One of the 39 Melachos forbidden on Shabbos is the Melacha of Borrer - selecting. Borrer was performed in the construction of the Mishkan in the making of the dyes for the curtains and coverings. As part of this process, it was necessary to separate impurities such as chaff, from the dye plants and herbs.
Borrer is one of the most practical and frequently encountered issues in observing the laws of Shabbos. As such, it is one of the most ‘difficult’ Melachos to navigate. Due to ignorance of the Halachos, many people inadvertently transgress this Melacha.
In this article, we will explore some of the practical applications of Borrer as they relate to making tea and coffee.
Review of the Parameters of Borrer
Under the laws of Borrer, it is forbidden to remove Pesoles from Ochel (literally refuse from food) on Shabbos. If one were to remove Pesoles from Ochel, even if they did so by hand they would be transgressing Shabbos on the Biblical level, even if it is being done for immediate use.
Pesoles can include “absolute refuse” or inedible matter. But the laws of Borrer are not limited to absolute refuse. When one has a mixture of different foods and they only wish to eat one of the food-types, the food-type that they wish to eat is defined as Ochel (desirable) and the food that they do not wish to eat now, is defined as Pesoles (undesirable).
Even when taking the Ochel (desirable) from the Pesoles (undesirable), there are further limitations. One may only select the Ochel for immediate use. If one selects the Ochel for later use, it is considered as “Borrer for storage”, which is Biblically forbidden.
Even when selecting the Ochel for immediate use, it is only permissible if the Borrer is done by hand. If one used a vessel or implement that is specifically made for performing the act of Borrer, such as a slotted spoon, strainer, sieve or colander, it will remain Biblically forbidden.
Using a non-specific implement to do the Borrer would be Rabbinically forbidden.
French-press
A French-press (also known as a coffee plunger) works by placing coffee grounds in a beaker and leaving it to steep in boiling water. After waiting the desired amount of time, the plunger, which is fitted with a metal filter mesh, is pushed down to the bottom. This separates the coffee grounds from the liquid. The clear coffee can then be poured into a cup.
Both pushing down the plunger and pouring out the coffee with the filter in place, present an issue of Borrer. Since it employs a strainer, this would be Biblically forbidden.
Nonetheless, the French-press may be used in a permissible way based on the following. The Gemara teaches that one may tilt a barrel to pour out the wine, leaving the sediment inside the barrel. This may be done only if one stops pouring while it is still easily flowing, before reaching the bottom where the liquid is mixed in with the sediment. This is brought in the Shulchan Aruch.
The rationale is that until one reaches the point that their pouring is noticeably separating the wine from sediment, it is not considered Borrer.
Applying this to the French-press, if the strainer is not pushed all the way down, so that a significant amount of the liquid coffee remains below the filter, this will be permissible as no noticeable separation is taking place. Similarly, when pouring out the coffee, one should ensure to stop pouring while it is still free-flowing and there is still some liquid coffee left mixed with the sediments.
Another scope for leniency would be if most people would drink the coffee with sediments in it. However, this seems unlikely to be the case.
Filter Coffee
Another method of coffee-making is by using a filter. In this method, coffee grounds are placed into a filter that sits on top of the coffee cup. Boiling water is poured over the grounds, where it absorbs the coffee flavour and colour. The coffee drips into the cup through the filter, ensuring that no sediment comes through.
Even though one may not pour a beverage that has sediment in it, through a strainer on Shabbos, the Mishna teaches that if the (wine) sediments were in strainer from before Shabbos, one may pour water over them on Shabbos so that they run through clear. This is done for the water to absorb the wine flavour. The Mishna’s ruling is brought by the Rambam and Shulchan Aruch.
The reason that this is permissible is that the water was not mixed with any sediments, so pouring it into the strainer does not cause any Borrer. The water running through the strainer, leaving the sediment behind, occurs by itself. Further, one’s intention is only that the water absorb the flavour. Even though the Mishna writes that the sediment was there from before Shabbos, the rationale applies on Shabbos as well.
Based on this, making coffee with a filter in the manner described above will be permissible on Shabbos. However, one may only pour the water and leave it to filter by itself. One may not do any action to assist the filtration, such as shaking, tapping or stirring the filter. Doing so would be a Biblically forbidden action.
Smart Filters
There is a new variation of the coffee filter called “Smart filters”. These filters have a button that opens and closes the holes of the filter. By closing the holes, it allows the boiling water to remain in the filter with the grounds for a long time, to better absorb the flavour. After steeping, pressing the button opens the holes and allows the coffee to filter and drip into the cup.
Use of the filter in this manner is forbidden. In this case, the water and grounds are mixed together and “opening” the filter causes the Borrer separation to take place.
Teapot with Filter
May one use a teapot that has a filter fitted into the spout? These teapots are used by placing tea leaves in the pot with boiling water. When pouring the tea, the filter prevents the tea leave from coming out and falling into one’s cup.
The Gemara teaches that one may not put straw or twigs at the opening of a pitcher from which one pours liquid, as this resembles using a strainer. This is recorded in the Shulchan Aruch which writes “there is no greater strainer than this”. Seemingly, a teapot with a strainer in the spout is identical.
Whilst the Chazon Ish was lenient, most Acharonim are stringent and the Poskim struggle to understand the basis for leniency and do not rely on this. As such, one may only pour from the teapot in the manner discussed above, stopping to pour before Borrer would be noticeable.
Bishul
Tea leaves are defined as Kalei Habishul and so we are concerned that they may cook even in a Kli Sheni. Likewise, coffee grounds are subject to cooking. Even though they have been roasted, they may be subject to subsequent cooking (Bishul). As such, the boiling water should be in a Kli Shelishi before adding the tea or coffee. Pouring from a Kli Sheini over the coffee would also be acceptable.
