In an earlier post, I mentioned that Starbucks was planning to release their own line of instant coffee called VIA. Since that time I have had a chance to try it, and I like it. But if one is planning to use VIA as a solution to their Shabbos coffee woes, there are some issues to be aware of.
In these videos, I discuss some of the halachic problems with using a drip coffee maker or French press on Shabbos. I am not a halachic expert, so do not rely on this information as authoritative, and if you have corrections, please let me know.
Also, I apologize for the poor audio/video sync in the second video. It kind of makes it look like one of those over-dubbed kung fu movies.
David V said
I love your attention to detail. IMO these kinds of video are great for those of us who want to follow proper halachah yet don’t have a clue where to begin. I’d love to see more – like how to lay tefillin or don tallit or perhaps how to properly determine what blessing to say and then how to properly say/sing.
PS – the 2nd video wasn’t so bad. After your warning I was expecting an old Godzilla movie or something. ;-)
PSS – You probably already know thus, but ofr the sake of visitors I wanted to mention that unless you live near Chicago, or perhaps a few other major markets that carry VIA, you’ll have to order it over the internet.
Shalom.
Aaron said
Yes, that’s a good point. I ordered mine online at https://www.starbucksstore.com.
Michael Miller said
I’m tempted to say it’s too much of a pain to deal with, but we ARE talking about coffee here. If I didn’t know better, I’d wonder if Hashem didn’t sit back and enjoy a cup Himself on the 7th day.
My problem is that Starbucks isn’t making a decaf VIA. I’m sentenced to decaf on the recommendation of my doctor, who actually wants me to not even drink that–but there are limits.
I wish, Aaron, that you *had* gotten into the hot water issue. I used to go ahead and light up the gas burner on the premise that I was “transferring fire” from the pilot light, but I don’t do that anymore. I probably need to just heat up a Thermos full of water before sunset Friday and be happy with that and my decaf instant. I’m wondering, though, about electric kettles. Any halachic issues with that, besides the electricity thing? Also, why is pouring hot water ON the instant coffee cooking it, but pouring the instant into the hot water not cooking it? Thanks.
Aaron said
I’m sorry to hear about the decaf.
Electric kettles can be fine, however, one is not permitted to switch them on or off or add water. Cordless kettles would be problematic. Some have electronic displays and lights that make using them on Shabbos difficult. Sometimes they have automatic on/off features that would be forbidden. Sometimes they have a Shabbos mode that overrides those features. However, one should not take for granted that “Shabbos mode” appliances can actually be operated on Shabbos.
The thermos option sounds good if you really think it will stay hot enough. Here are some other common solutions:
A large percolator-urn with spigot. (This type of thing.)
An electric pump pot (like this).
A kettle or pot left on a burner on the stove, set permanently on low (on a blech).
To answer your other question, it’s just a matter of coming to terms with what technically constitutes “cooking.” In the first case, the water is being poured directly from a vessel to which direct heat has been applied. (This type of vessel is called a kli rishon, a first-degree vessel.) In the second case, the water is contained in a vessel to which direct heat has not been applied (a kli sheni, a second-degree vessel). The vessel actually serves to cool off the water, not heat it up. Since the vessel is reducing the water temperature rather than increasing it, it can hardly be called “cooking.”
In your case with a thermos of hot water, the thermos actually probably qualifies as a kli sheni, since heat was not applied to it. In that case, it would be permissible to pour the water directly onto the coffee, I would think.
Observations June « Christian for Moses said
[...] reading all those blogs and desired some coffee, Aaron Eby over at Messianics for Torah, uploaded a video showing how the new Starbucks VIA Ready Brew could be the solution to having a nice (kosher!) cup [...]