Putting Flowers In Water On Shabbat - Zoreiah (III)

 Putting Flowers In Water On Shabbat:


A flower detached from the ground is no longer considered alive and therefore not subject to the biblical prohibition of Zoreia. Nonetheless, the Rabbis restricted certain activities in this regard in order to avoid the appearance that one is planting. Additionally, allowing this may have led to the conclusion that other activities are permitted.





The Rabbis limited this restriction to flowers that were not already in water.


Therefore:

  1. Flowers that were placed in water before Shabbat and were removed on or before shabbat may be placed back in the same water on shabbat as long as there are no flowers that will open / bloom as a result of this.

  2. Changing the water or adding water is not permitted. This is considered Tircha Yeteira - (extensive effort on shabbat).


What about putting flowers in water that were not in water before shabbat?

Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Rimon rules that since this questions is a matter of debate and since it refers to a rabbinical prohibition (since the flowers are detached there is no biblical prohibition), one may put fully bloomed flowers in a vase that already has water in it (from before Shabbat).


Removing flowers from water on shabbat is permitted.


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