Dosh 32 - Crushing Ice 6; Dissolving Fat (Klal 14 Siman 11) Hilchos Shabbos - S0394

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Dosh 32 - Crushing Ice 6; Dissolving Fat (Klal 14 Siman 11) Hilchos Shabbos - S0394

We are continuing in siman 11, regarding the halachos of melting ice and snow. We learned that it is muttar to cause sugar to dissolve in water, even though it approximates melting ice or snow.

The Chayei Adam is of the opinion that it is muttar to actively and directly crush or melt ice, as long as the melted liquid is not distinct but blends with other liquids, known as no longer being b’ein. The Shulchan Aruch holds it is assur, but the Chayei Adam holds it is muttar. Thus, the Chayei Adam holds it is muttar to pour hot water directly on sugar, even though it will melt the sugar, because the dissolved sugar is not b’ein. He then adds that it is muttar to be meraseik b’yadayim (actively dissolve) sugar, because sugar remains a halachic food. This is a second argument as to why it should be muttar to dissolve sugar. We will see later why this may be relevant.
The Chayei Adam continues, and writes that it is muttar to place congealed fat onto a hot piece of meat, even though one intends for the fat to melt. For example, one might want to place gravy on the meat in order for the meat to soften. Certainly, one must ensure there are no issues of bishul, but the case assumes that one has avoided any potential bishul issues. (There appears to be a girsa that the Chayei Adam is talking about shemen, oil, but the primary girsa appears to be shuman, fat. Shuman is also the parallel case discussed by the Shulchan Aruch.)
The Chayei Adam writes that it is muttar to place the fat on top of the meat, because there is such a small amount of liquid, it absorbs into the food and does not become distinct in and of itself. Therefore, the fat is not b’ein. The Mishnah Berurah points out that this argument would only apply to fat if there is truly a negligible amount of fat. If the amount of congealed fat is enough that, as it melts, it will run off into the pan and will not be absorbed into the food, it will be considered b’ein and will be problematic.
It could be argued that it should be muttar to place the fat on the meat for a second reason, that it is considered a halachic food even when it is congealed, along the lines of sugar. Although the Chayei Adam does not explicitly apply this argument to fat, it would appear to apply.

The Chayei Adam continues, and writes that it is muttar to break through ice in order to get to the water underneath, such as when the water bucket freezes on top. Although at the beginning of the siman, the Chayei Adam wrote that it is assur to crush ice in order to create water, over here, one does not wish to create water, but just to access the water which is currently underneath. Any ice which melts as a result of breaking through the layer is a davar she’eino miskavein, and Chazal did not prohibit this case.

The final case discussed by the Chayei Adam is no longer relevant to us. Before indoor plumbing, if one needed to relieve themselves, they had to relieve themselves outside, and it may occur that they would have to relieve themselves on snow. Since urine is warm when it leaves the body, one inevitably melts snow. The Chayei Adam writes that if possible, one should avoid relieving themselves directly onto the snow. In this case, one is actively melting the snow, the melted snow is distinct from the frozen snow still around it, and the melted snow is b’ein. We cannot apply the argument that the item maintains its status as a solid, since this is not the case with snow to liquid. Therefore, one should be machmir. Nevertheless, when it is not possible, one may be meikil like the opinion of the Maharam MiRottenberg, brought in the Shulchan Aruch, that it is muttar because one does not have the intention to melt the snow.

Summary
It is muttar to melt sugar, coffee or meat fat in hot water (assuming one has taken care of issues of bishul). They remain a halachic food and do not assume the status of liquid, and the melted result is not b’ein.
It is muttar to break through an iced-over bucket in order to reach the water
One should avoid relieving themselves on snow.