S0484 - Meleches Shabbos - (Klal 19 Siman 1) - Losh - 4 - Introduction - 4

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Losh 4 - Introduction 4 (Klal 19 Siman 1) Hilchos Shabbos - S0484

We are beginning siman 1. The Chayei Adam writes that losh becomes chayav mideoraysa when one performs losh on a grogeres of mixture. When it comes to melachos which involve food, the standard shiur for chiyuv is a grogeres. If they use less than that, it is still assur, due to the concept of chatzi shiur. The Gemara brings a machlokes in Yoma regarding whether chatzi shiur is muttar mideoraysa or not. Rav Yochanan holds it is assur mideoraysa, and Reish Lakish holds it is muttar. We pasken that it is assur mideoraysa. There is an opinion that it only applies to food items, but multiple rishonim understand that it applies to actions as well. In other words, it does not just apply to eating a certain amount of assur food, but to assur actions, such as losh, as well. Thus, losh with less than a grogeres of mixture would be assur mideoraysa as well.

The Chayei Adam continues, and paskens like Rabbi Yosi Ben Rabbi Yehuda, that the chiyuv losh only applies when one begins actively kneading or mixing the ingredients, rather than just placing them into the container. However, the above only applies when the items in question are bar gibul, will mix well together. If the item is not a bar gibul, such that even when mixed together it does not mix well, one is chayav from the moment they place the ingredients together into the bowl. This point is relevant for a child playing in a sandbox. Immediately upon pouring water into the sandbox, the child is transgressing an issur deoraysa. A parent cannot passively condone their child transgressing an issur deoraysa, and certainly cannot encourage it, even if the child is not aware what they are doing. The parent would be chayav to intervene are stop the child.

The Chayei Adam continues, and writes that some opinions follow Rebbi, that the chiyuv losh begins immediately when placing ingredients together even without actively stirring them.

The Chayei Adam then brings the opinion of the Rambam, that if something is not a bar gibul, it can never become an issur deoraysa. However, the Chayei Adam concludes that since it is a safeik deoraysa, one has to be machmir in accordance with the opinion that the gibul begins immediately.

Summary
Losh is the melacha of combining a solid and liquid together. There is a machlokes as to whether the chiyuv begins with the mere placement of the two items together (Rebbi), or only once they are mixed (Rabbi Yosi Ben Rabbi Yehuda).
The Chayei Adam paskens like Rabbi Yosi Ben Rabbi Yehuda, unless the items are not a bar gibul, in which case one is chayav for just placing the items together, like Rebbi.
One should be machmir as well to even by a bar gibul to be chosheish for Rabbi.