Making Charoses when Pesach falls on Shabbos
One of the 39 Melachos is Losh - kneading. Losh is the act of binding small particles together with a liquid, to form a solid or semi-solid mass. Losh is not limited to flour. All fine particles (בני גיבול) are subject to the Torah prohibition when mixed with liquid to form a thick mixture. Examples would include mixing soil with water to make mud or making instant mashed potatoes.The Rishonim debate whether the Biblical Melacha of Losh applies to coarser particles such as bran (לאו בני גיבול). The Shulchan Aruch brings both opinions.
The Lenient Opinion
According to the first opinion, coarse particles do not resemble flour and are only subject to a Rabbinic prohibition of Losh. This prohibition only applies if one makes a large quantity at a time. However, a small mixture can be made even if it forms a thick mixture or mass. This is because making a small mixture is considered a shinui – performing the action in an irregular manner.
If a large quantity is being made, it must be made as a ‘runny’ mixture with a loose consistency. Even then, a shinui is still required. This is done by reversing the regular order of adding the ingredients. For example, if the mixture is usually made by placing the solid particles and then adding the liquid, on Shabbos one must first place the liquid and then add the particles. A shinui is also required when mixing them together, such as by using one’s finger, shaking the bowl, or using a spoon or fork with criss-cross strokes.
The Stricter Opinion
According to the second opinion, there is no distinction between fine and coarser particles and both are subject to the Torah prohibition. Furthermore, the prohibition doesn’t only apply when stirring or mixing the particles with the liquid. It also applies to simply adding the liquid, as this will create some degree of bonding of the particles.
According to this opinion, there is no way to make a thick mixture on Shabbos unless some liquid had already been added before Shabbos. In this case, additional liquid could be added on Shabbos.
If the mixture is loose, it is only subject to a Rabbinic prohibition. In this case, it can be made if the order of adding the ingredients is reversed and a shinui is used when mixing as described above.
Some practical scenarios where these Halachos are applicable would be mixing oil or mayonnaise with egg or canned tuna, making wheatbix or baby cereals or adding mayonnaise to grated horseradish.
If the pieces are significantly large and will retain their distinct identity even when they are mixed with the liquid, it no longer resembles Losh and will be permissible. Therefore, one may add mayonnaise when making potato salad or coleslaw. Similarly, one may mix pieces of fruit into yoghurt.
Making Charoses
Charoses is made by mixing finely chopped fruits, nuts and spices (for those who use spices during Pesach) to make a thick mixture which resembles mortar. It should then be softened by adding wine (preferably red as a remembrance of the blood). Since the wine acts to bind the pieces together, the making of Charoses is subject to the laws of Losh.
Losh is one of the Melachos of food preparation which is permissible on Yomtov. When Yomtov falls on a weekday, Charoses can be made in the regular manner without any concern. However, when Pesach falls on Shabbos, the Halacha is as follows:
The Alter Rebbe rules that one should add the wine to soften the mixture before Shabbos. If one did not do so, they should make the Charoses on Shabbos by first placing the wine into the bowl and then adding the solid Charoses ingredients. The mixing should be done with a shinui - either mixing with one’s finger or by moving the bowl around. This ruling is based on the Magen Avraham.
It is clear that their rulings follow the stricter opinion discussed above, where even just adding the liquid on Shabbos is forbidden. Therefore, it is surprising that both the Magen Avraham and the Alter Rebbe do not write the requirement that only a loose mixture can be made.
Machatzis Hashekel and Pri Megadim both write that the Magen Avraham is relying on his ruling in the laws of Shabbos, which follows the stricter opinion in Losh, where he clearly writes that one may not make a thick mixture. Similarly, the Ketzos Hashulchan writes that in the laws of Pesach, the Alter Rebbe relies on his ruling in hilchos Shabbos - as evidenced by referring us to what he has already written in Siman 321 where the laws of Losh on Shabbos are discussed.
Whilst we no longer have the conclusion of Siman 321 in the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch where his ruling is issued, we can infer from a later Siman, that he Paskens like the stricter opinion. In Siman 324, the Alter Rebbe discusses the mixing of bran to feed their animals on Shabbos. There he brings the two opinions and writes that “we have already explained” that one should follow the stringent opinion.
Based on this, even though Charoses for Pesach should be thick like mortar, if it was not made before Shabbos, only a mixture of loose consistency can be made, while also employing the shinuim described above.
It is preferable that the Charoses be made entirely before Shabbos. For those who do not wet the Matzah (as will be discussed in a later section), some Charoses mixture should be left without wine to use for Korech.
Chabad custom, is to prepare the Charoses fruits and nuts before the Seder and to add the wine at the Seder before dipping the Maror. This practice is brought by the Chok Yaakov. The Rebbe would place some of the dry Charoses into the wine which had spilled into the plate under the Kiddush cup.
Those who still wish to follow this custom when Pesach falls on Shabbos, should take care to follow the guidelines described above, including to be certain that there is sufficient wine in the plate to ensure that the resulting mixture will be of a loose consistency.
Additional Concerns
On Shabbos, one is not allowed to chop fruit or vegetables into very fine pieces. If the Charoses was not made in advance, on Shabbos the fruits and nuts must be chopped just before the beginning of the Seder, using a knife. One may not use a grater, grinder or masher. The pieces should also be cut larger than they usually would be.
The Lenient Opinion
According to the first opinion, coarse particles do not resemble flour and are only subject to a Rabbinic prohibition of Losh. This prohibition only applies if one makes a large quantity at a time. However, a small mixture can be made even if it forms a thick mixture or mass. This is because making a small mixture is considered a shinui – performing the action in an irregular manner.
If a large quantity is being made, it must be made as a ‘runny’ mixture with a loose consistency. Even then, a shinui is still required. This is done by reversing the regular order of adding the ingredients. For example, if the mixture is usually made by placing the solid particles and then adding the liquid, on Shabbos one must first place the liquid and then add the particles. A shinui is also required when mixing them together, such as by using one’s finger, shaking the bowl, or using a spoon or fork with criss-cross strokes.
The Stricter Opinion
According to the second opinion, there is no distinction between fine and coarser particles and both are subject to the Torah prohibition. Furthermore, the prohibition doesn’t only apply when stirring or mixing the particles with the liquid. It also applies to simply adding the liquid, as this will create some degree of bonding of the particles.
According to this opinion, there is no way to make a thick mixture on Shabbos unless some liquid had already been added before Shabbos. In this case, additional liquid could be added on Shabbos.
If the mixture is loose, it is only subject to a Rabbinic prohibition. In this case, it can be made if the order of adding the ingredients is reversed and a shinui is used when mixing as described above.
Some practical scenarios where these Halachos are applicable would be mixing oil or mayonnaise with egg or canned tuna, making wheatbix or baby cereals or adding mayonnaise to grated horseradish.
If the pieces are significantly large and will retain their distinct identity even when they are mixed with the liquid, it no longer resembles Losh and will be permissible. Therefore, one may add mayonnaise when making potato salad or coleslaw. Similarly, one may mix pieces of fruit into yoghurt.
Making Charoses
Charoses is made by mixing finely chopped fruits, nuts and spices (for those who use spices during Pesach) to make a thick mixture which resembles mortar. It should then be softened by adding wine (preferably red as a remembrance of the blood). Since the wine acts to bind the pieces together, the making of Charoses is subject to the laws of Losh.
Losh is one of the Melachos of food preparation which is permissible on Yomtov. When Yomtov falls on a weekday, Charoses can be made in the regular manner without any concern. However, when Pesach falls on Shabbos, the Halacha is as follows:
The Alter Rebbe rules that one should add the wine to soften the mixture before Shabbos. If one did not do so, they should make the Charoses on Shabbos by first placing the wine into the bowl and then adding the solid Charoses ingredients. The mixing should be done with a shinui - either mixing with one’s finger or by moving the bowl around. This ruling is based on the Magen Avraham.
It is clear that their rulings follow the stricter opinion discussed above, where even just adding the liquid on Shabbos is forbidden. Therefore, it is surprising that both the Magen Avraham and the Alter Rebbe do not write the requirement that only a loose mixture can be made.
Machatzis Hashekel and Pri Megadim both write that the Magen Avraham is relying on his ruling in the laws of Shabbos, which follows the stricter opinion in Losh, where he clearly writes that one may not make a thick mixture. Similarly, the Ketzos Hashulchan writes that in the laws of Pesach, the Alter Rebbe relies on his ruling in hilchos Shabbos - as evidenced by referring us to what he has already written in Siman 321 where the laws of Losh on Shabbos are discussed.
Whilst we no longer have the conclusion of Siman 321 in the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch where his ruling is issued, we can infer from a later Siman, that he Paskens like the stricter opinion. In Siman 324, the Alter Rebbe discusses the mixing of bran to feed their animals on Shabbos. There he brings the two opinions and writes that “we have already explained” that one should follow the stringent opinion.
Based on this, even though Charoses for Pesach should be thick like mortar, if it was not made before Shabbos, only a mixture of loose consistency can be made, while also employing the shinuim described above.
It is preferable that the Charoses be made entirely before Shabbos. For those who do not wet the Matzah (as will be discussed in a later section), some Charoses mixture should be left without wine to use for Korech.
Chabad custom, is to prepare the Charoses fruits and nuts before the Seder and to add the wine at the Seder before dipping the Maror. This practice is brought by the Chok Yaakov. The Rebbe would place some of the dry Charoses into the wine which had spilled into the plate under the Kiddush cup.
Those who still wish to follow this custom when Pesach falls on Shabbos, should take care to follow the guidelines described above, including to be certain that there is sufficient wine in the plate to ensure that the resulting mixture will be of a loose consistency.
Additional Concerns
On Shabbos, one is not allowed to chop fruit or vegetables into very fine pieces. If the Charoses was not made in advance, on Shabbos the fruits and nuts must be chopped just before the beginning of the Seder, using a knife. One may not use a grater, grinder or masher. The pieces should also be cut larger than they usually would be.