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 writes "The Mishna Brurah writes that one may not cook tea even in a Kli Shelishi." and in a Ten Minute Halacha repeats the same statement which seemingly is inaccurate as the Mishna Brurah actually makes no mention of Kli Shelishi at all.]