] Practically, those who are stringent are doing a proper act, although those who are lenient have upon whom to rely, and each person is to ask his Rav.[29] [Whenever one chooses to be lenient like the latter opinions one must know in truth that the selected fruit/vegetable is eaten with its peel by majority of people. Thus, cucumbers for example must be verified in each area if it is in truth eaten with its peel by majority of people, as explained next.]

Examples of fruits/vegetables and their peel status: According to the lenient opinion, it is permitted to peel with the help of a peeler apples, tomatoes, pears, apricots, plums, peaches using a peeler. According to all, it is forbidden to peel with a peeler a carrot, orange, grapefruit, Kiwi. The permissibility to peel cucumbers with a peeler is dependent on one’s countries eating habits; if the majority of people are accustomed to eat the cucumber with the peel, then according to the lenient opinion, it may be peeled using a peeler, while if the majority of people remove the peel then it is forbidden to use a peeler according to all.[30]

One who is particular to never eat the peel: If a person is particular to always peel a certain fruit/vegetable, despite it being eaten by majority of people, some Poskim[31] rule that even according to the lenient opinion, one must abide by the Borer restrictions and may not peel it using a peeler and may only peel it for right away use. Other Poskim[32] however rule that it is permitted for him to use a peeler even in such a case.

One who is never particular to remove the peel:[33] All fruits and vegetables that majority of people do not eat with the peel must abide by all Borer restrictions even if the person eating it is personally accustomed to eat the fruit/vegetable with the peel. Thus, it may not be peeled using a peeler or any other designated vessel, and may only be done in order to eat right away.

Pesach: Those who are particular not to eat peels on Pesach, and hence peel all their produce, seemingly may still abide by the leniency of using the peeler on Shabbos Pesach for peels that are generally eaten by majority of people, if they are accustomed to follow the lenient opinion during the other Shabbosim of the year.[34]

May one use a knife to peel fruits and vegetables?[35]

Yes. So long as one peels the food immediately prior to the meal one may use a knife to peel.

If one only desires to eat part of the fruit is he nevertheless allowed to peel the entire fruit?[36]

Rav SZ”A leaves this matter in doubt as to whether one may peel the entire fruit, as is the way of eating, or if he may only peel the area which he plans to eat.

May one peel many fruits and vegetables with intent to eat later on if he takes a bite from each fruit/vegetable right away?[37]

No as it is obvious that one plans to leave it for later on and the peeling is thus not done in the way of eating.

May one peel many fruits/vegetables for later on if he leaves the peels together with the fruits/vegetables?[38]

Such as if one has many carrots in a bowl may he peel them for later use if he leaves the peels within the bowl together with the carrots?

One may do so if he peels the food within the bowl without removing the food, as in such a case the peel in essence never separates from the fruit. However, one may not do so if he lifts the fruit/vegetable out of the bowl as when he peels it in such a state the peel has already separated from the fruit for a non-immediate use and what will it help now to replace it back in the bowl.

May one peel right before the meal more fruits than needed for the purpose of making his guests feel comfortable in taking as much as they want?[39]

Yes, as since one is doing it in order so the guests feel more at ease, he is receiving this immediate benefit from the separation, and does not need to also benefit from them eating it in order to consider it to have been done for an immediate use. [For other examples of when one may separate/peel for a guest, see Chapter 1 Halacha 5 Q&A there.]

May one peel a fruit for a child to take with him upon leaving the house even though the child will not be eating it until later on?[40]

No. This includes even if one decides to eat some of the fruit before leaving being that one’s main intention is to peel it for later on.

May one peel fruits in order to make a fruit compote many hours prior to the meal in order so it extract and absorb taste into and from the salad?[41]

Yes.

May one remove a rotten/wormy part of fruit/vegetable in order to eat the rest of the fruit/vegetable?[42]

Majority of Poskim allow one to cut it off so long as he plans to eat the fruit right away. Nevertheless, it is best for one to cut a part of the fruit itself together with the rotten part, as doing so adds to the leniency. One may not remove the rotten part of the fruit simply in order so the fruit not continue to rot, and he be able to eat it later on.

May one remove good fruits from amongst rotten ones to prevent them from rotting?

No. See Halacha 6 Q&A there

May one remove a worm or other bug from a fruit/vegetable?[43]

Inside the fruit: If the worm is inside the fruit than one may remove it so long as he plans to eat the fruit right away.

On the surface of the fruit/vegetables: If the insect is on the surface of the fruit then it depends. If the insect is not stuck onto the fruit then one may remove it without restriction as in such a case there is no “mixture” of good and bad, as explained above in chapter 1 the Q&A under the introduction. If the insect is stuck onto the fruit, then one may only remove it with intent to eat right away.  Nevertheless, it is best in such a case to shake the insect off rather than lift it with one’s hands. If this is not possible, then one may even remove it with one’s hands.[44]

May one peel fruits that are generally not peeled but rather quartered together with their peel, such as oranges, lemons and the like?

See Piskeiy Teshuvos 321/33.

Regarding removing the skin off fish/chicken, removing the pit from a fruit, removing labels from bread or baking paper from baked goods see Chapter 1 Halacha 4 Q&A there.

Regarding washing off dirt from a fruit/vegetable, see Chapter 1 Halacha 1d Q&A there.