#303: "Unmixing" a Mixture
1. In cases of a halachic mixture where the rules of borer apply, there is another method to avoid the problem of borer: One can scatter the items in the mixture and spread them out so that they are no longer in the form of a mixture (Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:74, borer 11; R. Shlomo Zalman Auerbach quoted in Shemirat Shabbat K'hilchata ch.3, n.6, based on Rashi, Shabbat 74, s.v. vshada; though Orchot Shabbat 3:119 notes that some disagree with this leniency).
2. According to this, one can take a mixture of silverware or game pieces and spread them out so that they are no longer close together and do not qualify as a mixture. One may then sort them as one wishes. The same would apply to a mixture of two kinds of food in a bowl, such as nuts and crackers.
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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.
