5786/2025
Save the Cholent!
It is not rare for a Cholent to be rapidly drying up and desperately needing hot water added to save it. Rav Yosef Karo (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 253:4) and Rav Ovadia Yosef (Teshuvot Yechaveh Da’at 4:22) unequivocally forbid Sephardic Jews from placing hot water from an urn into Cholent that is drying up on Shabbat. However, the Rama is more lenient.
Shulchan Aruch vs. Rama
Rav Yosef Karo’s ruling (as he explains in his Bet Yosef commentary on the Tur, Orach Ḥayim 253) is based on Rabbeinu Yona, who objects to setting aside hot water before Shabbat to pour into Cholent that dries up on Shabbat. Rabbeinu Yona presents two reasons for his strict ruling. One concern is that the hot water may have cooled down to less than the temperature of Yad Soledet Bo (hot to the touch, approximately 160-180°F in this context). If so, placing the hot water into the Cholent would restore the water to a temperature hotter than Yad Soledet Bo, constituting a Torah-level violation of Shabbat. The second reason is that even if the water remains Yad Soledet Bo, as soon as the water leaves the original utensil in which it was cooked (Kli Rishon), it is viewed from a Halachic lens as having cooled. Restoring the water to a Kli Rishon would thus constitute an act of Bishul.
Ashkenazim follow the Rama, who permits pouring hot water from an urn or kettle into drying Cholent. He follows the Ran, who rejects Rabbenu Yona, arguing that Ein Bishul Achar Bishul—once an item (even a liquid) is cooked, reheating that item is not considered cooking. The Rama follows this opinion as long as the water has not completely cooled. Thus, even if the water is no longer Yad Soledet Bo, it may be added to the drying Cholent on Shabbat (Orach Chaim 318:15).
Moroccan and Yemenite Jews
Rav Shalom Messas (Teshuvot Tevu’ot Shemesh, Orach Chayim 26) notes that although Moroccan Jews generally accept the rulings of Rav Yosef Karo, in this instance, they follow an ancient custom to adhere to the Ran. Rav Messas notes that Rav Yosef Karo writes in his introduction to the Shulchan Aruch that his rulings are not intended to supersede established custom.
This ruling of the Shulchan Aruch is also not problematic for Yemenite Jews. Rav Zecharia Ben-Shlomo (Orot HaHalachah, p. 335) notes that many Yemenite Jews follow the Rambam (Hilchot Shabbat 22:8), which states that one may reheat a fully cooked liquid even if it has cooled completely. Thus, for Yemenites, there is no concern for reheating water that had been previously heated.
Solutions for Ashkenazim – Malca Jachter’s Strategy
What if it is not feasible to safely bring the urn to the Cholent pot? In such a case, the Mishnah Berurah (253:84) and Sha’ar HaTziyun (253:47) permit placing hot water in a Kli Sheini and pouring it from the Kli Sheini into the Cholent. However, Rav Hershel Schachter writes (The Laws of Cooking and Warming Food on Shabbat, p. 184; and see Rav Wilig’s concerns, pp.34-35) that the custom is not to adopt this leniency. Therefore, it is recommended to follow Malca Jachter’s proactive strategy and place the urn and the Cholent pot side by side, in case a transfer needs to happen.
Rav Ovadia’s Suggestions for Sepharadim
Rav Ovadia suggests that hot water may be poured into the Cholent after it is removed from the cooking vessel on the fire (Kli Rishon) and placed into a serving vessel (Kli Sheni). In some situations, this may save the Cholent.
Rav Mansour’s Suggestions for Sepharadim
Rav Mansour offers some practical suggestions regarding preemptive action to avoid this difficult situation:
It is therefore advisable to take precautions before Shabbat to ensure that one’s Cholent will not dry out before lunchtime on Shabbat. One possibility is to keep the crockpot slightly elevated within the heating element, which has the effect of slowing the cooking process. Likewise, one who cooks Cholent on a blech can place it off to the side, where there is less heat. The most advisable solution is to fill a cooking bag with water and place it inside the Cholent pot before Shabbat, where it functions as a “reserve supply” of water. If one notices the Cholent drying out, he can simply puncture the bag and allow the water to flow into the Cholent. Since the water is already cooked inside the pot, it is permissible to allow the water out of the bag to mix with the Cholent.
Rav Yitzchak Yosef’s Suggestion for All
Rav Yitzchak Yosef (Motzaei Shabbat Shiur, Parashat Eikev 5783, minute forty-three) suggests placing a ladle into the urn and keeping it there until steam rises from the ladle’s contents. The ladle in that case becomes a Kli Rishon (Mishnah Berurah 318:87 and Yalkut Yosef Orach Chaim 318:87). In this way, the water transferred to the Cholent pot will retain a Kli Rishon status, avoiding Rabbeinu Yonah’s concern.
Conclusion
The best approach is to add the proper amount of water when preparing Cholent on Erev Shabbat to avoid the need to rely on leniencies!