Borer: it's your choice

 Last Sunday Rabbi Kenigsberg's Tzurba shiur started on a new book (volume 19) but an age-old topic--the melachah of borer, choosing an item and separating it from others. The previous volume concluded with an in-depth analysis of the classical case of borer (separating foods) which should fulfil the three conditions of miyad, beyad and ochel min hapesolet (the separation should be for immediate consumption, it should be done manually and should involve taking the food you want from the food you don't want).  

Volume 19 moves on to borer where non-consumables are involved: clothes, utensils and even books. Why, you may ask? Surely the first eleven melachot are only relevant min HaTorah to the various acts involved in growing and then processing the raw materials needed for the showbread! Why does Rashi take us further? Are we all at risk of breaking Shabbat when we burrow through the weekly pile of divrei Torah that await our attention in the entrance to the shul, looking for something to take our fancy?

Want to know more? You can enjoy Rabbi Kenigsberg's shiur by clicking here.