Is an oven with Sabbath Mode permitted on Yom Tov for cooking?

 

Question:

Hi,

My electric oven has an “Adjusting the Temperature” part of the Shabbos Mode, where you can push buttons to change the temperature.

“1. Press Bake, use the 1 through 5 number pads and the Timer pad to select a different preset cooking temperature, and press Start.

2. Since no feedback is given during temperature change, an oven thermometer can be used to confirm temperature changes.”

Is it permitted on Yom Tov for cooking?

The use case would be to have the oven on 200 at the start of Yom Tov to keep food warm, but then the next day, to change the temperature to 350 to allow for proper cooking.

I saw on the Star-K website that it’s okay. I wanted to know if this is fine lichatcila.

“Some Sabbath Mode ovens are designed to work on a delay when in Sabbath Mode, the display will not change. In addition, this feature permits raising the temperature on Yom Tov at any time, regardless of when power is flowing to the oven. This is because when one adjusts the dial or keypad, it is not directly causing the temperature of the oven to change. Therefore, this action is considered a grama, an indirect action, which will cause the temperature to be raised. Even with these types of ovens, it is better to lower the temperature only when necessary for food preparation or enjoyment of the Yom Tov. (Other features of Sabbath mode ovens are discussed further in this article.)”

Thank you.

 

Answer:

First, a general note of caution that some appliance manufacturers have been known to design “Shabbos Mode” models according to their own understanding of the requirements, which can be deficient. Therefore, the “Adjusting the Temperature” feature you describe may not actually involve the timed delay described in your quote from the Star-K advice, in which case it would not be allowed even according to the Star-K position. As such, further investigation would be necessary to establish how the oven works.

However, the main issue here is that the Star-K advice is based on a lenient view that:

1.       An action of Grama (indirect), even if intended and desired, is permissible with regards to Havarah (igniting) and Kibui (extinguishing) on Yom Tov.

2.       That a delay of 15-25 seconds (or more) is considered grama even though it is bound to result from the internal computer process triggered by pressing the button.

Many Poskim reject this permissive approach for many reasons. Notably, for those who follow the rulings of the Alter Rebbe, an act of Grama is not routinely permitted on Yom Tov, and one should therefore not rely on this leniency.

 

Sources:

מקורות: גרם כיבוי והדלקה בשבת הוא מחלוקת הפוסקים, יש מתירים לגמרי אבל יש שלא חילקו בין שבת ליו”ט לענין גרמא, וגם ביום טוב לא הותר גרם כיבוי לדידהו אלא במקום הפסד כמו בשבת לדעת הרמ”א בסי’ של”ד סעי’ כ”ב, וכן נקטו המג”א סי’ תקי”ד סק”ה ושוע”ר שם סעיף ה’.

 

See also:

Is an oven with Sabbath Mode truly acceptable for Shabbos use?

 

 

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