Question:
B”H Thank you for your help. My question is: what is the correct way to clear the table on Shabbat to not do “sorting?” If there are some not-clean plates and some clean plates, can I put the clean plates on a table and the not-clean ones in a sink, or is this sorting? Same with utensils- can clean utensils be taken off the table and put elsewhere if the not-clean utensils get placed in the sink? Would it help to “break up” the action by taking only dishes and silverware used during the meal off the table, placing them in the sink and then coming back to the table and removing the unused plates and silverware together, and placing them not in the sink? Your help is sincerely appreciated!
Answer:
Usually when clearing a table from a family’s Shabbos meal is not an problem regrading borer because the foods, plates, cutlery are not that crowed together, that it is a taaruvos. If however the table or part of it has numerous different items that close to each other, like after a kiddush, then it would be considered a mixture. There are a few options. You may take two items from the edge of the table randomly to bring them into the kitchen. Once they are in your hands and separated, they may be put in their places.
Kesiva v’chasima tova
Sources:
Sharei Shabbos 7-6.
