Melting cheese on Shabbat

Shabbat
1

Hi, is it allowed to melt cheese on bread on shabbat?

Oven was set on Shabbat mode from Friday

2

Nope.

Shabbat mode on an oven is a setting to make sure the oven doesn’t shut off after a few hours.

One may not place anything inside an oven or warming drawer that is more 120 degrees fahrenheit.

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3

I thought as long as oven is not Yad Soledet Bo, one can put (cooked) food in to warm. Meaning if I can use my bare hands to remove the food/and or cooking dish and eat straight away. I’ve never had an oven that went down to 120 degrees.

4

You are correct that as long as food will never reach yad soledet you would be permitted, nevertheless the criteria is not whether or not you can touch it with your hands.

The Gemara says the correct litmus test would be if that water (that was warmed ) would burn the belly of an infant. Therefore that is much less than your hand. In any event, modern day Poskim have thankfully determined a temperature, as stated above, that is easier to gauge.

As to the statement that ovens don’t go down to 120, you are probably correct there as well, that is why I have never heard anyone be matir to put food into an oven.

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5

Can you use the Shabbat mode on your oven to warm food?
Blechts seem hotter than 120 ?

6

You can’t put food into the oven on Shabbat.

7

Even if the oven has a special shabat mode of 180 degrees and everyone who is in your house knows it’s on Shabbat mode and your not cooking

8

That’s right

9

Why is it אסור to melt cheese on Shabbat?

א. בישול

ב. מוליד

ג. חזרה

10

What about blechs or hot plates? I’m pretty sure mine gets above 120? Or does it only matter when surrounded by this temperature as opposed to just the base?

11

Potentially 1 and 3.

12

We care about the base temp. The issue with a hot plate is usually Chazara - even when not actually cooking food.

A blech takes care of that issue.

However, if you’re actually cooking, a blech won’t help you.

13

Rabbi Ezra Sarna of the OU wrote:

After consulting with a cheese expert, it appears that even mozzarella—which is considered a “cooked cheese”—is not always heated to a high enough temperature (approximately 160°F) to qualify as “cooked” according to halachic standards. In addition, new cheese-making technologies and methods are emerging that may not necessitate cooking at such high temperatures. Therefore, when dealing with a potential Torah prohibition, we cannot rely on the principle of ein bishul achar bishul to permit melting cheese.

14

I believe Rav Moshe went with 160. That’s high. Rav Abadis shiur is lower.