Dirshu Mishnah Berurah
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© Moshe Zeidman
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A page a day (amud yomi) of Mishnah Berurah explained and clarified following (roughly) the cycle of the Dirshu program for mastery of the laws of daily Jewish living. Master the text in under 30 minutes a day. For individual application of the laws you should consult with your local Orthodox Rabbi.
Please subscribe to this podcast - you will be notified when each new session is uploaded and you will maximise your daily learning. For feedback or questions you can reach me on mztorahlearning@gmail.com.
Please subscribe to this podcast - you will be notified when each new session is uploaded and you will maximise your daily learning. For feedback or questions you can reach me on mztorahlearning@gmail.com.
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This episode explores the halachos of caring for the dangerously ill on Shabbos. We learn why it is not only permitted but praiseworthy to act with urgency to save a life, even if unintended melachos are performed. Practical cases include rescuing children in danger, breaking doors, and feeding the sick when kosher food is unavailable. The Mishnah Berurah clarifies whether slaughtering an animal or giving non-kosher food is preferable, and how a patient’s refusal to eat can affect halachic decisions. We also examine cooking wine with the help of a non-Jew, the principle of minimizing melacha (such as choosing the smaller cluster of figs), and why extra work beyond what is required should be avoided.ShabbosHilchos ShabbosPikuach NefeshDangerously Ill on ShabbosSaving a LifeMishnah BerurahShulchan AruchRefuah on ShabbosNon-Kosher Food for the SickShabbos and MedicineUrgency in Saving Lives
We learn under what conditions someone who has donated money or land for a shul can retract their donation.
This episode explores the laws of extracting liquids on Shabbos, focusing on the distinction between different food categories. Olives and grapes are most restricted because they are primarily grown for juice, while most other fruits are generally permitted to squeeze unless commonly used for juicing in a given locale. A key principle is the difference between a food’s natural internal moisture (considered part of the food) and externally absorbed liquids from cooking or pickling, which are more restricted.The discussion then shifts from fruits and vegetables to fish, where squeezing out absorbed external liquid is prohibited, but natural internal moisture may be permitted. The podcast continues with the laws of crushing snow and ice: actively crushing to produce water is rabbinically prohibited, but allowing ice or snow to melt on its own—especially when placed into an existing drink—is permitted. Practical extensions include hand-washing with soap, use of liquid soap, breaking surface ice to access water, walking on snow, and handling salt water mixtures. The episode emphasizes intent, direct action versus indirect results, and rabbinic safeguards designed to prevent squeezing produce for drinkable juice.
This episode explores the laws of squeezing fruits and vegetables for juice on Shabbos, with a focus on lemon juice and common kitchen scenarios. It explains when squeezing is permitted versus prohibited, the distinction between squeezing for flavor versus extracting juice, and how custom and intent affect the ruling. The discussion also covers pickled or cooked foods, squeezing directly onto food versus into an empty container, and why olives and grapes are treated more strictly. Practical takeaways include safer methods—such as squeezing onto sugar or directly onto food—and an overview of differing opinions, concluding that while the mainstream ruling is lenient in certain cases, adopting a stricter approach is considered praiseworthy.
This episode explores the laws of extracting juice from fruits on Shabbos and when liquids that emerge are permitted or prohibited. We discuss olives and grapes crushed before Shabbos, when their juice is automatically allowed, and how nullification works when juice mixes immediately with existing liquid. The shiur clarifies key distinctions between juice that appears independently versus juice that blends right away, and why that difference matters.We also cover practical scenarios: placing ice or snow into drinks, soaking raisins or grape remnants to create a beverage, filtering liquids prepared before Shabbos, and squeezing fruit directly onto food versus into an empty dish. Special attention is given to unripe or inedible fruits, differing rabbinic opinions, and when stringency is recommended. The episode concludes with everyday applications such as squeezing lemon onto food and how intent and timing affect permissibility.
This episode continues to examine the halachic rules of squeezing fruit on Shabbos. Olives and grapes remain strictly prohibited to squeeze for juice under all circumstances. Strawberries and pomegranates are treated more leniently if they are primarily for eating and juice emerges on its own, but actively squeezing them for drinking is still forbidden.For other fruits, local custom is decisive—if a fruit is commonly juiced in a given place (such as apples today or pears in certain regions), squeezing it is prohibited; if not, there may be room for leniency. The discussion also addresses sucking juice directly from fruit, which many authorities permit since it is not the normal method of extraction, though some opinions are stricter, especially regarding olives and grapes.Using expressed juice as a dip rather than as a beverage can be more lenient for most fruits, but not for olives and grapes due to their primary designation for liquids and concerns of appearance. The episode highlights differing rabbinic views and concludes with the importance of consulting one’s own halachic authority for practical application.
This episode introduces the laws of squeezing fruits on Shabbos. The key distinction is between fruits primarily used for juice and those mainly eaten as solids. Grapes and olives are strictly forbidden to squeeze because their normal use is for producing liquids, and even juice that seeps out on its own is prohibited as a safeguard against intentional squeezing. Some fruits, like strawberries and pomegranates, depend on intent: if they were designated for eating, naturally released juice is permitted; if intended for juicing, it is not. Most other fruits, which are generally eaten rather than juiced, may be squeezed because their liquid is not considered a standard beverage. The practical takeaway is that common dual-purpose fruits—such as oranges—are generally treated more strictly, since many people use them for juice.
A practical overview of the laws of sorting on Shabbat as they apply to everyday food preparation. This episode explores when straining or separating food is permitted versus prohibited, including sifting mustard with an egg, separating egg whites and yolks, drinking through a cloth to avoid insects, removing bugs from food or drink, skimming cream, churning butter, curdling milk, and related dairy processes. Key principles focus on the classic conditions that make sorting allowed—taking the desired item by hand for immediate use—versus using utensils or preparing for later, which is generally forbidden. The discussion also touches on edge cases such as cloth filtration, squeezing concerns, and indirect forms of separation. A concise, practical guide to recognizing permitted food preparation versus prohibited sorting on Shabbat.
This episode continues the laws of Borer (selection and filtering) on Shabbos, focusing on filtering wine and water. It clarifies when filtering is permitted using non-designated items (like cloths or wicker baskets), when special filters may be used, and the limits placed to avoid weekday-style activity. The shiur explains the issue of raising a basket above a utensil, the concern of creating a “tent-like” structure, and the concept of shinui (making a recognizable change from weekday practice).It also covers prohibited methods of filtering, such as tightly stuffing straws or splinters into spouts, and the halachos of pouring wine from one vessel to another—especially when to stop to avoid separating wine from dregs. Finally, it reviews the core principles of Borer:Removing refuse from food is prohibitedUsing a כלי (filtering utensil) is prohibitedSeparating for later use is prohibitedPermitted selection must be immediate use, by hand, and removing the desired item from the undesired
This episode continues the laws of Borer as applied to filtering liquids on Shabbos. We explore when filtering wine, water, and other drinks is permitted—focusing on the key distinction between clear and cloudy liquids. If a drink is already fit to consume without filtering, straining it may be allowed, even if small particles remain. The discussion contrasts using a designated filter versus ordinary clothing, highlighting concerns of laundering (libun) and weekday-like activity. Differences between opinions, including the Rambam and the Shulchan Aruch, are clarified, along with practical cases such as fermenting wine and the broader implications for modern questions like filtering beverages. The episode concludes with guidance on making a proper shinui when required.
This episode continues the laws of selection on Shabbos, focusing on when everyday actions cross into prohibited sorting. We cover sifting grain by hand versus with tools, why funnels, plates, or two-handed techniques are not allowed, and how even simple soaking or washing can become problematic.The discussion then turns to cleaning produce: washing vegetables, potatoes, animal fodder, and fruit, including whether soaking or rinsing removes “refuse” in a halachically significant way. We explore differing views on washing fruit under running water, washing close to eating time, and the preference to wash before Shabbos when possible.The episode concludes with modern applications: straining liquids, reusing wine dregs, and the status of water filters and filter jugs on Shabbos—especially for those who only drink filtered water.
This episode continues the detailed laws of borer (selection) on Shabbos. We clarify the three core conditions that permit food selection: taking the desired item from the undesired, using one’s hand rather than a specialized tool, and eating immediately. The discussion explains why removing refuse—even by hand—creates liability, how using utensils changes the halachic status, and why timing matters. Practical cases include sorting large quantities of food, separating legumes, rubbing grain, removing peas from pods, cracking nuts, and peeling shells. We also explore when a change in normal technique (shinui) helps, when it does not, and where authorities are stringent, especially in actions that resemble threshing. Clear guidance is provided for everyday food preparation on Shabbos, distinguishing normal eating from prohibited sorting.
This episode continues the laws of sorting and separating on Shabbat, focusing on the key distinction between normal eating and prohibited sorting. The discussion clarifies that removing what you don’t want, using tools designed for sorting, or preparing items for later use—even later the same day—can constitute a violation.We explore practical cases: mixed foods, two types of fish, large and small pieces, burnt or spoiled portions, sweet versus sour fruit, and common Shabbat meal preparations. The episode also expands the rules beyond food to clothing, utensils, and household items.Core takeaways include: always take what you want now, by hand or hand-like utensils, for immediate use; avoid removing unwanted items first; and be mindful of how far in advance “immediate” really means.
This episode opens the laws of Borer (separating) on Shabbos with a foundational overview from the Mishnah Berurah. It explains why Borer is one of the most commonly misunderstood prohibitions and lays out the three core conditions that determine permissibility: taking the desired item from the undesired, doing so by hand (not with a utensil), and for immediate use within the meal. The shiur clarifies when biblical vs. rabbinic prohibitions apply, the role of utensils like strainers and sifters, and how “immediate” is defined. Practical cases are discussed, including separating vegetables, mixed foods, and produce with defects, doing Borer for others at the meal, and food prepared by a non-Jew. This episode sets the essential framework for understanding all later details of Borer.
This episode concludes Siman 344 with a practical case: someone lost in the desert who knows how many days they’ve traveled but not the starting day. We clarify which days are certainly weekday, when work is permitted, and when it must be restricted—especially once one day’s work suffices for ongoing needs.The Mishnah Berurah then closes Chelek Gimel by summarizing the remaining primary categories of forbidden labor related to textile production: combing, beating fibers, spinning (by hand or tool), felting, weaving and its derivatives, braiding detached hair, and removing threads from finished cloth. Key distinctions are drawn between biblical and rabbinic prohibitions and practical implications for everyday scenarios.
This episode explores the halachic guidance for someone who becomes lost—such as in a desert or captivity—and no longer knows which day is Shabbat. We cover how to count days, designate a “Shabbat” for remembrance through Kiddush and Havdalah, and the limits of work and travel under conditions of uncertainty. The discussion clarifies when work is forbidden, when minimal labor is permitted for survival, and why even doubtful Shabbat days are treated with seriousness. Practical principles of survival, ספק (doubt), and the balance between preserving life and honoring Shabbat are clearly outlined, setting the stage for the conclusion of the siman in the next episode.
This episode continues the laws governing a child’s actions in matters of prohibition, with a focus on Shabbos and forbidden foods. It clarifies when a parent must actively stop a child, when others may intervene, and the limits of involving non-Jews. Key topics include feeding prohibited foods to children, special leniencies for a sick child (including on Pesach), restrictions on instructing children to perform Shabbos violations—even rabbinic ones—and how responsibility changes once a child reaches the age of understanding. The episode concludes with guidance on moral accountability, education, and corrective measures for harmful behavior, even when formal liability does not yet apply.
This episode explores the laws of educating children in mitzvot, focusing on a parent’s responsibility to prevent children from transgressing prohibitions. It explains the distinction between the role of the father and that of the court, and between biblical and rabbinic prohibitions. The discussion clarifies when a child must be stopped, when protest is required, and how a child’s level of understanding determines obligation. Special attention is given to actively feeding forbidden items, habituating children to speech and behavior standards, and the long-term impact of early habits.
This episode explores the unique halachic status of the twilight period between sunset and nightfall. We examine which rabbinic prohibitions were suspended during this time, when and why exceptions apply for mitzvah needs or pressing circumstances, and which decrees remain in force due to their closeness to biblical violations. The discussion clarifies actions like climbing trees, swimming, carrying in semi-public domains, establishing extended walking limits, and asking a non-Jew to light a candle. We also address whether these leniencies apply only before Shabbat begins or also at its conclusion, and why many authorities urge extra caution at Shabbat’s end.
This episode explores when vows may be annulled on Shabbos and why the general rule restricts weekday-style legal actions on a holy day. We clarify that vows may be annulled on Shabbos when they directly affect Shabbos enjoyment or mitzvah observance—such as eating, drinking, wearing Shabbos clothing, or sleeping. A key exception is the authority of a husband (and similarly a father) to annul vows within a strict same-day time window, even when the vow is unrelated to Shabbos.The discussion explains the underlying principle: Shabbos is not meant for routine weekday procedures unless necessary. Practical cases are covered, including vows tied to prohibited actions on Shabbos, time-limited vows expiring on Shabbos, and communal bans that are customarily annulled on Shabbos due to logistical necessity.
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