#307: Filtering Liquids - Charcoal Filtering Systems

1. Some of the more modern filtering systems use charcoal to remove impurities from the water. At the stage that the charcoal is mixed with the water it becomes undrinkable, and this stage can last for long periods of time. Accordingly, some poskim, such as Rav Yitzchak Rubin, prohibit the use of such systems. Others, such as Rav Yaakov Ariel, permit them, and this is the position taken by the Zomet Institute.

2. In the case of one who insists on using a filter even in a place where others drink the water unfiltered from the tap, many poskim hold that he should not use the water filter on Shabbat. But some hold that he may still use the water filter since the “waste” in the water is not easily recognizable and does not count as “pesolet” (See Orchot Shabbat 3:39 for both sides of the dispute).

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Dedicated by Fran Broder as a zechus for the hostages to be released safely to their families and may everlasting peace come to Eretz Yisrael in the merit of learning Hilchos Shabbos.