How to Have a Hot Cup

of Coffee on Shabbos
By Rabbi Joshua Flug

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.this document, press ctrl and click here
I. Introduction- For those who consume coffee on a daily basis, it is difficult to skip it on
Shabbos. This shiur outline will explore various methods of preparing coffee for
Shabbos.
a. The Rabbinic Resource Blog has two posts on coffee. [Access blog through Rabbinic
Resource Site and then search for coffee.]
II. Classic Methods of Preparation
a. Turkish coffee is prepared by placing the coffee grinds in hot water. There is no
filtration process. The coffee grinds remain on the bottom and when one reaches the
end of the cup, he stops drinking so as not to drink the sediment. This is how coffee
was prepared for the first few centuries of its popularization in the Western world.
i. Coffee beans are roasted before being ground, so ostensibly, it should not pose
a problem of bishul when placing the coffee grounds in hot water.
ii. However, there is a dispute mentioned in Shulchan Aruch regarding ‫בישול אחר‬
‫צלי‬. {} If one assumes that there is ‫בישול אחר צלי‬, roasting won't help and when
one places the grinds in hot water, it would constitute ‫בישול‬.
iii. R. Yehuda Ashkenazi (18th century, Ba'er Heitev) quotes a dispute about
whether making (Turkish) coffee constitutes a violation of bishul. Some
poskim felt that it violates a biblical prohibition and some felt that there was
what to rely on to prepare coffee in this manner. {}
iv. R. Moshe Sofer (1762-1839) discusses this question and writes that as long as
the coffee is edible after roasting (before any further cooking), it would be
contingent on the dispute regarding ‫ בישול אחר צלי‬and those who are lenient
have what to rely on. {}
v. Mishna Berurah, in discussing proper methods of preparing tea, doesn't
mention kli shlishi as an option. He further equates the rules of coffee to the
rules of tea. {}
1. He does mention kli shlishi as an option to solve the ‫בישול אחר צלי‬. {}
2. R. Moshe Feinstein (1895-1986) writes that there is a distinction
between coffee and tea in that coffee is like a spice and spices aren't
subject to bishul in a kli sheni. Tea is not only a spice, it provides
(nice) color to the water and therefore may not be considered a spice.
As a matter of practical halacha, R. Moshe is reluctant to rely on this
idea and requires using a kli shlishi. {}
3. R. Moshe also permits cooking tea in a kli shlishi. {}
b. Instant Coffee
 i. Instant coffee is prepared in different ways. The standard preparation
involves roasting the coffee beans and then cooking them in water before
turning the mixture into powder.
ii. R. Yitzchak Weiss (1902-1989) presents a letter he received from Nestle
claiming that the coffee is in fact cooked, but is concerned that when the
coffee powder melts, it is considered liquid. Mishna Berurah mentions this as
a problem regarding sugar. {} Therefore, there is an issue of ‫בישול אחר בישול‬
‫ בדבר לח‬and one may only be lenient in a kli sheni. {}
iii. R. Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (1910-1995) is quoted as saying that since the
coffee melts in the drink, it is definitely considered like a spice and spices are
not subject to cooking in a kli sheni. {}
iv. R. Moshe Feinstein writes that it should be permissible to place instant coffee
into a kli sheni. However, he personally is machmir to use a kli shlishi. {}
v. R. Shmuel Vosner (b. 1913) is quoted as saying that since there are different
ways of producing instant coffee, he is stringent not to prepare it on Shabbos.
{}
1. Ostensibly, this would not be an issue if one generally relies on R.
Moshe's leniency regarding kli shlishi.
III. Automatic Coffee Makers
a. Many coffee makers have the option of setting them up in advance so that one has a
fresh cup of coffee waiting for them when they wake up. Is it permissible to set up a
system before Shabbos that will prepare the coffee on Shabbos?
i. Please keep in mind that this discussion only applies when one does
everything before Shabbos. Adding water or coffee to the machine on
Shabbos (or touching the machine in any other way) would be considered an
act on Shabbos that enables the machine to make coffee and would certainly
be prohibited.
b. Mishna- It is permissible to set up a system before Shabbos that will perform melacha
on Shabbos. {}
c. The Gemara (Bavli) Cites a Beraisa that you can't put wheat into a mill (wind or
water powered) and let it finish grinding by itself on Shabbos. {} [The Yerushalmi
has a different approach. See the shiur outline on Timers.]
i. According to Rabbah, this is based on the prohibition of hashma'as kol (will
be explained later).
ii. According to Rav Yosef this is based on the prohibition of shevisas keilim-
one's utensils must not perform melacha on Shabbos
 1. The Gemara concludes that only Beis Shammai is machmir on
shevisas keilim and therefore, according to Rav Yosef, one can
actually place the wheat in the mill before Shabbos.
d. Hashma'as Kol
i. Gemara- as we mentioned earlier, according to Rabbah, the problem of
placing the wheat in the mill before Shabbos is hashma'as kol
1. Rashi (1040-1105) explains that hashma'as kol is because of zilusa
d'shabbos. {}
2. R. Yehuda ben Ya'akov Landa (d. 1493, Sefer Ha'Agur) explains that
it is because of what other people think. {} It seems like the audio
version of maris ayin.
a. He therefore allows one to have a grandfather clock that rings
(every hour or quarter of an hour) because everyone knows that
it was set up in advance.
ii. Tosafos- Rav Yosef, who says that the problem with the wheat mill is shevisas
keilim disagrees with Rabbah fundamentally and does not subscribe to the
idea of hashma'as kol. {}
e. Psak halacha
i. Shulchan Aruch assumes the position of Rav Yosef that there is no hashma'as
kol. {}
ii. Rama is machmir that there is hashma'as kol but he sides with the opinion of
Agur that if everyone knows that it is set up in advance, there is no problem.
1. Rama uses the term "darko" for the permissible cases. If everyone
knows that this is the normal way to set it up it is permissible.
2. R. Shlomo Zalman- A microphone is not darko because you normally
turn on the amplifier immediately before using it. Therefore, its use
poses a problem of hashma'as kol. {}
iii. Application to Coffee Makers
1. If hashma'as kol is an issue of zilzul shabbos, this would probably
constitute zilzul Shabbos.
2. If it's a question of how it is perceived, following R. Shlomo Zalman's
criteria, it would depend how normal it is to set up a coffee maker in
advance.
f. Nolad
 i. Shulchan Aruch quotes a dispute if it is permissible to eat bread that a non-
Jew made for himself on Shabbos. {}
ii. Mishna Berurah presents two reasons for the prohibition: {}
1. The bread is considered nolad because before the non-Jew baked it, it
was just flour and water.
2. We are concerned that next time, he may ask the non-Jew to bake the
bread.
iii. If the concern is nolad, Mishna Berurah indicates that nolad depends on
whether there is a permissible method of preparing the item. What this means
is that one is of the opinion that there is no permissible method to prepare hot
coffee (such as kli shlishi), the coffee that was made by a non-Jew or a coffee
maker would be considered nolad. Otherwise, it is not nolad.
IV. Borer and Various Filtration Methods
a. Turkish coffee and instant coffee do not require any type of filtration. Other methods
require a filter to separate the coffee from the grinds. This should present a problem
of borer which prohibits using a ‫כלי המיוחד לכך‬. {} Nevertheless, regarding certain
filtration methods there may be reasons to be lenient.
b. The Mellitta
i. The Melitta is a utensil that sits on top of a cup or pot with a filter inside the
utensil. The grinds are placed inside the utensil and the hot water is poured
over the grinds. The coffee drips through the filter into the cup.
ii. Bishul issues regarding coffee were already discussed.
iii. In terms of borer, the Mishna states that it is permissible to pour water onto
wine sediment in order to filter out particles. {}
1. Shulchan Aruch writes that it is permissible to pour water through a
filter that contains the wine sediment. {}
a. Mishna Berurah adds that it is permissible even if one's intent
is for the water to absorb the taste of sediment (wine). It is not
considered borer because when one pours the water, it is
already drinkable and doesn't require any filtration. {}
b. R. Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz (Chazon Ish 1878-1953) writes
that if one is pouring water through a sand filter, there is no
concern that the water becomes undrinkable as it passes
through the filter and then drinkable as a result of the filter
because of Mishna Berurah's reasoning and because we don't
consider the water to be mixed with the dirt in the filter while it
is passing through the filter. {}
 c. Based on Mishna Berurah and Chazon Ish, Shemiras Shabbos
Kehilchasa writes that it is permissible (from a borer
perspective) to pour water onto a filter that has tea leaves in it.
This case seems to be the exact case of the Melitta filter. {}
c. The French Press
i. In a French Press there is a filter that pushes all of the coffee grinds in the
mixture down to the bottom of the pot where they are trapped. This allows
you to pour out the coffee with the grinds remaining behind. [Wikipedia has a
good explanation (here) and there is a good video where the presenter takes
apart the press and shows you how it works (here).]
ii. Leniencies that may be applied
1. R. Shlomo Zalman Auerbach rules that if a utensil functions to filter
for immediate use, it is not considered a kli hameyuchad l'borer and it
is permissible for use. He therefore permits using a teakettle that has
tea leaves mixed with the tea and a filter on the spout. {}
2. R. Avraham Danzig (Chayei Adam, 1748-1820) discusses Turkish
coffee and writes that one may not pour the coffee to another cup
unless one leaves significant liquid in the first cup. Furthermore, one
may not filter the grinds even if drinking immediately. {}
a. Mishna Berurah doesn't fully accept Chayei Adam's ruling. He
permits pouring all of the liquid out of the cup if one is
drinking it immediately. However, he does not permit use of a
filtering agent. {}
b. R. Yitzchak Maltzan (20th century) writes that if one is using
one of the teapots with a filter on the spout, one should not
pour out all of the liquid. {} However, he does imply that it is
only a chumra for ‫מדקדקין‬. {}
c. As a side note, R. Maltzan does use the term "tcheinek" to
describe a teapot which is a good opportunity to go on a
tangent about the term "don't hock me a tcheinek"
d. Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa quotes two opinions about
whether one may use such a teapot. {}
3. Perhaps these leniencies can be applied to the French Press
a. It is a utensil that is specifically designed for immediate use. If
you let the mixture sit, the coffee will be undrinkable.
b. If the plunger is not dropped all of the way down to the bottom,
perhaps it is comparable to not pouring off the entire teapot.
 i. R. Ephraim Oved writes that the leniencies of the
filtered teapot only apply when the filter is on the top.
If it's on the bottom, the filter is directly filtering and is
prohibited. {}
c. If the plunger is all the way down, Mishna Berurah seems to be
stringent and R. Maltzan presents it as a chumra.
‫‪ ...‬וכן הדין לענין קאוו"י יזהר שלא יערה עליהם‬ ‫‪ .1‬שלחן ערוך או"ח שיח‪:‬ה‬
‫מים חמין מכלי ראשון‪ ,‬אם לא שעירה עליהם‬
‫מאתמול והריק את המים מעליהן‬

‫‪ .5‬משנה ברורה שיח‪:‬מז‬

‫‪ .6‬אגרות משה או"ח ד‪:‬עד )בישול ס' יח(‬ ‫‪ .2‬באר היטב או"ח שיח‪:‬יד‬

‫‪ .3‬שו"ת חתם סופר או"ח ס' עד‬

‫‪ .7‬אגרות משה או"ח ד‪:‬עד )בישול ס' טו(‬

‫‪ .8‬משנה ברורה שיח‪:‬עא‬ ‫‪ .4‬משנה ברורה שיח‪:‬לט‬

‫וכן בצוקע"ר מותר מהאי טעמא ליתנו בכלי‬
‫ראשון לאחר שהעיברוהו מן האש ויש‬
‫שמפקפקין בזה וטוב ליזהר מכלי ראשון‬
‫לכתחילה‪.‬‬

‫‪ .9‬מנחת יצחק א‪:‬נה‬

 ‫‪ .13‬מש' שבת יז‪:‬‬

‫‪ .10‬שמירת שבת כהלכתה פרק א' הע' קלה‬

‫ושמעתי מהגרש"ז אויערבך )שליט"ז( ]זצ"ל[‪,‬‬
‫דמכל מקום קפה נפס שפיר מותר לכו"ע‬
‫‪ .14‬שבת יח‪.‬‬ ‫להכניס בכ"ש‪ ,‬כיון שהקפה עצמו נמס ושותין‬
‫אותו וחשיב כתבלינים הנאכלים רק בתערובת‪.‬‬

‫‪ .11‬אגרות משה או"ח ד‪:‬עד )בישול ס' טז(‬

‫‪ .15‬רש"י שבת יח‪ .‬ד"ה שיטחנו‬

‫‪ .12‬מבית לוי ח"ח עמ' קסו‬

 ‫‪ .20‬שלחן ערוך שכה‪:‬ד‬ ‫‪ .16‬ספר האגור ס' תקיט‬

‫‪ .21‬משנה ברורה שכה‪:‬טז‬

‫שמא ]כא[ היתה ביה"ש קמח או עיסה שאינו‬
‫ראוי לכוס ואיתקצאי לביה"ש ואפילו אם נאמר‬
‫דהיו אז חטים דראוי לכוס מ"מ אין ראוים‬
‫לאכול באותו ענין שנעשו לבסוף לאחר‬
‫שנעשה בו איסורא דאורייתא שנעשה לחם‬
‫]כב[ והו"ל נולד ויש שאוסרין מטעם אחר‬
‫שמא יאמר לא"י לבשל ואע"ג דא"י שהדליק‬
‫נר לעצמו לא גזרינן כמ"ש סימן רע"ו במידי‬
‫דאכילה דלהוט ביותר גזרינן טפי וכתב המ"א‬
‫בסימן תקי"ז דמדברי המחבר שם משמע‬
‫דס"ל כטעם הזה‪.‬‬
‫‪ .17‬תוס' שבת יח‪ .‬ד"ה ולימא‬
‫‪ .22‬שלחן ערוך או"ח שיט‪:‬א‬

‫‪ .23‬מש' שבת קלט‪:‬‬

‫‪ .18‬שולחן ערוך או"ח רנב‪:‬ה‬

‫‪ .24‬שלחן ערוך או"ח שיט‪:‬ט‬

‫‪ .25‬משנה ברורה שיט‪:‬לג‬

‫‪ .19‬מנחת שלמה קמא ס' ט‬

 ‫‪ .31‬שביתת השבת בורר סע' יד‬ ‫‪ .26‬חזון איש או"ח ס' נג‬

‫‪ .32‬שביתת השבת בורר באר רחובות ס"ק נב‬

‫‪ .27‬שמירת שבת כהלכתה ג‪:‬נח‬

‫‪ .33‬שמירת שבת כהלכתה ג‪:‬נז‬

‫‪ .28‬שמירת שבת כהלכתה פרק ג' הע' קכה‬

‫ושמעתי מהגרש"ז אויערבך )שליט"א( ]זצ"ל[‬
‫דכלי המיוחד לברור לצורך מידי בלבד‪ ,‬אפשר‬
‫‪ .34‬תורת השבת פרק טו הע' קנו‬ ‫דאינו הכלל האיסור לברור בכלי‪ ,‬ולכן מותר‬
‫לשפוך תמצית תה דרך מסננת שבפי התיון‪,‬‬
‫דלהלן סע' נז‪ ,‬או להוציא שקית התה מהכוס‪,‬‬
‫הגם שטיפות תמצית התה מטפטפות מן‬
‫השקית‪.‬‬

‫‪ .29‬חיי אדם הל' שבת טז‪:‬ט‬

‫‪ .30‬משנה ברורה שיט‪:‬נה‬

‫דאם בדעתו לשתותו לאלתר‪ ,‬הלא קיימא‬
‫לן דאוכל מתוך פסולת כשבוררם שלא על‬
‫יד כלי‪ ,‬מותר אם בדעתו לאכול מיד‪ ,‬וכאן‬
‫אף שמערה מכלי לכלי מכל מקום עיקר‬
‫הברירה נעשה על ידי ידיו‪ .‬ואם נתן קסמין‬
‫בפי הכלי שמערה בתוכו כדי שיסתנן‬
‫היטב‪ ,‬בזה אפילו לאלתר אסור אם אינו‬
‫מפסיק כשמתחילין הניצוצות לירד משם‬
‫דחשיב כבורר על ידי כלי‪.‬‬