Tasting What You Cook on Erev Shabbos Asara b'Teves

Q. I always taste the soup and other dishes on erev Shabbos to see if they need more spices. This erev Shabbos will be Asara B’Teives. Am I permitted to taste the food?

A. The Mishnah Berurah (250:2) writes that there is a mitzvah on erev Shabbos to taste all the food that you prepare to make sure it was properly spiced. This is included in the mitzvah of honoring Shabbos. However, one is not permitted to eat any food on a fast day even if the intent is only to check on the spices. Nonetheless, Shulchan Aruch (567:1) writes that on a fast day (except Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av) one may taste a small amount of food, provided it is spit out and not swallowed. However, the Rema disagrees and writes that on a public fast day food may not be placed in the mouth, even if the intention is to spit it out. The Mishnah Berurah (567:6) cites the Chayei Adam (132:19) that if one is preparing a seudas mitzvah, and without tasting the food it will not be possible to to tell if it was spiced properly, one may rely on the Shulchan Aruch and taste the food and immediately spit it out. This same leniency applies to preparing the Shabbos seuda as well.

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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.