‫בורר‬

‫‪SORTING‬‬
‫אבות מלאכות ארבעים חסר אחת הזורע‪,‬‬
‫והחורש‪ ,‬והקוצר‪ ,‬והמעמר‪ ,‬והדש‪ ,‬והזורה‪,‬‬
‫הבורר‪ ,‬הטוחן‪ ,‬והמרקד‪ ,‬והלש‪ ,‬והאופה‪,‬‬
‫הגוזז את הצמר‪ ,‬המלבנו‪ ,‬והמנפצו‪,‬‬
‫והצובעו‪ ,‬והטווה‪ ,‬והמיסך‪ ,‬והעושה שתי בתי‬
‫נירין‪ ,‬והאורג שני חוטין‪ ,‬והפוצע שני חוטין‪,‬‬
‫הקושר‪ ,‬והמתיר‪ ,‬והתופר שתי תפירות‪,‬‬
‫הקורע על מנת לתפור [שתי תפירות]‪ ,‬הצד‬
‫צבי‪ ,‬השוחטו‪ ,‬והמפשיטו‪ ,‬המולחו‪ ,‬והמעבד‬
‫את עורו‪ ,‬והממחקו‪ ,‬והמחתכו‪ ,‬הכותב‬
‫שתי אותיות‪ ,‬והמוחק על מנת לכתוב שתי‬
‫אותיות‪ ,‬הבונה‪ ,‬והסותר‪ ,‬המכבה‪ ,‬והמבעיר‪,‬‬
‫המכה בפטיש‪ ,‬המוציא מרשות לרשות‪ ,‬הרי‬
‫אלו אבות מלאכות ארבעים חסר אחת‪.‬‬

‫‪1‬‬
 ‫בורר‬

‫בורר‬

Sorting in the Mishkan

After threshing, some waste matter (dirt, pebbles, etc.) remains mixed with the herbs. These
particles must be removed to allow the herbs to be ground into powder. Pebbles are too heavy
to be removed by winnowing, nor is it possible to remove them with a sieve. Therefore, they
must be removed by hand.

2
THE AV MELACHAH

(‫ י"א‬,‫ משנה תורה הלכות שבת ח‬,‫ (רמב"ם‬.‫ּבֹורר ִּכגְ רֹוגֶ ֶרת ַח ָ ּיב‬
ֵ ‫ּזֹורה אֹו ַה‬
ֶ ‫ַה‬
One who winnows or sorts something the size of a dried fig is liable. (Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Shabbos 8:11)

‫אֹורה‬
ֶ ‫יתים אֹו ָה‬ִ ֵ‫ּמֹוסק ז‬ ֵ ‫ּגֹודר ְּת ָמ ִרים אֹו ַה‬ ֵ ‫ּבֹוצר ֲענָ ִבים אֹו ַה‬ֵ ‫בּואה אֹו ִק ְטנִ ית אֹו ַה‬
ָ ‫ּקֹוצר ְּת‬
ֵ ‫וְ ֵכן ַה‬
)‫ ד‬,‫ (שם ז‬.‫ּדּוליו ִמ ְת ַּכ ֵוּן‬
ָ ‫ ֶש ָּׁכל ַא ַחת ֵמ ֶהן לַ ֲעקֹר ָ ּד ָבר ִמ ִ ּג‬.‫אכה ַא ַחת ֵהן‬ָ ָ‫ ָּכל ֵאּלּו ַאב ְמל‬.‫ְּת ֵאנִ ים‬
And so too one who reaps grain or legumes, or who harvests grapes, or picks dates, or harvests olives or figs — all
of these actions are forms of one melachah. In each case, the person’s intent is to remove the fruit from its source of
growth. (Ibid. 7:4)

THE TOLADAH

‫ּבֹורר אֹו‬
ֵ ‫ּתֹול ֶדת‬
ֶ ‫ּבֹורר ְש ָׁמ ִרים ִמּתֹוְך ַה ּ ַמ ְש ִׁקין ֲה ֵרי זֶ ה‬ ֵ ‫ וְ ֵכן ַה‬.‫ּבֹורר‬ ֵ ‫ַה ְמ ַח ֵּבץ ֲה ֵרי הּוא ּתֹולֶ ֶדת‬
‫אֹותן‬
ָ ‫ּומ ּ ְפנֵ י ָמה ָמנּו‬
ִ .‫יהם זֶ ה לָ זֶ ה‬ ִ ‫ּבֹורר וְ ַה ְמ ַר ֵּקד‬
ֶ ֵ‫ּדֹומין ִענְ יְ נ‬ ֵ ‫ּזֹורה וְ ַה‬ֶ ‫ ֶש ַׁה‬.‫ּתֹולֶ ֶדת ְמ ַר ֵּקד וְ ַח ָ ּיב‬
)‫ (שם‬.‫אֹותּה ִּב ְפנֵ י ַע ְצ ָמּה‬ ָ ‫אכה ֶש ָׁהיְ ָתה ַּב ּ ִמ ְש ָּׁכן מֹונִ ין‬ָ ָ‫של ָֹשׁה? ִמ ּ ְפנֵ י ֶש ָּׁכל ְמל‬ׁ ְ ‫ִּב‬
One who churns — this is a derivative of sorting. Similarly, one who removes sediment from beverages
— this is a derivative of sorting or a derivative of sifting, and he is liable, since winnowing, sorting and
sifting are conceptually similar. Why, then, are they counted as three [distinct melachos]? Because any
type of melachah performed in the Mishkan is counted separately. (Ibid.)

THE ISSURIM D’RABBANAN

‫יכְך ַאף ַעל ּ ִפי ֶש ּ ֻׁמ ָּתר לִ ְמל ֹל ְמלִ ילֹות‬ ָ ‫ּובֹורר ֵמ ֲאבֹות ְמלָ אכֹות ֵהן לְ ִפ‬ ֵ ‫זֹורה‬
ֶ
‫ ֲא ָבל ל ֹא ְּב ָקנֹון‬.‫ ְּכ ֶשׁהּוא ְמנַ ּ ֵפ ַח ְמנַ ּ ֵפ ַח ְּביָ דֹו ַא ַחת ְּב ָכל ֹּכחֹו‬,‫עֹותיו‬ָ ‫אשׁי ֶא ְצ ְּב‬ ֵ ‫ְּב ָר‬
‫ וְ ַה ְמ ַש ּ ֵׁמר ְש ָׁמ ִרים‬.‫ּוב ְכ ָב ָרה ֶשׁהּוא ַח ָ ּיב‬
ִ ‫וְ ל ֹא ְּב ַת ְמחּוי ְ ּגזֵ ָרה ֶש ּ ָׁמא יְ נַ ּ ֶפה ְּבנָ ָפה‬
‫יכְך ַאף ַעל ּ ִפי ֶש ּ ֻׁמ ָּתר לְ ַס ֵּנן יַ יִ ן ָצלּול אֹו ַמיִ ם‬ ָ ‫ לְ ִפ‬.‫ּבֹורר אֹו ְמ ַר ֵּקד הּוא‬ ֵ ‫ּתֹולֶ ֶדת‬
‫ש ּל ֹא יַ ֲע ֶשׂה‬
ׁ ֶ ‫ּסּודר‬ָ ‫ּגּומא ַּב‬ ָ ‫ ל ֹא יַ ֲע ֶשׂה‬,‫יפה ִמ ְצ ִרית‬ ָ ‫סּוד ִרין אֹו ִּב ְכ ִפ‬ָ ‫ְצלּולִ ין ְּב‬
‫ וְ ֵכן ָאסּור לִ ְתלֹות ֶאת‬.‫עֹושׂה ְּבחֹול וְ יָ בֹא לְ ַש ּ ֵׁמר ִּב ְמ ַש ּ ֶׁמ ֶרת‬ ֶ ‫ְּכ ֶד ֶרְך ֶשׁהּוא‬
‫ּתֹול ֶדת‬
ֶ ‫ וְ ֵכן ַה ְמ ַח ֵּבץ‬.‫עֹושׂה ְּבחֹול ֶש ּ ָׁמא יָ בֹא לְ ַש ּ ֵׁמר‬ ֶ ‫ַה ְמ ַש ּ ֶׁמ ֶרת ְּכ ֶד ֶרְך ֶשׁהּוא‬
‫ּׁנֹותנִ ין ֻש ְׁמ ְש ִׁמין וֶ ֱאגֹוזִ ים לִ ְד ַבׁש ל ֹא יַ ְח ְּב ֵצם‬
ְ ‫יכְך ַאף ַעל ּ ִפי ֶש‬ ָ ‫ לְ ִפ‬.‫ּבֹורר הּוא‬ ֵ
)‫ י"ז‬,‫ (שם כ"א‬.‫ְּביָ דֹו‬
Winnowing and sorting are primary melachos. Therefore, even though it is permitted
to husk kernels with one’s fingertips, when one blows them, he should do so with the
kernels in one hand with all one’s strength. But one may not do this in a funnel or a
large plate, out of concern that this will lead him to sift with a fine or coarse sieve,
which is forbidden by Torah law. And one who strains sediments — this is a derivative
of sorting or sifting. Therefore, even though it is permissible to filter clear wine or clear
water, with cloths or through a palm-twig basket, one should not make an indentation
in the cloth, so as not to act in a weekday manner, which may lead him to strain with
a strainer. Likewise, it is forbidden to suspend a strainer as one does on a weekday,
out of concern that this will lead him to strain. Similarly, churning is a derivative of
sifting. Therefore, even though one may add sesame seeds and nuts to honey, he may
not mix them in one’s hand. (Ibid. 21:17)

3
 ‫בורר‬

SOURCE 1 Rav Hamnuna said: One may select and eat by removing
The Gemara (Shabbos 74a) says: food from the waste, and one may select and put aside
food from the waste. However, one may not select waste
from food, and if he does so he is required to bring a sin-
‫גמרא‬ offering.

Abaye said: One may select and eat immediately, and one
‫ּבֹורר‬
ֵ ‫ָּתנּו ַר ָּבנָ ן ָהיּו לְ ָפנָ יו ִמינֵ י ֳא ָכלִ ין‬ may select and put aside for immediate use. However, one
‫יח וְ ל ֹא יִ ְברֹר וְ ִאם‬
ַ ‫ּומ ִּנ‬
ַ ‫ּבֹורר‬
ֵ ‫אֹוכל‬ ֵ ְ‫ו‬ may not select for use later that day. If he did so, it is as
ּ
.‫ֵּב ֵרר ַח ָיב ַח ָּטאת‬ though he selected for storage and he is required to bring
a sin-offering.
A beraisa teaches: If one had various types of ‫בורר‬
food before him on the table, he may select and
eat, and also select and put aside. But one may Rav Yosef explains that it all depends on how the sorting is done:
not select, and if he does so, he is required to sorting by hand is permitted; sorting with an instrument is
bring a sin-offering. prohibited by rabbinical decree, and sorting with a specialized
instrument is forbidden by Torah law.
The beraisa is perplexing; it initially permits
sorting food, yet concludes by saying that Rav Hamnuna explains that it all depends on what is being
if one does so, one is required to bring a sin- sorted. Removing food from waste is permitted, but removing
offering, i.e., one has performed one of the waste from food is forbidden by Torah law.
thirty-nine melachos.
Finally, Abaye explains that it all depends on when the sorting
is done for. Sorting for immediate use is permitted, but sorting
for a later time is forbidden by Torah law.
SOURCE 2
The Gemara presents a number of The Rishonim accept all of these explanations as binding in
interpretations of this beraisa. halacha and conclude that if one wishes to separate waste from
food, three conditions must be fulfilled.

‫אֹוכל ַּב ָ ּיד‬

ֵ ְ‫ּבֹורר ו‬ ֵ ‫יֹוסף‬ ֵ ‫ֶא ָּלא ָא ַמר ַרב‬ 1. One must select by hand and not with an instrument.
‫ּוב ַת ְמחּוי ל ֹא‬ ְ ‫יח ַּב ָ ּיד ְּב ָקנֹון‬ַ ‫ּומ ִּנ‬
ַ ‫ּבֹורר‬
ֵ 2. One must remove the food from the waste and not the
‫יִ ְברֹר וְ ִאם ֵּב ֵרר ּ ָפטּור ֲא ָבל ָאסּור‬ other way around.
‫ּוב ְכ ָב ָרה ל ֹא יִ ְברֹר וְ ִאם ֵּב ֵרר‬ ִ ‫ּובנָ ָפה‬ ְ 3. One must select for immediate use.
.‫ַח ָיב ַח ָּטאת‬ ּ
‫אֹוכל‬ֵ ְ‫ּבֹורר ו‬ ֵ ‫ֶא ָּלא ָא ַמר ַרב ַה ְמנּונָ א‬ The Rishonim discuss why satisfying these three conditions
‫יח א ֶֹכל‬ ַ ‫ּומ ִּנ‬
ַ ‫ּבֹורר‬ ֵ ‫א ֶֹכל ִמּתֹוְך ַה ּ ְפסֹלֶ ת‬ makes it permissible to do various forms of selecting and
‫ִמּתֹוְך ַה ּ ְפסֹלֶ ת ּ ְפסֹלֶ ת ִמּתֹוְך א ֶֹכל ל ֹא‬ sorting.

.‫יִ ְברֹר וְ ִאם ֵּב ֵרר ַח ָ ּיב ַח ָּטאת‬

‫אֹוכל לְ ַאלְ ַּתר‬ ֵ ְ‫ּבֹורר ו‬ֵ ‫ֶא ָּלא ָא ַמר ַא ַּב ֵ ּיי‬ SOURCE 2.1
‫יח לְ ַאלְ ַּתר ּולְ בֹו ַּבּיֹום ל ֹא‬ ַ ‫ּומ ִּנ‬ַ ‫ּובֹורר‬
ֵ
‫אֹוצר‬ ָ ָ‫בֹורר ל‬ ֵ ‫יִ ְברֹר וְ ִאם ֵּב ֵרר נַ ֲע ָשׂה ְּכ‬ ‫שיטת רש"י‬
.‫וְ ַח ָ ּיב ַח ָּטאת‬

Rav Yosef said: One may select and eat by ‫ ֻמ ָּתר לְ ַכ ְּת ִח ָּלה לָ א ָהוֵ י ְ ּד ָד ֵמי‬:‫ּ ָפטּור ֲא ָבל ָאסּור‬
hand, and one may also select and put aside ‫ וְ ַח ָ ּיב ַח ָּטאת לָ א ָהוֵ י ְ ּד ִכלְ ַא ַחר יָ ד הּוא‬,‫לִ ְב ֵר ָרה‬
by hand. ‫ּוכ ָב ָרה ֲא ָבל ְּביָ ד לָ א ָ ּד ֵמי‬ ְ ‫ְ ּד ִע ָּקר ְּב ֵר ָרה ְּבנָ ָפה‬
.‫בֹורר ְּכלָ ל‬
ֵ ְ‫ל‬
However, one may not select with a funnel or
with a large plate; if he does so, he is exempt
[from bringing a sin-offering] but it is still
prohibited. One may not select with a sieve
or with a sifter; if he does so, he is required
to bring a sin-offering.

4
 He is exempt [from bringing a sin-offering] The Acharonim explain that according to the Rashba, the action
but it is prohibited: It is not permitted outright is permissible not because it is an unusual way of accomplishing
because it resembles sorting; it is not sorting sorting, but because it is considered derech achilah, i.e., the
by Torah law because this is a casual way of usual way of eating. We thus view it as an act of eating and not
sorting since sorting is primarily done with as a melachah.
a sieve or a sifter. Sorting by hand is not
similar to [the classical forms of] sorting at
all. SOURCE 2.3

. ‫ ל ֹא ֶ ּד ֶרְך ְּב ֵר ָרה‬:‫א ֶֹכל ִמּתֹוְך ַה ּ ְפס ֶֹלת‬

‫ִהיא‬
‫משנה ברורה‬

Food from waste: This is not the usual

‫וְ ֵאינֹו ֻמ ָּתר לִ ְברֹר ִּכי ִאם ְּבא ֶֹפן ֶש ִ ּׁיזָ ֵּהר ְּב ָכל ַה ּ ְשׁל ָֹשׁה‬
manner in which sorting is done.
‫ֳא ָפנִ ים ְ ּד ַהיְנּו ֶש ִ ּׁי ְברֹר ָהא ֶֹכל ִמן ַה ּ ְפסֹלֶ ת וְ גַ ם‬
‫ֶש ַׁה ְּב ֵר ָרה יִ ְהיֶ ה ְּביָ דֹו וְ ל ֹא ִּב ְכלִ י וְ גַ ם ֶש ִ ּׁי ְהיֶ ה ַ ּד ְעּתֹו‬
‫ ֶל ֱאכֹל לְ ַאלְ ַּתר‬:‫ּיח לְ ַאלְ ַּתר‬
ַ ‫ּומ ִנ‬
ַ ‫ּובֹורר‬
ֵ
‫לֶ ֱאכֹל ִמ ָ ּיד ֶש ָׁאז לָ או ֶ ּד ֶרְך ְּב ֵר ָרה ִהיא ֶא ָּלא ֶ ּד ֶרְך‬
.‫ּבֹור ִרין‬
ְ ‫ֶש ֵׁאין זֶ ה ֶ ּד ֶרְך‬
.‫ֲא ִכילָ ה‬
One is only permitted to sort in a manner that satisfies
One selects and puts aside for immediate use:
all three conditions, i.e., one must select the food from the
To eat immediately, since this is not the usual waste; the selection must be done by hand and not with an
manner in which sorting is done. instrument, and he must intend to eat it immediately.
In this case, it is not considered selecting but rather eating.
The thrust of Rashi’s explanation is that each of
the three conditions is not the usual method one
would employ when removing waste matter from
food (see Shevisas HaShabbos, se’if katan 2).

SOURCE 2.2

The Gemara (Shabbos 81b) says:

‫שיטת הרשב"א‬

‫ּבֹורר ָהיּו לְ ָפנָ יו‬

ֵ ‫ִ ּד ְכ ִענְ יָן ֶש ָׁא ְמרּו לְ ִענְ יַן‬
‫ׁאֹוכל‬
ֵ ‫ְשׁנֵ י ִמינֵ י ֳא ָכלִ ין … ְ ּד ַאלְ ָמא ֹּכל ֶש‬
‫לְ ַאלְ ַּתר ְּכ ֶד ֶרְך ֶש ַ ּׁד ְר ָּכן ֶשׁל ְּבנֵ י ָא ָדם‬
‫ֶל ֱאכֹל ַאף ַעל ּ ִפי ֶש ֵ ּׁיׁש ְּבאֹותֹו ַצד ְּב ַע ְצמֹו‬
… ‫ּיח לְ ַא ַחר זְ ַמן‬ַ ‫ִחּיּוב ַח ָּטאת ְּב ֶש ּ ַׁמ ִנ‬
‫ֻמ ָּתר‬

[Chazal] spoke about selecting when there are

two types of food on the table … It follows that
in situations wherein one eats immediately
in the usual way, even though there would be
a violation of Torah law were he to leave the
food for later … it is permissible.

5
 ‫בורר‬

PRACTICAL QUESTION The correct text is, ‘There were in front of him two types of
Is one allowed to play with a Rubik’s Cube on food’. And so Rabbeinu Chananel explained that [even] in a
Shabbos? case of sorting one food from another, the laws of sorting
apply, as he is selecting the one he wishes to eat from the
one he does not wish to eat, as the one he does not wish to
A Rubik’s Cube is designed with colored faces
eat is considered waste relative to the one he wishes to eat.
made of twenty-six colored blocks attached
to a central spindle. The aim of the game is to
return the cube to its original state, with every According to Rabbeinu Chananel, sorting applies to mixtures of
side having one solid color. foods (and not only to mixtures of food and waste) because the
food that the person wishes to eat is considered “food” and the
Let us assume that one is attempting to solve food that the person does not wish to eat is considered “waste” ‫בורר‬
the white side. As the player manipulates the (vis-à-vis the “food”).
toy so that a yellow block is removed from a
face, he is removing the “bad” from the “good.” Thus, for Borer to apply there must be a mixture of “food” and
Since the cube is a mixture of colored blocks, “waste.” In the case of two types of food, the one that is not
wanted is regarded as waste vis-à-vis the food that one does
this may constitute sorting.
want to eat.

On this basis, the Pri Megadim suggests that one may separate
two foods, both of which the person wishes to eat, for use at
ESSENCE OF THE MELACHAH a later stage. This is because neither food constitutes “waste,”
so one has not done an act of sorting, which is defined as
The Gemara (Shabbos 74a) says: separating waste from food. It follows that one would even be
permitted to use an instrument for this act.
‫גמרא‬
The Rambam (8:12) writes:
‫ּבֹורר‬
ֵ ‫ָּתנּו ַר ָּבנָ ן ָהיּו לְ ָפנָ יו ִמינֵ י ֳא ָכלִ ין‬
‫יח וְ ל ֹא יִ ְברֹר וְ ִאם‬
ַ ‫ּומ ִּנ‬
ַ ‫ּבֹורר‬
ֵ ‫אֹוכל‬ ֵ ְ‫ו‬ ‫שיטת הרמב"ם‬
ּ
.‫ֵּב ֵרר ַח ָיב ַח ָּטאת‬
A beraisa teaches: If one had various types ‫ּבֹורר א ֶֹכל ִמּתֹוְך ּ ְפסֹלֶ ת אֹו ֶש ָׁהיּו לְ ָפנָ יו ְשׁנֵ י ִמינֵ י‬
ֵ ‫ַה‬
of food before him on the table, he may select
‫ּוב ְכ ָב ָרה ַח ָ ּיב‬
ִ ‫ּוב ֵרר ִמין ִמ ּ ִמין ַא ֵחר ְּבנָ ָפה‬ֵ ‫ֳא ָכלִ ין‬
and eat, and also select and put aside. But
one may not select, and if he does so, he is One who selects food from waste, or he had two foods
required to bring a sin-offering. before him and he selected one type from another with a
sieve or with a sifter, is liable.

The beraisa speaks of various types of food,

implying that even if the mixture is not made up
of food and waste, but rather of two foods, sorting
Based on this, the Biur Halacha (se’if 3) writes:
is still possible.

‫הכרעת הביאור הלכה‬

The Gemara (Shabbos 74a) says:

‫שיטת התוספות‬ ‫וְ לַ ֲענִ ּיּות ַ ּד ְע ִּתי נִ ְר ֶאה ּ ָפׁשּוט ִמ ְּלׁשֹון ָה ַר ְמ ַּב"ם‬
‫ּׁבֹורר ִמין ֶא ָחד ֵמ ֲח ֵב־‬ ֵ ‫ִ ּד ְס ִב ָירא ֵלּה ְ ּד ַה ְּב ֵר ָרה ָמה ֶש‬
‫יס ִרין ָא ְמ ִרין ָה ֵהן ְ ּד ָציֵ ד ְּכוָ ָרא‬ ָ ‫ַר ָּבנָ ן ְ ּד ֵק‬ ‫רֹו וְ ַעל יְ ֵדי זֶ ה הּוא ֹּכל ִמין ִּב ְפנֵ י ַע ְצמֹו זֶ הּו ֶע ֶצם‬
‫וְ ָכל ָ ּד ָבר ֶש ַׁא ָּתה ַמ ְב ִ ּדילֹו ֵמ ַחּיּותֹו ַח ָ ּיב‬ ‫אכה ֶא ָּלא ְ ּד ִאם ַ ּד ְעּתֹו לֶ ֱאכֹל ֶּת ֶכף וְ הּוא ְּביָ דֹו‬ ָ ָ‫ַה ּ ְמל‬
.‫קֹוצר‬ֵ ‫ִמּׁשּום‬ ‫ָהוֵ י ֶ ּד ֶרְך ַמ ֲא ָכל‬

6
 It seems obvious to me from the Rambam’s The primary ruling is as I said above regarding two foods.
words that the essence of sorting is One must be stringent if he wants to separate both foods,
separating something from something else even if one does not select the entire quantity and even if
so that each type ends up by itself. However, both foods are going to be eaten at that meal.
if one’s intention is to eat immediately and
he selects by hand, the action is viewed as
eating.

The Eglei Tal explains that each food counts as waste vis-à-vis
the other, since the person does not wish to eat them together
The Biur Halacha understands from the Rambam and selecting either of them is prohibited. Thus, even if one
that sorting is either the separation of food from defines the melachah as an act of separating food from waste,
waste or the separation of one food from another. this case counts as separating food from waste. The Eglei Tal
consequently prohibits this even when done for immediate use.
On this basis, the Biur Halacha takes issue with the
conclusion of the Pri Megadim, because sorting is However, Rabbi M. M. Karp (Hilchos Shabbos B’Shabbos) writes
not limited to separating food from waste but is that based on the Rashba and Mishnah Berurah mentioned
rather the separation of items in a mixture. In the earlier (that removing food from waste by hand for immediate
case discussed by the Pri Megadim, the act would use is considered an act of eating), in our case, too, even if the
be sorting and would only be permitted if done for food that one removes is considered waste vis-à-vis the other
immediate use and by hand. food, since the person removes what he wishes to eat by hand
for immediate use, it counts as an act of eating and not of
separating.
The Eglei Tal (Borer 8:15:2-5) cites the Tosefta
(17:6).

PRACTICAL CONCLUSION
‫שיטת האגלי טל‬
The consensus of the Poskim is that one should act
stringently in this matter, in line with the view of the Biur

‫אֹוכל‬
ֵ ְ‫ּבֹורר ו‬ֵ ‫נִ ְת ָע ְרבּו לֹו ּ ֵפרֹות ְּב ֵפרֹות‬ Halacha. If one wants both foods for later, one may not

‫… וְ ִאם ָּב ַדק ֵאּלּו ִּב ְפנֵ י ַע ְצ ָמם וְ ֵאּלּו‬ separate them now.

.‫ִּב ְפנֵ י ַע ְצ ָמם … ַח ָ ּיב‬

Rabbi M. M. Fuchs (Moriah Publication, 5776) suggests that
If different types of fruit became mixed, one the disagreement between Tosafos and the Rambam may
may select and eat … And if one selects these have implications for solving a Rubik’s Cube on Shabbos.
by themselves and those by themselves … he
is liable.
The beginner’s objective is merely to remove the unwanted
block (e.g., yellow) from the side he is trying to solve (e.g.,
white). This may be considered removing “waste” from
“food.” If one is proficient in solving a Rubik’s Cube, however,
Based on this, the Eglei Tal states: one’s intention is not to solve one specific color, but rather to
solve all six sides simultaneously. Thus, there is no “waste”;
‫שיטת האגלי טל‬ all blocks are equally desired. According to Tosafos, this may
be permitted. According to the Rambam, this would still be
classified as sorting.
‫וְ ָה ִע ָּקר ְּכמֹו ֶש ָּׁכ ַת ְב ִּתי ִּב ְשׁנֵ י ִמינֵ י ֳא ָכלִ ין‬
‫יהם‬ ֶ ֵ‫רֹוצה ִּב ְב ֵר ַרת ְשׁנ‬ ֶ ‫לְ ַה ְח ִמיר ִאם‬ The consensus of the Poskim is that solving a Rubik’s Cube
‫יִברֹר ֻּכּלֹו ֲא ִפּלּו ְשׁנֵ י ַה ּ ִמינִ ים‬ ְ ‫ֲא ִפּלּו ל ֹא‬ does not constitute an act of sorting, for several reasons.
.‫עּודה‬
ָ ‫אֹותּה ְס‬ ָ ‫נֶ ֱא ָכלִ ין ְּב‬ One reason is that since all pieces are fixed on one spindle,
the cube does not constitute a mixture.