#249: Squeezing Lemons

1. Poskim disagree as to whether lemons have a different status than other fruits with respect to sechitah. The reason is that lemons are not usually squeezed for their juice alone without other ingredients, such as water and sugar, which may make their status more lenient (see Beit Yosef, O.C. 320).

2. The Shulchan Aruch (O.C. 320:6) permits squeezing lemons on Shabbat in all cases, which is the ruling of the Yalkut Yosef (320:13-15), many other Sephardic poskim, and Rav Soloveitchik. The reason is, as mentioned, that lemons are not squeezed alone like other fruits. Many Ashkenazi poskim are more stringent and permit only squeezing lemons onto a solid food, such as sugar or fish (Mishnah Berurah 320:22; Shemirat Shabbat K'hilchata 5:7). Even the Yalkut Yosef, who is lenient, recommends trying to accommodate the stringent opinion if one can do so easily. We will discuss this more next week, G-d willing.

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Dedicated by Fran Broder as a zechus for the hostages to be released safely to their families and may everlasting peace come to Eretz Yisrael in the merit of learning Hilchos Shabbos.