Question:
- Is one allowed to take cholent from the pot while it is on the fire if it is fully cooked?
- Is soup any different? I know some people do this is it allowed? Is it preferable not to do this? Thank you
Answer:
- We don't take cholent from the cholent pot while it is on the fire, even if it is fully cooked. The reason is because we are not allowed to stir a pot (called Hagasa) of food even if it is fully cooked, because there are particles that might not have been cooked that will get cooked by the food getting stirred. Hagasa applies even merely scooping out the the food while pot is still on the fire, even if the food is fully cooked. The pot may be moved to a place on the blech that is not above the fire, (but still hot) then the cholent can be removed, recovered, and then you can slide it back over the fire.
- Most poskim hold that it is permitted to stir plain water which is fully cooked even when it is over the fire, because nothing is getting mixed. Regarding tea, coffee, milk, plain clear soup, on the fire it is controversial, some poskim permitted it, and others rule stringently.
Best wishes
Sources:
- Chayei Adam 20-9, M:B 318-113, Igros moshe O:CH 4-74 Bishul-8, 11, Shmiras Shabbos Khilchoso 1-38, Shvus Yitzchok 9 pg. 430, Zachor V'shamor vol. 2 pg. 111.
- Avnei Nezer O:CH 59, Igros Moshe O:CH 4-74 Bishul 14, Shvus Yitzchok 9 pg. 434, Shmiras Shabbos Khilchoso 1-33, Shulchan Shlomo 318-63, Orchos Shabbos 1-96, Tzitz Eliezer 6- Kuntris Electric 1-4, Chut Shani 2 pg. 196, The Shabbos Kitchen pg. 48, The 39 Melachos 648.
