Hatmana - Baby Bottle

QUESTION: I would like to warm up a cold baby bottle on Shabbos by submerging it into a pot of hot water. Is this permitted?

ANSWER: Although the prohibition of hatmana generally applies to wrapping hot foods, it also includes warming cold foods on Shabbos by wrapping them and placing them on top of a hot item, even if that hot item is not on the fire. Therefore, the Taz (258:1) rules that one may not submerge a pot of cold water into hot water to warm it up, even if the hot water is in a kli sheini (utensil that was not on the fire). As such, there is a concern of hatmana as well if one submerged a baby bottle in hot water. However, the Elya Rabba (258:3) argues that just as one may do hatmana on a kli sheini (i.e. by wrapping a kli sheini to maintain the heat), it is also permissible to warm a bottle in a kli sheini. However, the Pri Megadim, Aruch Hashulchan and Mishnah Berurah all accept the chumra of the Taz. Therefore, the bottle should not be completely submerged in hot water. By leaving part of the bottle out of the water, there is no restriction of hatmana.

This series will be continued after the holidays.

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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.