Hatmana - Towel-Wrapped Pot

QUESTION: Before Shabbos, I wrapped my soup pot (which is not on a fire) with towels, so it will stay hot until the seuda. May I unwrap the pot before the meal, give my child some soup, and then rewrap the pot on Shabbos?

ANSWER: Shulchan Aruch (257:4) writes that pots that were wrapped before Shabbos may be uncovered and rewrapped on Shabbos, provided 

a) the pot was still wrapped at nightfall, and b), the food was fully cooked and the wrapping will not accelerate the cooking process. One may even completely remove the original insulation and rewrap the pot with better, thicker insulation. The Aruch Hashulchan (257:20) adds that even if one unwrapped the pot on Shabbos without intending to rewrap it, it is still permissible to rewrap it on Shabbos. If, however, one unwrapped the pot before nightfall, and left it unwrapped until after nightfall, it may not be rewrapped on Shabbos.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.