Making Salt Water when Pesach Falls on Shabbos
Rabbi Yonason Johnson
Of the many symbolic foods which grace our Seder table is salt water. One of the two dippings which we do at the Seder is the Karpas vegetable. The Karpas can technically be dipped into anything. The Shulchan Aruch suggests vinegar and salt water as equal options. In the absence of either, even Charoses may be used. But the custom is to use salt water. It is also customary to begin the Shulchan Orech meal with an egg in salt water.
When Yomtov falls on a weekday, the salt water may be made on Yomtov without any concern since it is for food purposes. But when Pesach falls on Shabbos, the making of salt water presents a problem as set forth in Simon 321 in the laws of Shabbos.
In hilchos Pesach, the Alter Rebbe rules that the salt water should be made before Shabbos. If it was not, then only the smallest amount, sufficient for the Karpas dipping, can be made.
The Mishna Berura writes that due to the complication, if salt water was not made before Shabbos, one should use vinegar for dipping. Only if this is not available should make salt water according to the Shabbos restrictions.
Background
What is the problem of making a brine on Shabbos?
Pickling vegetables or other foods which are typically pickled to preserve, is forbidden on Shabbos. Two reasons are found in the Rishonim for this prohibition.
The Rambam writes that this is Rabbinically forbidden because it resembles the Melacha of cooking. Cooking changes the status of
food through heat. Pickling similarly changes the food. This is based on a Talmudic dictum כבוש כמבושל, pickling is like cooking.
The other Rishonim explain that the prohibition of pickling is an extension on the prohibition of salting which is a derivative of the Melacha of Me’abed - tanning. As part of the tanning process, salt would be applied to the animal skins.
Rabbinically, it is forbidden to salt any food which is changed through salting, including raw meat and fish and most types of vegetables. Just as salting is forbidden since it preserves these foods, so too pickling is forbidden since it has a similar affect.
The Shulchan Aruch refers to both of these reasons.
Just the making of a large quantity of salt water is forbidden on Shabbos. Even if the liquid will not be used for pickling, but will be used for other foods, it remains forbidden. This is because it appears as though one was going to use it for pickling. The prohibition is not limited to making salty water. It applies to to other liquids as well.
Therefore, when making salt water/liquid on Shabbos, only a small amount can be made. Even then, this small amount of salt water can only be made for use at the immediate meal and just prior to the meal commencing.
Exceptions
1. If the salt liquid being made will be made in the ratio of two thirds salt or more, even the smallest amount is cannot be made on Shabbos.
2. Where salt is merely added to taste there are no restrictions. Therefore one may make a salad dressing with salt in it, or add salt to soup to taste on Shabbos.
Back to Pesach
Now we can understand the halocha when Pesach which falls on Shabbos, where the salt water was not made beforehand.
Since no definition is given by the Rishonim for a ‘small amount’, only the smallest amount can be made as necessary for the dipping of Karpas at that Seder meal.
This should be made just prior to the Seder beginning.
The Egg
Many homes serve the egg in a bowl of salt water - this cannot be considered the minimum amount required. Therefore if the salt water was not made before Shabbos, one should make the bare minimum to merely dip the egg.
Large Sedarim
What if you have a large Seder and the ‘small amount’ required for everyone’s dipping will become quite large?
Here we find a dispute amongst the Acharonim. One should be stringent in this scenario and rather use vinegar, lemon juice or Charoses for dipping. Alternatively one could also ask a non-Jew to make the salt water.
Other practical applications of salting and pickling on Shabbos
* On Shabbos one may not put salt onto most raw vegetables; onions, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, mushrooms, radish, peas, beans etc.
* This does not apply to cooked vegetables which will not be altered by adding salt.
* Vegetable pieces may be dipped and eaten one at a time.
* When making a salad, the salt should only be added after oil or vinegar has been applied over the entire salad.
* The prohibition only applies to salt but not to other spices such as pepper.
* One may not place vegetables in a brine or vinegar or add such a brine to vegetables on Shabbos. Already pickled foods may be returned to brine on Shabbos (e.g. pickle jar).
* Cooked vegetables, meat, fish and eggs etc. may be salted for the upcoming meal. This does not need to be immediately before the meal.
Rabbi Yonason Johnson
Of the many symbolic foods which grace our Seder table is salt water. One of the two dippings which we do at the Seder is the Karpas vegetable. The Karpas can technically be dipped into anything. The Shulchan Aruch suggests vinegar and salt water as equal options. In the absence of either, even Charoses may be used. But the custom is to use salt water. It is also customary to begin the Shulchan Orech meal with an egg in salt water.
When Yomtov falls on a weekday, the salt water may be made on Yomtov without any concern since it is for food purposes. But when Pesach falls on Shabbos, the making of salt water presents a problem as set forth in Simon 321 in the laws of Shabbos.
In hilchos Pesach, the Alter Rebbe rules that the salt water should be made before Shabbos. If it was not, then only the smallest amount, sufficient for the Karpas dipping, can be made.
The Mishna Berura writes that due to the complication, if salt water was not made before Shabbos, one should use vinegar for dipping. Only if this is not available should make salt water according to the Shabbos restrictions.
Background
What is the problem of making a brine on Shabbos?
Pickling vegetables or other foods which are typically pickled to preserve, is forbidden on Shabbos. Two reasons are found in the Rishonim for this prohibition.
The Rambam writes that this is Rabbinically forbidden because it resembles the Melacha of cooking. Cooking changes the status of
food through heat. Pickling similarly changes the food. This is based on a Talmudic dictum כבוש כמבושל, pickling is like cooking.
The other Rishonim explain that the prohibition of pickling is an extension on the prohibition of salting which is a derivative of the Melacha of Me’abed - tanning. As part of the tanning process, salt would be applied to the animal skins.
Rabbinically, it is forbidden to salt any food which is changed through salting, including raw meat and fish and most types of vegetables. Just as salting is forbidden since it preserves these foods, so too pickling is forbidden since it has a similar affect.
The Shulchan Aruch refers to both of these reasons.
Just the making of a large quantity of salt water is forbidden on Shabbos. Even if the liquid will not be used for pickling, but will be used for other foods, it remains forbidden. This is because it appears as though one was going to use it for pickling. The prohibition is not limited to making salty water. It applies to to other liquids as well.
Therefore, when making salt water/liquid on Shabbos, only a small amount can be made. Even then, this small amount of salt water can only be made for use at the immediate meal and just prior to the meal commencing.
Exceptions
1. If the salt liquid being made will be made in the ratio of two thirds salt or more, even the smallest amount is cannot be made on Shabbos.
2. Where salt is merely added to taste there are no restrictions. Therefore one may make a salad dressing with salt in it, or add salt to soup to taste on Shabbos.
Back to Pesach
Now we can understand the halocha when Pesach which falls on Shabbos, where the salt water was not made beforehand.
Since no definition is given by the Rishonim for a ‘small amount’, only the smallest amount can be made as necessary for the dipping of Karpas at that Seder meal.
This should be made just prior to the Seder beginning.
The Egg
Many homes serve the egg in a bowl of salt water - this cannot be considered the minimum amount required. Therefore if the salt water was not made before Shabbos, one should make the bare minimum to merely dip the egg.
Large Sedarim
What if you have a large Seder and the ‘small amount’ required for everyone’s dipping will become quite large?
Here we find a dispute amongst the Acharonim. One should be stringent in this scenario and rather use vinegar, lemon juice or Charoses for dipping. Alternatively one could also ask a non-Jew to make the salt water.
Other practical applications of salting and pickling on Shabbos
* On Shabbos one may not put salt onto most raw vegetables; onions, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, mushrooms, radish, peas, beans etc.
* This does not apply to cooked vegetables which will not be altered by adding salt.
* Vegetable pieces may be dipped and eaten one at a time.
* When making a salad, the salt should only be added after oil or vinegar has been applied over the entire salad.
* The prohibition only applies to salt but not to other spices such as pepper.
* One may not place vegetables in a brine or vinegar or add such a brine to vegetables on Shabbos. Already pickled foods may be returned to brine on Shabbos (e.g. pickle jar).
* Cooked vegetables, meat, fish and eggs etc. may be salted for the upcoming meal. This does not need to be immediately before the meal.
