On shabbos can one cut the gefilte fish in a way where the fish looks like a fish. One makes a triangular cut and then takes the triangle and puts it next to the fish, so that the fish now looks like a fish. Can this be done on Shabbos, or is this is a form of writing or building?
Answer:
This is permitted. Only making an more extravagant shape would be a problem, but a simple triangle, placed next to the fish, is fine.
Sources:
See Beitzah 28b, from which it is clear that one may cut food into simple shaped. Chayei Adam (98:3) writes that to make elaborate shapes would be forbidden. See also Mishnah Berurah 500:17; Chut Shani, Shabbos p. 129; Orchos Shabbos p. 440.
[Sorry for the delay in responsing. The question was somehow mislaid.]
