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5786/2026
The rules of Yom Tov are almost identical to those of Shabbat. Therefore, extinguishing a fire is completely forbidden. Not only is extinguishing a flame problematic, but even slightly lowering one is too.
There are circumstances in which lowering a flame would be permissible. Namely, if lowering the flame is part of the cooking process, also known as Ochel Nefesh, then it is permissible.
Ochel Nefesh and Machshirei Ochel Nefesh
What constitutes “part of the cooking process”? The Rabanan say that only acts of actual cooking are permitted. Rebbi Yehudah argues that even preparatory stages (machshirei ochel nefesh) are permitted. We generally follow Rabi Yehudah’s opinion and permit melacha in the preliminary stages of cooking.
For example, one can sharpen a knife using a second knife to prepare it to cut food that one intends to cook. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule:
1. One may only perform melacha for preparatory stages if one was unable to perform the task before Yom Tov.
2. One may only repair a broken vessel, but may not create a new one.
Although there are leniencies regarding preparing food, we don’t always publicize them because we are concerned that people may inadvertently engage in melacha that is forbidden, such as violating the limitations mentioned in points 1 and 2.
Consequently, extinguishing a flame is permitted if it helps one cook, although the matter may not be widely publicized. For instance, extinguishing a flame to prevent a pot (even when no food is actively being cooked in it) from being ruined should be permissible, just as sharpening a knife is.
However, the Gemara (Beitzah 22a) states:
בְּעָא מִינֵּיהּ אַבָּיֵי מֵרַבָּה: מַהוּ לְכַבּוֹת אֶת הַדְּלֵקָה בְּיוֹם טוֹב?... כִּי קָמִבַּעְיָא לִי מִשּׁוּם אִבּוּד מָמוֹן, מַאי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אָסוּר. אֵיתִיבֵיהּ: אֵין מְכַבִּין אֶת הַבְּקַעַת כְּדֵי לָחוּס עָלֶיהָ, וְאִם בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁלֹּא יִתְעַשֵּׁן הַבַּיִת אוֹ הַקְּדֵרָה — מוּתָּר! אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הָהִיא רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הִיא, כִּי קָאָמֵינָא אֲנָא, לְרַבָּנַן.
Further on the topic of extinguishing, Abaye raised a dilemma before Rabba: What is the halakha with regard to extinguishing a fire on a Festival? … it was with regard to a case involving only monetary loss. What is the halakha? Rabba said to him: It is prohibited. Abba bar Marta raised an objection to Abaye’s opinion from the following baraita: One may not extinguish a piece of wood in order to save it from being needlessly burned, but if he extinguishes it so that the house or a pot not become smoky, it is permitted. This shows that it is permitted to extinguish a fire on a Festival if it serves people’s needs. Abaye said to him: That baraita is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda, who permits the performance of prohibited labors on a Festival for all of one’s needs and not only for the preparation of food; when I spoke, it was in accordance with the opinion of the Rabbis, who disagree (translation taken from Sefaria).
Although we generally follow the opinion of Rebbi Yehudah, the Rishonim conclude that it is prohibited to extinguish a fire for auxiliary needs, and we are stringent in accordance with the opinion of the Rabanan. Why aren’t these Machshirei Ochel Nefesh permitted? The Ramban explains that not all Machsirei Ochel Nefesh are created equal, and only those that are more directly connected to cooking (such as fixing a knife) are permitted. Additionally, even if it qualifies as Machshirei Ochel Nefesh, we still don’t publicize it.
But, how is preventing the pot of food from becoming burned or the house in which you are eating from becoming uninhabitable considered auxiliary? Isn’t that Ochel Nefesh? The Rashba explains that we are dealing with a case where only the exterior walls of the pot will become ruined, or the walls of the house will become blackened, not uninhabitable. Therefore, if the condition of the pot or the house would actually inhibit Ochel Nefesh, then it would be permitted to extinguish the flame (assuming there’s no other way to save the pot or house). Thus, the situation becomes one of Ochel Nefesh, not just Machshirei Ochel Nefesh. The Rama codifies this as the authoritative halacha.
Others explain that extinguishing a fire is by definition almost always considered Machshirei Ochel Nefesh as it is only removing a damaging factor, rather than positively contributing to the cooking. Therefore, it is prohibited to extinguish a flame even if one will not be able to have a proper Yom Tov meal without doing so. The Shulchan Aruch cites this as the authoritative halacha. This imposes a significant level of stringency, as in almost all cases, one would not be able to lower the flame on their stovetop.
Halachah for Ashkenazim
The Mishnah Berurah writes that the consensus of Achronim sides with the Rama. Although this allows leniency to extinguish a fire when there’s no other option to save the meal, there are still many scenarios where lowering a flame would be prohibited. The Mishnah Berurah and Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach maintain that anytime you can save the food without lowering the flame- for example, by creating (from an existing fire) a new lower flame, or by simply removing the pot from the flame (provided the food will not become ruined by cooling), then one should not lower the flame. According to this opinion, in modern times, where most cooktops have more than one burner, one would need to ignite another burner first before lowering the burner currently in use.
However, Rav Moshe Feinstein writes that one is not required to light a new flame to avoid lowering an existing one. He reasons that, in the context of cooking, one may lower the flame the same way one raises it. Nevertheless, even according to Rav Moshe, one may not lower a flame to reduce the heat it emits, or to save on gas. Lowering a flame is only permissible for cooking!
Halachah for Sephardim
Seemingly, Sephardim, who generally follow the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch, shouldn’t be able to lower a flame on Yom Tov. However, two major Poskim reject this notion. Firstly, Rav Moshe Feinstein writes that even according to the Shulchan Aruch, it is permissible to lower a flame to prevent ruining the meal. The ruling of the Shulchan Aruch regarding lowering a flame applies only to saving the pot from smoking up, which is considered Machshirei Ochel Nefesh, but preventing the food from burning is Ochel Nefesh and permissible. Rav Moshe’s ruling that one does not need to light another flame to avoid lowering an existing one applies to both the Shulchan Aruch and Rama. According to Rav Moshe, the only difference between Sephardim and Ashkenazim is whether one can lower a flame to prevent the pot from smoking up.
Secondly, Rav Ovadiah Yosef claims that the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch applies only to wood fires; gas flames may be lowered if doing so would prevent the food from being burned. He maintains that lowering a gas flame involves three rabbinic injunctions:
1. Lowering a non-wood flame isn’t Biblically prohibited.
2. Extinguishing a flame that does not produce coals isn’t Biblically prohibited.
3. One is only indirectly extinguishing the stovetop (Grama).
Thus, it would be permissible to lower a flame. However, Rav Ovadiah points out that each of these points is subject to debate, and therefore one should be careful to lower a flame only when there’s no other option to save the food.
Both Chazon Ovadiah and Yalkut Yosef cite Rav Moshe’s ruling as the authoritative halacha for Sephardim.
Rav Moshe’s Heter to Turn off a Stovetop
In a cryptic Teshuvah (responsa), Rav Moshe refrains from writing his opinion concerning shutting off a gas stove. It is well known that Rav Moshe held it was permissible to shut off a gas stove after one finished cooking. What is the basis for this leniency?
The Gemara Beitzah (22a) teaches:
הַנּוֹתֵן שֶׁמֶן בַּנֵּר — חַיָּיב מִשּׁוּם מַבְעִיר, וְהַמִּסְתַּפֵּק מִמֶּנּוּ — חַיָּיב מִשּׁוּם מְכַבֶּה
“One who adds oil to a lamp on Shabbat is liable for performing the prohibited labor of kindling on Shabbat, and one who supplies himself with oil from a lit lamp on Shabbat is liable for performing the prohibited labor of extinguishing.”
Tosafot (s.v. V’HaMistapeik) explain that the problem isn’t that one is merely hastening the extinguishing of the flame, as that would only be Gram Kibuy, indirect extinguishing, which is permitted (Shabbat 120a). Rather, removing the oil directly weakens the flame, which is prohibited.
The Rosh, however, disagrees and asserts that the problem is indeed that one accelerates the flame's extinction. But doesn’t the Gemara Shabbat (Ibid.) teach that Gram Kibuy is permitted? The Rosh explains that Gram Kibuy is permitted when one accelerates the extinguishing by removing an external, separate fuel source, such as an unlit wood chip from a fireplace. However, if one removes part of the fuel sustaining the flame itself- for example, the oil from the lamp or wax from a candle- it would be prohibited.
Rav Moshe Tendler writes that, according to the Rosh, it would be permissible to shut a gas stove on Yom Tov. He reasons that the gas in the company's pipelines is not considered part of the fire and would therefore be analogous to removing an unlit wood chip from a fireplace.
However, according to Tosafot, it still appears problematic to shut off the stovetop, since one is actively reducing the flame. Nevertheless, Rav Tendler suggests that there may be room for leniency, because Tosafot were stringent only when one diminishes the flame by directly affecting the fuel source part of the combustion, whereas diminishing it via an external fuel supply may be different.
Rav Schachter stated that the straightforward understanding is that it’s forbidden to shut off a stovetop, since doing so directly diminishes the flame, which, according to Tosafot, is prohibited. Similarly, Rav Aryeh Lebowitz notes that most poskim do not accept Rav Moshe’s leniency and, unless one strictly follows Rav Moshe’s rulings, one should be stringent. Additionally, even Rav Moshe may not have been lenient regarding shutting off a grill connected to a gas tank with a limited supply, since that wouldn’t constitute indirect extinguishing.
Nevertheless, one may ask a non-Jew to shut off the flame in order to cool the area or remove potential danger, as this would constitute a shvut d’shvut b’makom tzoreich, a rabbinic prohibition compounded with another rabbinic prohibition in a case of need. However, it is preferable to ask a non-Jew before Yom Tov to come on Yom Tov and shut off the flame.
Lowering Electricity
As an important aside, the discussion above concerns gas flames. When it comes to electric stovetops, Shemirat Shabbat K’Hilchata notes that adjusting the filament often causes a new circuit to turn on, which is undoubtedly prohibited. Therefore, if one wishes to know whether it is permissible to adjust an electric stovetop or oven, a competent Orthodox Rav should be consulted.