THE BAIS HAVAAD HALACHA JOURNAL: Volume 5776 Issue IV Parshas Vayeira Onions, Garlic, and Eggs Left Overnight What happens when you cook the cholent with yesterday’s onions? By Rabbi Tzvi Frank
My niece, a newlywed kallah, eager to be extra organized for the Shabbos day meal, chopped onions the day before and kept them refrigerated in a plastic bag. Much to her dismay, on Shabbos morning she was informed by her chasan that according to halacha she needs to throw out the onions and start over. Having never heard of this minhag before she asked me if I agree.
Sholom Bayis issues aside, let’s examine this halacha from the source and see if there are any leniencies that could save their egg salad, if not their fledgling marriage.
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (Nidda 17a) states that whoever eats a peeled, onion, garlic or egg that was left overnight is endangering his life and will be held liable for the damage he visited upon himself1. The reason for this is a malevolent Ruach Ra’ah that descends on the above peeled foods left overnight2. The Gemara adds that covering or wrapping the item will not help prevent this spiritual contamination. Thus placing it in a bag in the refrigerator won’t help.
According to this Gemara, one should never cut half an onion and leave the other peeled half for tomorrow. Similarly, one shouldn’t peel any eggs that he doesn’t plan on consuming that same day. Indeed, Rav S. Z. Auerbach ztz”l explained the minhag of eating eggs and onions on Shabbos morning stems from this very halacha. As you cannot prepare either of them Erev Shabbos due to Ruach Ra’ah concerns it clearly was prepared fresh l’kovod this Shabbos meal!
However this brings up many questions.
How do some people make their eggs and onions -”eyer mit tzvibel” before Shabbos? Aren’t the peeled eggs and onions left overnight?
How do we use onion powder, Egg BeatersTM, or peeled garlic cloves sold in the grocery store?
The following are some of the leniencies and guidelines discussed in the Poskim.
My niece, a newlywed kallah, eager to be extra organized for the Shabbos day meal, chopped onions the day before and kept them refrigerated in a plastic bag. Much to her dismay, on Shabbos morning she was informed by her chasan that according to halacha she needs to throw out the onions and start over. Having never heard of this minhag before she asked me if I agree.
Sholom Bayis issues aside, let’s examine this halacha from the source and see if there are any leniencies that could save their egg salad, if not their fledgling marriage.
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (Nidda 17a) states that whoever eats a peeled, onion, garlic or egg that was left overnight is endangering his life and will be held liable for the damage he visited upon himself1. The reason for this is a malevolent Ruach Ra’ah that descends on the above peeled foods left overnight2. The Gemara adds that covering or wrapping the item will not help prevent this spiritual contamination. Thus placing it in a bag in the refrigerator won’t help.
According to this Gemara, one should never cut half an onion and leave the other peeled half for tomorrow. Similarly, one shouldn’t peel any eggs that he doesn’t plan on consuming that same day. Indeed, Rav S. Z. Auerbach ztz”l explained the minhag of eating eggs and onions on Shabbos morning stems from this very halacha. As you cannot prepare either of them Erev Shabbos due to Ruach Ra’ah concerns it clearly was prepared fresh l’kovod this Shabbos meal!
However this brings up many questions.
How do some people make their eggs and onions -”eyer mit tzvibel” before Shabbos? Aren’t the peeled eggs and onions left overnight?
How do we use onion powder, Egg BeatersTM, or peeled garlic cloves sold in the grocery store?
The following are some of the leniencies and guidelines discussed in the Poskim.
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