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2. Spreading and smoothening foods on Shabbos:[1]

The act of spreading and smoothening a food on Shabbos touches upon two different sets of prohibitions; Mimacheik and Boneh. The concept of Mimacheik applies when one smoothens an item and the concept of Boneh applies when one presses an item together.

 

A. The general law:[2]

It is permitted to smoothen foods on Shabbos and doing so does not contain the Smoothening prohibition.[3] [It likewise does not contain the Boneh prohibition.]

 

B. Smoothening a food in order to beautify it:

As stated above, from the letter of the law it is permitted to smoothen foods on Shabbos [even for beauty purposes]. Nevertheless, one who is stringent to not smoothen an apple dish [or potatoes[4]] and foods of the like which are commonly[5] smoothened [in order to better their appearance[6]] will be blessed.[7] [However, according to some opinions[8] this is forbidden from the letter of the law due to the building prohibition.[9] Practically, we do not rule like this opinion.[10]]

Foods which are not commonly smoothened:[11] The above law which states that “one who is stringent is blessed” only applies to commonly spread foods. However, those foods which are not commonly spread are permitted in all circumstances to be spread, even for beauty purposes.[12]

C. Foods that cannot be eaten without being spread onto another food:[13]

If the food cannot be eaten without it being spread then it is forbidden to spread this food on Shabbos [for beauty purposes[14], as explained next].[15] [This refers to all foods that are generally only eaten as a spread and are not eaten plain, even though they are physically edible even plain. This includes butter, margarine, cream, chocolate spread and the like.[16]]

D. Spreading for non-beauty purposes:[17]

It is permitted to spread all foods if there is no beauty intent involved in the spreading. This applies even to foods that are commonly smoothened for beauty.[18] [This applies even to spreads that are not eaten plain.[19]]

 

E. Pressing foods together:

The Boneh prohibition applies likewise to foods.[20] Gathering foods together and pressing them into a shape in order to beautify them is forbidden due to the Boneh prohibition.[21] If, however, one does not intend to beautify the food then it is not forbidden due to Boneh.[22] [Based on this, some opinions[23] rule that it is forbidden due to the building prohibition to smear foods in order to beautify them.[24] Others[25] however argue that this prohibition does not apply to foods that one plans to eat right away and does not apply to single entity foods. It is unclear if the stringent opinions rule stringently even regarding a single entity food.[26]

Summary: It is permitted to spread and smear foods on Shabbos if one does not intend to do so in order to beautify the food. If one does intend to beautify the food through spreading it then it is proper to be avoided if it is common to spread this food. [If it is not common to spread the food it is always permitted to spread it.[27]] If the food is not commonly eaten without it being spread then it is forbidden to spread this food on Shabbos for beauty purposes. This includes butter, margarine, cream, chocolate spread and the like.   Q&A May one smoothen the top of a dip such as Chumus, Tehina, Chatzilim, mashed eggs, mashed potatoes?[28] One may do so for non-beauty purposes. If, however one is doing so for beauty purposes, such as in order for the dip to look fancy, then it is proper to be stringent. May one smoothen and spread cooked apples onto bread?[29] Yes, as one is not doing so for purposes of beauty. May one spread butter onto his bread? Yes. One may spread butter throughout the entire slice of bread in order to eat it.[30] However it is forbidden to do so in order to make the bread look fancy.[31] May one smear icing onto cake on Shabbos? Yes. One may smear icing throughout the entire cake in order to sweeten it. However, one is to refrain from further spreading the icing in order to make the cake look fancy. May one spread cream on a cake using an icing tip to form designs? Some[32] have written doing so is forbidden due to the smearing prohibition. This ruling seems puzzling.[33] Seemingly, to use a plane tip that carries no shape is fine, while to use a shaped tip is proper to be avoided. May one use a round shaped spoon to take out watermelon or ice cream? Yes.[34] However some Poskim[35] are stringent in this matter. May one cut fruits and vegetables into shapes such as a circle, square, star etc? One may cut the items into simple shapes, such as a circle or square. One may not however cut them into more complex shapes such as a star and the like due to the writing prohibition.

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[1] Rama 321:19  

[2] Rama 321:19; Mordechai Klal Gadol

[3] The reason: The reason for this is because it is anyways possible to eat the food in its current state [without having smoothened it]. [Rama ibid] Thus it is not relevant to the smoothening prohibition, as the smoothening prohibition only applies in a case that the smoothening fixes the item, similar to that which was done in the Mishkan.

[4] M”B in Biur Halacha “Bemachal”; Ketzos Hashulchan 146 footnote 11.

[5] Ketzos Hashulchan 146 footnote 11 learns that the “one who is stringent” only applies to commonly spread foods. However, those foods which are not commonly spread are permitted in all circumstances to be spread. See also Shabbos Kehalacha Vol. 3 20:59

[6] Biur Halacha 321:19 “Bemachal”; Ketzos Hashulchan 146 footnote 11.

[7] The reason: The reason for this is because when spread to decorate the food then it resembles the smoothening prohibition which is learned from the smoothening of the skins of animals which is done in order to beautify the skin. [Ketzos Hashulchan 146 footnote 11] It is thus forbidden due to appearing like “Mimacheik”. [Biur Halacha 321:19 “Bemachol”]

[8] Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 80:25 regarding egg with onion salad, based on Magen Avraham 340:17; Chayeh Adam 39:1; Minchas Shabbos 80:99

A single food? The above stringency of the above Poskim was written regarding smoothening and beutifying two different foods that have been pressed together and unified to one entity. It is however unclear whether they would hold that smoothening a single food [such as Chumus] would likewise contain a building prohibition in their opinion. Practically, some Melaktim write that it does not apply by a single food according to their opinion. [Shabbos Kehalacha 20:68; Nishmas Shabbos 321:323] Others however write that it applies even in such a case. [Shevet Halevi 6:29; brought in Piskeiy Teshuvos 321:32]

[9] The reason: As the Magen Avraham 340:17 rules that pressing figs together and smoothening them down to beautify their appearance involves the Building prohibition.

[10] Daas Torah 321; Shevisas Hashabbos Meameir 12; Cheishev Haeiphod 2:77; Tzitz Eliezer 6:34; Sheilas Shaul 1:58; implication of the opinion of the M”B and Ketzos Hashulchan [146 p. 12] which do not mention this prohibition in their summary and commentary of the above Halacha in the Rama

The reason: As this prohibition of building stated by the Magen Avraham only applies by pressing hard items together and making them into one unit. However, to spread something nicely does not resemble in any way the building prohibition but is rather only proper to avoid due to the smoothening prohibition as rules the Rama. [ibid]

[11] Implication of Rama ibid; Biur Halacha 321:19 “Bemaachol”; Ketzos Hashulchan 146 footnote 11; Piskeiy Teshuvos 321:31; Shabbos Kehalacha 20:59

[12] The reason: As in such a case it does not appear like the smoothening prohibition. [Biur Halacha 321:19 “Bemaachaol”] As the entire prohibition of Mimacheik only applies when one is doing so for beauty purposes, as only then is it similar to the smoothening of the hides which was also done for beauty purposes. If, however, it is not done for beauty purposes then it has no similarity to the Mimacheik prohibition done to the hides. Thus, by those foods that it is not common at all to smoothen for beauty purposes, the prohibition of Mimacheik is not applicable even if he intends to do so for beauty purposes. [Ketzos Hashulchan 146 footnote 11]

[13] Magen Avraham 321:29; Hagahos Smak; Implication of Rama ibid; M”B 321:81; Shabbos Kehalacha Vol. 3 20:59

[14] See Ketzos Hashulchan 146 footnote 12; Piskeiy Teshuvos 321:31

[15] The reason: If the food cannot be eaten without the spread then spreading this food contains a Rabbinical “Smoothening” prohibition, and is forbidden to be done even right before the meal, as just as there is a Rabbinical slating prohibition applicable to foods, similary there is a Rabbinical smoothening prohibition applicable to foods. [Peri Megadim 321 A”A 29; M”B ibid] The reason why this prohibition specifically applies in a case that the food cannot be eaten without the smoothening is because in such a case one is fixing the food similar to the fixing that was done to the hides in the Mishkan. [See Ketzos Hashulchan 146 footnote 11]

[16] Implication of Ketzos Hashulchan 146 footnote 12 which prohibits spreading butter for beauty; Piskeiy Teshuvos 321:31

[17] Based on Magen Avraham 321:29; M”B 321:82; Ketzos Hashulchan 146 footnote 11 that rule cooked apples may be spread on bread despite the Rama’s ruling of “one who is stringent is blessed”

[18] The reason: As the Tikkun that was done to the skins through the Melacha of Mimacheik was to beautify the skins, and hence if one does not intend to beautify it is not relevant to the prohibition. [Ketzos Hashulchan ibid]

[19] See Ketzos Hashulchan 146 footnote 12; Piskeiy Teshuvos 321:31 based on M”B ibid allows spreading fat and butter even though they are not eaten plain [Vetzaruch Iyun on Biur Halacha 321:19 “Tavo Alav Bracha” that depends this allowance on whether the food can be eaten without spreading it, hence implying that if it is not eaten without spreading it then in truth it would be forbidden due to Mimacheik.

[20] Admur 319:26; M”A 319:18; M”B 319:63; Shabbos 95b

[21] Magen Avraham 340:17; See regarding cheese: Admur 319:26; M”A 319:18; M”B 319:63; Shabbos 95b

[22] Magen Avraham 340:17

[23] Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 80:25 regarding egg with onion salad, based on Magen Avraham 340:17; Chayeh Adam 39:1; Minchas Shabbos 80:99

A single food? The above stringency of the above Poskim was written regarding smoothening and beautifying two different foods that have been pressed together and unified to one entity. It is however unclear whether they would hold that smoothening a single food [such as Chumus] would likewise contain a building prohibition in their opinion. Practically, some Melaktim write that it does not apply by a single food according to their opinion. [Shabbos Kehalacha 20:68; Nishmas Shabbos 321:323] Others however write that it applies even in such a case. [Shevet Halevi 6:29; brought in Piskeiy Teshuvos 321:32]

[24] The reason: As the Magen Avraham 340:17 rules that pressing figs together and smoothening them down to beautify their appearance involves the Building prohibition.

[25] Daas Torah 321; Shevisas Hashabbos Meameir 12; Cheishev Haeiphod 2:77; Tzitz Eliezer 6:34; Sheilas Shaul 1:58; implication of the opinion of the M”B and Ketzos Hashulchan [146 p. 12] which do not mention this prohibition in their summary and commentary of the above Halacha in the Rama

The reason: As this prohibition of building stated by the Magen Avraham only applies by pressing hard items together and making them into one unit. However, to spread something nicely does not resemble in any way the building prohibition but is rather only proper to avoid due to the smoothening prohibition as rules the Rama. [ibid]

[26] The above stringency of the above Poskim was written regarding smoothening and beautifying two different foods that have been pressed together and unified to one entity. It is however unclear whether they would hold that smoothening a single food [such as Chumus] would likewise contain a building prohibition in their opinion. Practically, some Melaktim write that it does not apply by a single food according to their opinion. [Shabbos Kehalacha 20:68; Nishmas Shabbos 321:323] Others however write that it applies even in such a case. [Shevet Halevi 6:29; brought in Piskeiy Teshuvos 321:32]

[27] Ketzos Hashulchan 146 footnote 11; Shabbos Kehalacha Vol. 3 20:59

[28] Shabbos Kehalacha Vol. 3 20:61; Piskeiy Teshuvos 321:31

[29] Magen Avraham 321:29, brought in M”B 321:82 and Ketzos Hashulchan ibid

[30] M”B 321:82

[31] Ketzos Hashulchan 146 footnote 12; Piskeiy Teshuvos 321:31

The reason: As the M”A ibid rules that foods that cannot be eaten plain are forbidden to be spread, and furthermore, even according to the Rama ibid if done to look fancy and this is commonly done with this food then it is proper for one to be stringent, as stated above that foods which are commonly spread for fanciness one who is stringent to refrain from doing so is blessed, as it appears like smoothening.

[32] Piskeiy Teshuvos 321:15

[33] As one is not smearing the icing using a knife and hence how is it similar to Mimacheik or Mimareiach? Is squeezing cream from a tube considered Mimacheik? No, hence the allowance to dab cream for pleasure on one’s body.

[34] Nishmas Shabbos 321:323-324; Piskeiy Teshuvos 321:32; Shabbos Kehalacha Vol. 3 20:68

[35] Shevet Halevi 6:29 as perhaps it contains the Boneh prohibition according to the Kitzur ibid