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Is it permitted to warm up a fully-cooked item on Shabbat?

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Since it is forbidden to ignite a fire on Shabbat, this question only applies if the flame on your stove is on since before the Shabbat. It is also forbidden to put even a fully-cooked item on the stove on Shabbat.

It is permitted, however, to return a pot or pan onto the fire if it was already there beforehand -- for example, if you took off the pot in order to remove some food1 and now you want to return it to the stove -- provided the following conditions are met:

  1. The food-item is fully cooked.
  2. The stove-top is covered (see above).
  3. Originally, when you took the food off the stove, you intended to return it onto the stove.
  4. Your hand did not leave go of the pot handle throughout the time it was off the stove.
  5. The food wasn't transferred to a different pot.
  6. The food hasn't completely cooled off.

It is however permitted to warm up a fully-cooked food if the food is not situated on top of the flame. For example: you can warm up a Challah by placing it atop the Cholent pot which sitting on the already covered stove-top.

Note: It is forbidden on Shabbat to remove food from a pot or pan which is situated on its heat source. You must always first remove the pot from the blech or hot plate before taking food from the pot.

FOOTNOTES
1. It is forbidden on Shabbat to remove food from a pot or pan which is situated on its heat source.
By Naftali Silberberg
Rabbi Silberberg resides in Brooklyn, NY, with his wife Chaya Mushka and their three children.
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Discussion (7)
April 25, 2012
Re: shabbat hot plate
Regarding the proper use of a hot plate on shabbos, see Laws of Cooking on Shabbos - ch. 8 TheBlech See also footnote #5 ibid.
Yehuda Shurpin for Chabad.org
April 24, 2012
shabbat hot plate
What is the halachic reason why hot plates are covered with tin foil for Shabbat?
Anonymous
london, uk
October 18, 2009
RE: Crock Pot Food on Sabbath?
It is permitted (and even encouraged) to eat hot food on Shabbat, provided that it is done in the proper manner. Please see Laws of Cooking on Shabbos for a detailed guide to how this is done.
Menachem Posner for Chabad.org
October 15, 2009
Crock Pot Food on Sabbath?
We are fairly new to keeping Sabbath and my husband thinks all the food should be cold, but we have friends who are bringing food over that is already cooked -- in a crock pot -- and plugging it in to warm the food. My husband wants to know if this is wrong; he thinks it is. What is the correct answer?
Anonymous
Bellville, TX
May 21, 2009
RE: Challah Only?
If a food has a substantial amount of moisture, heating it on Shabbat in this manner is a problem. According to one authority whom I consulted, if it has enough moisture that if you touch it with your finger, and touch your finger to something else and that thing becomes damp, you may not heat it on Shabbat.
Nechama Posner for chabad.org
May 3, 2009
Challah Only?
Can you heat anything else on top of a crock pot or a baking pan on a hot plate on shabbos or only a challah that is completely dry? What about a potato kugel that has some moisture but very little...or shintzell?
Anonymous
Pittsburgh, PA
July 6, 2008
Warming up cholent on Shabbos
What about if the cholent is in a slow cooker and is on timer to go off and then on again a couple of hours before Shabbos lunch? Is this permitted?
Anonymous
London, U>K>
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