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Rav Eliyahu Reingold, Rosh Kollel in the Yeshiva of Greater Washington, spent many years learning in the Telshe Yeshiva and Kollel where he was recognized as one of their foremost talmidim. He taught in the Telshe Mechina before coming to the Yeshiva of Greater Washington. He is a noted Baal Halacha and Baal Mussar, serving as a well-respected posek for the Yeshiva and community. Besides his responsibility in leading the Kollel, he delivers a high level shiur to advanced students, and provides many halacha shiurim throughout the year. His heartfelt weekly mussar shmuess in an inspiration to all.
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Dosh 33 - Dissolving Sugar 3 (Klal 14 Siman 11) Hilchos Shabbos - S0395
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. Today, we will clarify the halacha lemaaseh.
It is clear that it is muttar to place ice cubes into water and allow them to dissolve on their own. There are two sevaros behind this heter. One is the fact it is happening by itself, as opposed to a person actively crushing it. Thus, if one takes ice out of the freezer and places it into an empty cup, and the ice melts on its own, it is muttar, because the person is not actively crushing the ice. According to this sevara, placing ice into water and actively crushing the ice while submerged in water is assur, since one is actively melting it. According to this opinion, the only issue we look at is whether the person is actively involved or not.
The second sevara is that the heter is based on whether the outcome is discernable or not. The reason it is muttar in the Gemara is because the ice is in water, so as soon as it dissolves, it absorbs into the water and is not discernable. According to this understanding, one could actively crush ice as long as it is submerged in water, but one cannot leave ice in a cup to melt on its own if the ice is not submerged in water.
Thus, there are chumros and kulos in both explanations. Halacha lemaaseh, the Rema and Mishnah Berurah conclude that one should be machmir for both opinions.
Therefore, one should not place ice to melt in an empty cup, and one should not actively crush ice in a cup even if it is submerged in water. Both opinions agree that one can be meikil in situations of need. For example, if there is no water or milk available other than ice or frozen milk, it would be muttar to melt them by themselves. Assuming there is no need, one should not actively crush ice when it is in water, and one should not passively allow ice to melt when it is not in water.
This halacha plays out in a few scenarios. Regarding ice, one should not actively crush ice by itself, nor actively stir the ice to cause it to melt. One should not pour hot water onto something to actively melt it, as we saw from snow. If so, the question comes up about pouring hot water onto instant coffee or tea (where there is no issue of bishul). Although it will dissolve into the water, one is actively causing it to dissolve, so one should not do so. On the other hand, placing the coffee, tea or sugar into the water, after the water has already been poured, is considered passive for these purposes, and is muttar.
The Pri Megadim writes that one does not need to be machmir on pouring hot water directly onto coffee, tea or sugar, and one way to understand the Pri Megadim is that chemically, the instant coffee, tea or sugar does not melt inasmuch as it becomes suspended in the water. The poskim disagree whether we can use this argument, because to the naked eye, it appears to melt. Thus, one should try to avoid pouring hot water directly onto the coffee, tea or sugar, but rather place it into the water after the water is poured. If one wishes to be meikil, they have what to rely upon.
This question leads us to the opposite question, regarding making ice on Shabbos. We will discuss this question in the upcoming shiur, be’ezras Hashem.
Summary
Regarding melting ice, coffee, tea, sugar, or other items:
One should not actively actively melt ice even when it is in a water medium
One should not passively allow ice to melt without a water medium
One can be meikil in situations of need
It is muttar to allow something to melt passively within a water medium