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Borer: Separation Without Immediate Need
Sources explore whether separating mixed items into distinct piles on Shabbat constitutes the melacha of borer when neither kind is needed for immediate use. The sources establish that borer requires three conditions: selecting one kind from another, doing so by hand, and performing the act for immediate consumption or use.
בורר ואוכל לאלתר — מותר; בורר ומניח — אסור
Extinguishing Lights on Shabbat for Sleep
Sources explore whether one may turn off a light on Shabbat to enable sleep, examining exemptions for cases of human need, the limitations of performing melachot with a shinui (altered manner), and the distinction between cases of genuine medical or personal necessity and ordinary comfort.
פָּטוּר
Extinguishing Lights on Shabbat for Sleep
These sources discuss whether one may turn off a light on Shabbat to enable sleep, examining the prohibition against extinguishing fire and the circumstances under which a non-Jew may perform the act or bodily need may permit leniency.
אַדַּעְתָּא דְנַפְשֵׁיהּ הוּ
Observing Shabbat in Extreme Daylight Conditions
These sources address the halakhic framework for observing Shabbat when ordinary sunset and twilight are absent or extremely prolonged, including the timing of candle-lighting, prayer services, and Havdalah. They establish the role of twilight (bein ha-shemashot) and astronomical markers in determining Shabbat's onset and conclusion.
זמן בין השמשות משתשקע החמה ואילך
Swimming and Water Use on Shabbat
These sources codify the rabbinic prohibition against swimming on Shabbat and explain its underlying concern: the fear that one might construct or repair a flotation device. The sources also clarify exceptions, such as bathing in a pool with contained walls, and discuss related restrictions on water use.
אין שטין על פני המים, גזירה שמא יעשה חבית של שייטין
Spiritual Intentions for Mikvah on Erev Shabbat
Sources exploring the kavvanot (mystical intentions) and spiritual preparations associated with immersion in the mikvah before Shabbat, including both halakhic requirements and kabbalistic frameworks for elevating consciousness toward the holy day.
משפיעין הארת קדושת שבת
Operating Appliances on Shabbat With Timers
These sources address whether work that is set in motion before Shabbat and completes automatically during Shabbat is permitted, establishing the foundational rules for timer-operated devices and the conditions under which such arrangements are halakhically acceptable.
מותר להתחיל במלאכה בערב שבת סמוך לחשיכה אף על פי שאינו יכול לגומרה מבעוד יום והיא נגמרת מאליה בשבת
Using Shabbat Timers for Automatic Appliances
These sources address the permissibility of setting devices in motion before Shabbat so that they operate automatically throughout Shabbat without direct human intervention. They examine the foundational principles of pre-Shabbat activation, the appearance of labor on Shabbat, and the application of these rules to modern electrical timers and household appliances.
מותר להתחיל במלאכה בערב שבת סמוך לחשיכה אף על פי שאינו יכול לגומרה מבעוד יום והיא נגמרת מאליה בשבת
Laundry, Haircuts, and Mending on Chol HaMoed
Sources examine the Talmudic and codified laws governing laundry, haircuts, and clothing repairs during the intermediate days of the festivals. They present the general prohibitions and the specific exceptions recognized for circumstances of need or special status.
אין מכבסין במועד ואלו שמכבסין
Eating and Drinking Before Shabbat Begins
Sources discuss the permissibility of eating, drinking, and tasting food and wine in the period before Shabbat's onset. The sources address both general pre-Shabbat eating practices and the specific restrictions that apply once Kiddush becomes obligatory.
מִכְּבוֹד הַשַּׁבָּת שֶׁיִּמָּנַע אָדָם מִן הַמִּ
Eating and Drinking Before Shabbat
Sources discuss the practice and halachic status of eating, drinking, and tasting food in preparation for Shabbat and as a way to honor the day. The sources address both the practical allowances for pre-Shabbat consumption and the spiritual significance of enjoying food and drink as part of Shabbat preparation and observance.
טועמיה חיים זכו
Setting Appliance Timers Before Shabbat
Sources explore the halakhic principles governing actions initiated before Shabbat that continue or complete themselves automatically during Shabbat. These texts examine whether setting a device in motion erev Shabbat—such that it performs labor on Shabbat itself—violates the prohibition against melacha.
מֻתָּר לְהַתְחִיל בִּמְלָאכָה בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת סָמוּךְ לַחֲשֵׁכָה