Julia Child didn’t have to worry about these issues TB Shabbat 36-7

On Saturday we finished the second chapter and began the third chapter of massechet Shabbat. The third chapter deals with the analysis of cooking in the context of Shabbat. Even though cooking is one of the 39 different prohibited activities on Shabbat and those activities are described in detail in chapter 7, the issue of cooking is placed here because we concluded the laws concerning lighting the Shabbat candles. The next step in our journey into Shabbat is cooking that was completed on the onset of Shabbat. Secondly, cooking is unlike all the other prohibited activities. All the other prohibited activities are one and done. Cooking is a process that will continue over a long period of time. Much more discussion is needed. For example, are you allowed to continue cooking on Shabbat if you started the process before and if yes, under what conditions? May you return the pot to the oven after you removed some food from it?

Yesterday’s daf TB Shabbat 36 and today’s daf TB Shabbat 37 is really one long conversation how to understand the first Mishnah of chapter 3. Before delving into the discussion we have to understand several basic terms.

Leaving food that began being cooked before Shabbat on or in an oven is שייה.

Removing food from the oven and returning it back on or in the oven is חזרה.

Raking the coals to the side to cool the oven is גריפה.

Putting ash over the coals to cool the oven is קטימה.

When cooking over long time improves the taste is מִצְטַמֵּק וְיָפֶה לוֹ.

When cooking over long time deteriorates the taste is מִצְטַמֵּק וְרַע לוֹ.

“MISHNA: With regard to a stove that was lit on Shabbat eve with straw or with rakings, scraps collected from the field, one may place a pot of cooked food atop it on Shabbat. The fire in this stove was certainly extinguished while it was still day, as both straw and rakings are materials that burn quickly. However, if the stove was lit with pomace, pulp that remains from sesame seeds, olives, and the like after the oil is squeezed from them, and if it was lit with wood, one may not place a pot atop it on Shabbat until he sweeps the coals from the stove while it is still day or until he places ashes on the coals, so that the fire will not ignite on Shabbat. Beit Shammai say: Even after one has swept away the coals, it is only permitted to place hot water on it, as it is sufficiently hot and does not require additional cooking, but not cooked food. Since, in general, one prefers that food will cook more, there is concern lest he come to ignite the fire by stoking the coals. And Beit Hillel say: Both hot water and cooked food may be placed. Beit Shammai say: One may remove a pot from the stove on Shabbat but may not return it. And Beit Hillel say: One may even return it.” (Sefaria.org translation)

The basic question of both dapim, pages, the Gemara deals with is: is it permissible to place food on or in the oven, שייה, with a fire that has not been adjusted by either raking the coals or putting ash over the coals before Shabbat?  The underlying concern was the fear person of stoking the coals which everybody agrees is forbidden on Shabbat. Rabbi Hananiya allows שייה without adjusting the coals by גריפה or קטימה. The sages require גריפה or קטימה. Rav and Shmuel forbid שייה when cooking over the long time improves the taste (מִצְטַמֵּק וְיָפֶה לוֹ). Rabbi Yochanan permits it (מִצְטַמֵּק וְיָפֶה לוֹ).

The Rishonim are divided on the correct course of action. Rashi and the Tosafot follow Rabbi Hananiya while Rambam follows the Sages. Since our ovens are either electric or gas observance Jews will use a thin sheet of metal called a bleich in Yiddish over the top of the oven him to diffuse the heat as our means of גריפה or קטימה.

The Gemara also ultimately comes to the conclusion that one may put a pot next to hot oven even when the coals have not been adjusted.