Halacha Question And Answer

Question: Is one allowed to squeeze or crush grapes on Shabbat?

Answer: No, it is forbidden to squeeze fruits on Shabbat under Melachat Dash (removing something from its place of growth).

This breaks down into a few categories:

•  Olives and grapes are forbidden to squeeze or crush on Shabbat under Torah prohibition (mi’de’oraita). The reason for that is because these two fruits are generally only squeezed for their juices (olive oil and grape juice).
•  Other fruits and vegetables that are normally squeezed for its juice like Grapefruit, oranges, tomatoes etc. are forbidden under Rabinical prohibition (mi’derabanan). Important to note that nowadays because of the machinery available, companies make juices from fruits that and vegetables that aren’t usually squeezed in one’s home (e.g. carrots, peaches, kiwi) according to many Rabbis those are also forbidden under this category, so one should be careful.
•  Vegetables and certain fruits that are never or not usually squeezed for their juices are allowed to be squeezed on Shabbat. (e.g. potatoes, onions, celery…)
•  Regarding lemons, one is permitted to squeeze lemons on Shabbat to make lemonade. Although we discussed above that it is forbidden to squeeze fruits or vegetables that are normally squeezed for its juice, this is permitted because the juice that comes out of a lemon is not edible on its own; one must add in other ingredients (like water and sugar) to make it drinkable. Furthermore, on Shabbat one is permitted to squeeze lemon in his tea or to add flavor to his fish. (However, one must be careful not to transgress Melachat Bishul {cooking}).
•  All fruits and vegetables (including olives and grapes) are permitted to be squeezed directly over a solid food on Shabbat. The reason is because in this case it is not being squeezed to drink its juice, it is being done to give flavor to the food (e.g. salad dressing, or squeezing an orange over sugar). However, one must make sure that there is more of the solid than the juice (e.g. most of the orange’s juice must be dissolved in the sugar). One has to be very careful to squeeze just enough juice for what he needs because if he does by mistake over-squeeze he can easily transgress Melachat Dash (removing something from its place of growth)

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Question: Is one allowed to squeeze olives, grapes or any fruits forbidden to squeeze on Shabbat (discussed above) into a saucy dish?

Answer: It is forbidden to squeeze olives, grapes or other fruits for its juice on Shabbat as it is Melachat Dash(removing liquid from its solid place of growth). However, one is permitted to squeeze the above mentioned fruits on a solid food on Shabbat, since it is being done to enhance the flavor of the food. When it comes to saucy dishes, if his intention is for the juice to go on the solid, and there is more solids than sauce (liquid) one is permitted to squeeze olives, grapes or other fruits directly onto the solid. Even if it drips down to the sauce, it is still permitted. However, if there is more sauce (liquid) than solid in the dish, it is forbidden to squeeze olives, grapes or other fruits.

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Question: Can one squeeze the above mentioned fruits into a bowl and then pour it onto the food?

Answer: No, it is only permitted to squeeze directly onto the food.

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Question: Can one squeeze the above mentioned fruits into dips and spreads (e.g. tehina, yogurt soup)?

Answer: Regarding tehina which has a thin liquidy consistency and the like, one is forbidden to squeeze the above mentioned fruits on Shabbat, although it is used as a food (dip bread in it…) we consider it a drink, because technically it is liquidy enough to be able to drink. However, it is permitted to squeeze the above mentioned fruits on a mixture that has a thicker consistency (e.g. honey, oatmeal and thicker yogurts) that have to be eaten with a spoon (some yogurts are thin enough to drink with a straw). Furthermore, one is permitted to squeeze the above mentioned fruits on frozen ice cream or ice if he will eat it right away. However, if he will wait for it to melt and then eat it, it’s forbidden.

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By Rabbi Yaakov Rahimi

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Based on the rulings
of Maran Harav Ovadia Yosef zt”l
Reviewed by Chief Rabbi
Yitzchak Yisraeli Shlita