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By: Rabbi Dovid Cohen

Before Shabbos, cholent was cooked and placed on top of another pot which is itself on top of the blech. The soup was placed directly on the blech. After the soup is served on Friday night may the cholent be lowered to the place on the blech formerly occupied by the soup?

Rav Schachter thought that it was assur but suggested that I look in Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchaso. I looked in Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchaso and found that in Chapter 1 footnote 111 it brings that Chazon Ish O.C. 37:1? says that this is forbidden and that Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach says that many are lenient because putting it on top of a pot is like keeping it in your hand and therefore there is no issur of chazarah. Although this line of reasoning is presented as a justification for those who are lenient, the text of Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchaso he says that it is forbidden.

Rav Schachter said that there are two reasons given for not doing chazarah—1) because it may lead the person to stir the coals and because 2) chazarah looks like cooking. Rav Schachter holds that the halacha accepts the first reason.

Part of a series of questions and answers about the Sabbath that have arisen within the Orthodox Union Kosher Division.