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Moldy bread

Question:

  1. CAN MOLDY BREAD BE THROWN AWAY without worry?
  2. Can a person cause old bread to become moldy so that it can be thrown away?

Answer:

  1. Bread that is not edible to most people, (not just because of affluence) may be thrown out, because it is no longer edible.
  2. The poskim say that the prohibition of Baal Tashichis only applies to doing an action that ruins the bread, but not when the person’s inaction will only “cause” the bread or food to get ruined. A person can cause old bread to go moldy, by not eating it, or not putting it into the freezer, so it can be thrown away.

Sources:

  1. Shulchan Aruch O:CH 180-3,4, Bais Boruch (on the Chayei Adam) 45-22, Sharei Habracha 3-50, ftnt. , Darca Shel Torah ( R’ Y. Shvartz shlit”a) pg. 87.
  2. Minchas Yitzchok 3-45 (2), Chazon iSh (Sheviis) 14-10,Halichos Shlomo ( Tefilas ) 2 ftnt. 103, Chut Shani ( Shmitta) pg. 289. Eitz Hasadeh 35-12. See Eitz Hasadeh ftnt. 39 where he discusses what is called “causing” the food to get spoiled and what is considered the persons action. He wants to suggest that when the person’s action will cause the food to get spoiled right away, then it is still considered the person action, but when the persons action will only cause the food to spoil later on then it is only considered as if he caused it and permitted.

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