Question:
I’m currently learning in a local Hilchos Shabbos chabura and a shailah regarding food and a hot tray has come up. Would there be any chashash of נתינה בתחלה and chazora with putting already cooked food, which is still warm from being taken out of the oven and there is a small amount of sauce below the chicken, on a hot tray Erev Shabbos that will only turn on (through a timer) a few hours later on Shabbos itself for the Leil Shabbos meal?
I’m also asking this because, as I’ve previously mentioned, I’m a baal teshuva living in a non-frum home and my mother really doesn’t like the hot tray being on for long periods of time, although to me, it would seem ideal for the food to be on the hot tray from Erev Shabbos until the meal.
Answer:
Thank you for your question.
Just make clarify my understanding of your question, you want to put the already cooked food on the hot tray before Shabbos, and the Shabbos clock will turn the hot tray on, a few hours later after Shabbos starts. There is controversy about this, however most poskim rule that it is permitted, as it is only an issue of shehiya, provided that the hot plate itself would not have an issue of shehiya, i.e. it doesn’t have adjustable setting, or it is properly covered, etc. This may not be done on Shabbos itself, as it would be considered נתינה לכתחילה and חזרה.
Sources:
Moso Dyirushalayim – Yerushalmi Shabbos 1-5 in the name of the Chasam Sofer, Tzitz Eliezer 7-16, Chelkas Yackov 1-15,16, Edus Lyisroel pg. 122, Har Tzvi – Tal Horim bishul-9, Chazon Ish O:CH 37-21, Shmiras Shabbos Khilchoso 1-32, Orchos Shabbos 2-68, Ashrei Hoish O:CH 2 3-13, Hilchos Shabbos pg. 322-323 and footnotes 657-660. There is a preference though if the chicken would be dry, then it would be permitted according to all opinions.
A health warning is in order here. It sounds like a mistake is being made. If this approach to a hot tray is permitted it might sound helpful or even might make sense for some foods – but not for others. Where is the learning and discussion that keeps prominent the halachic concept: “to live by them; not to die by them” ? In restaurants people are not allowed to keep lukewarm food after a certain length of time if not at a hot enough temperature. Food must be kept either hot or cold after a certain point.
To leave meat dishes out “warm” on a hot plate surface that won’t reach a hot temperature for several hours? how can rabbis give permission? The issue of safety is being ignored. Many kinds of food for safety reasons are not supposed to be left out at lukewarm temperatures for more than an hour or so. (at consistently higher heat slow cooking -as with chulent-removes the risk). Leaving food out at lukewarm temperatures for several hours before cooking sounds like a recipe for making these halachic-innovator new-technology-adopters, and those who eat with them, at ever higher risk of food poisoning!
The question asked was for a person how is not concerned with this, or if the circumstances are such that it isn’t a real health issue, regarding the halachic aspects of doing this.
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