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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 4 - Squeezing Fruits 1 (Klal 14 Siman 2) Hilchos Shabbos - S0366
Sponsorships for the upcoming Klalim, which discuss the 39 melachos of Shabbos, are available. Please contact Rabbi Reingold for more information at rabbireingold@gmail.com or 301.996.5910
We are beginning siman 2. The Gemara says that sechita, squeezing out liquids from fruits, is a toldah of dosh. It is not borer, because the liquid and solid are originally together and are then broken apart, as we have discussed. Rather, the fruit is akin to the husk and the liquid is akin to the kernel.
The Gemara says that mideoraysa, the only cases of sechita deoraysa are olives and grapes. One explanation is that at the times of Chazal, these were the two fruits which people tended to use for their liquid. Thus, we consider the liquid to be the primary part of the fruit, and the meat of the fruit to be a shell. Other fruits, such as an apple, are not primarily used for their juice, so squeezing an apple for its juice would be more akin to cutting an apple in half, in the sense that squeezing it is no different than separating the apple into smaller parts in order to eat it.
The Pri Megadim adds that the only liquids from fruits which the Torah specifically calls mashkeh (as opposed to mei peiros) are oil and wine. He explains that they therefore are unique because wine and oil (which are considered mashkah, and hencedistinct from the rest of the fruit) are “held” by the fruit, so to say, in the sense that the fruit is understood to be a container for the liquid. The liquid of other fruits, which are not considered mashkeh, is considered an alternative form of the fruit itself rather than its own entity.
We know there are seven liquids considered mashkeh which are able to make an item susceptible to absorb tumah. The siman (mnemonic) to remember the seven is ya”d shacha”t da”m, and they are wine, honey, oil, milk, dew, blood and water. Of these seven, only oil and wine come from fruit.
The Chayei Adam adds that regarding tzimukim (raisins) and sechita, it is unlikely one would use raisins in order to extract liquid. If so, arguably, any liquid which may still remain could be considered mei peiros rather than mashkeh, since the liquid is not there for mashkeh purposes. Nevertheless, the Chayei Adam writes that it is still considered mashkeh, and we explain why in the upcoming shiur, be’ezras Hashem.
Summary
Mideoraysa, sechita only applies to oil and wine, since the meat of those fruits is considered to be like a shell to the main part (the liquid) rather than the main component of the fruit.
This is unique to grapes and olives either because
Only olive oil and grape juice (wine) are considered as mashke, something distinct from the fruit itself
Only grapes and olives were used primarily for their liquid at the time of Chazal.