Making Tea on Shabbat

From Halachipedia
  1. According to many poskim tea leaves are considered foods which cook easily and could cook in a Kli Sheni and therefore it's forbidden to put a tea bag in a cup and pour upon it boiling water from the urn nor may the tea bag be put in a cup in which water was poured from an urn. [1]
  2. The preferable way of making tea on Shabbat is to use instant tea which may be placed in a Kli Sheni (a cup with water which was poured from an urn) and better yet in a Kli Shelishi (a cup with water which was poured from a Kli Sheni). [2]
  3. Another preferable method is to prepare "tea essence" by cooking a tea bag before Shabbat, saving the flavored liquid, and putting it into a Kli Sheni (a cup with hot water which was poured from an urn). [3]
  4. Lastly, if one didn't prepare tea essence before Shabbat some poskim are lenient to make tea using a Kli Shelishi by pouring boiling water from an urn to a cup (Kli Sheni) and from that cup to another cup (Kli Shelishi) and putting the tea bag in the Kli Shelishi. [4]

Links

References

  1. Mishna Brurah 318:39, 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 2, pg 660)
  2. Igrot Moshe 4:74(16)
  3. Mishna Brurah 318:39
  4. Igrot Moshe 4:74(15) writes that a Kli Shelishi doesn't cook at all and so it's permissible to put a tea bag in a Kli Shelishi. This is also the opinion of the 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 2, pg 661). There are some who disagreed with this idea, namely the Aruch HaShulchan 318:28 and Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:63 (in the new edition, see note 192). [The Mishna Brurah 318:39 clearly leave out this option implying that it's not a valid alternative. Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz says that it seems that Mishna Brurah is strict on this issue. However, in an earlier article, Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz wrote "The Mishna Brurah writes that one may not cook tea even in a Kli Shelishi." which seemingly is slightly inaccurate.]