Using a blech on Shabbat

From Halachipedia

According to Ashkenazim

  1. It’s permissible to return a pot of fully cooked food that was previously on a fire to a blech (which doesn’t have an adjustable temperature) as long as one had intent to return it to the fire when the pot was removed, one kept the pot in one’s hands, and the food is slightly warm. [1]
  2. It’s forbidden to place a pot of fully cooked food on a blech even if one’s intent is just to remove it’s chill. [2] However, it is permissible to place of fully cooked food on a blech on the area where it doesn’t reach 113 degrees. [3] However, some say that it’s permissible to put foods on the blech on shabbat which could not be cooked on the blech (such as challah or kugel) as long as one doesn’t put it on the area which is over the fire. [4]
  3. One may move pots from a cooler area to a warmer position on the blech only if the food is fully cooked and the area from which it stood originally was 113 degrees. [5]
  4. Some authorities hold that if the food was on on the Blech at the beginning of Shabbat, after candle lighting and Kabbalat Shabbat, one may return the food to the Blech on Shabbat if the food is fully cooked solid food, however, many authorities forbid and only permit in the above cases. [6]

According to Sephardim

  1. According to Sephardim, it’s permissible to put a solid (completely) cooked food on top of a blech or hotplate on Shabbat. [7]
  2. According to Sephardim, it’s forbidden to put a cooked liquid on a blech or hotplate on Shabbat unless one fulfills the conditions of Chazara, however it is permissible to ask a non-Jew to put a cooked liquid on top of a blech or hotplate on Shabbat. [8]

References

  1. Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:25
  2. Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:25, Sh”t Igrot Moshe 1:94, Shabbat Kitchen (pg 44), 39 Melachos (vol 2 pg 564)
  3. Shabbat Kitchen pg 44, Igrot Moshe 1:94, however, Az Nidabru 8 forbids even in an area where the blech will not reach Yad Solet Bo.
  4. 39 Melachos (vol 2 pg 564) quoting Rav Shlomo Zalman
  5. Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 1:25
  6. The Rama 253:2 has five conditions in order to permit Hachzara: the fire is covered, the food is still slightly warm, the food is still in one's hand, one had intention to return it to the fire, and the food was fully cooked. See Hachzara#Conditions_to_permit_Chazara. The Rama 253:2 quotes the Ran who says that if the food was on the fire from before Shabbat and was only removed after nightfall one may return fully cooked food to the (covered) fire as long as the food is still warm even if one put it down on the ground and the Mishna Brurah 253:65 adds that the same is true even if one didn't have intent to return it. The Rama writes that the minhag is to be lenient but it's bett to be strict. Mishna Brurah 253:67 defends the minhag to some degree. Chazon Ish and Rabbi Shimon Eider (Halachos of Shabbos, chap 14, sec F, pg 355) rule that one should not rely on this lenient ruling. However, Halakhic positions of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, (Rabbi Zeigler, vol 4, pg 90-1) quotes Rav Solovatchik as having ruled that one may rely on the Rama. Nonetheless, the Mishna Brurah 253:68 quotes the Magan Avraham who says that even solid food must be warm if order to return it. However, Rabbi Zeigler quotes Rav Solovatchik as having ruled in according with the Vilna Goan (see Biur Halacha 253:5 D”H VeBilvad) who argues on the Magan Avraham and allows it even if the food is totally cold. Rabbi Zeigler concludes that based on Rav Soloveitchik if one had food on the Blech at the beginning of Shabbat one may return the food to the blech on shabbat as long as the food is fully cooked and solid. Rabbi Michael Taubes also quotes the same idea from Rav Soloveitchik. Rabbi Dovid Miller in explaining the topic emphasizes that Rav Soloveitchik only permitted reheating fully cooked solid food but not liquids or soup.
  7. http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=429, Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat vol 3 pg 207)
  8. http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=429, Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat vol 3 pg 207)