Torah · Halacha YomitPromoting the Growth of PlantLife on Shabbat - ZoreahRabbi Uri Nahum · October 8, 2026 · 39 Melachot-15Play+30Position0:00—Save⌄ShareDraft. Add a description before publishing.Transcript0:00Okay, so we started talking about the melachot.0:02Yesterday we spoke about the first0:04melachah, which is choresh, plowing,0:07and there's not much.0:08We pretty much went straight to the0:10halachah lemaaseh. Today we're moving on0:12to the next0:13melachah, and that is the melachah of zorea.0:15Zorea was the next step that they did in making the bread.0:18First you plow, you soften up the ground,0:20and then you put in the seeds in the ground,0:22and that, you know, obviously will eventually grow.0:26So zorea doesn't only mean that, you know,0:29you plant something.0:32Also, if you promote the growth of something,0:37which means that you speed up, you, you know,0:40whatever you do that could make the things,0:42any plant life,0:44grow faster or grow more,0:46that is also melachah mide'oraita of zorea.0:50So part of that also means you can't water the grass,0:54you can't water the plants,0:55because watering the plants also helps it grow.0:57So therefore,1:00halachah lemaaseh, if a person is going to come on Shabbat1:03and water his plants,1:05that's obviously, everybody knows that's going to be a problem.1:07But more than that,1:09even if he's not doing,1:10he's not planning to do, you know, directly.1:13Let's say he wants to do1:15netilat yadayim. It's summertime,1:15he wants to have the meal outside,1:17beautiful day,1:18it's not too hot, not too cold, just perfect.1:21He's got the table set up.1:22Of course, he took the lifetime table,1:23he picked it up, he didn't drag it1:25because he knows about the melachah of choresh,1:27but he didn't learn about the melachah of zorea yet.1:29So he tells everybody,1:30so the kids say,1:31Now we're going to make kiddush all the way outside.1:33Go back all the way inside,1:34go back all the way outside.1:36We did this Sukkot1:37hageh, we're in galut,1:38we don't want to do this.1:39So father says, Okay, no problem.1:41Bring the bucket of water over here.1:43We'll do1:44netilat yadayim right here on the grass.1:45That would be a problem of zorea.1:48Why?1:48Even though you kavanah is to wash your hands,1:50but when you wash your hands,1:51it's immediately going out of your hands,1:53going on the ground.1:55That would be a problem of zorea.1:57Another thing to look out for is1:59in the summertime,2:00in the good nice weather days,2:02for those who have a little bit of grass2:04in their whatever they are,2:05wherever they're going to be,2:07is that sometimes, you know,2:08you're drinking something,2:09and then you want to,2:10let's say, drinking water,2:11you have a half a cup left,2:12and now you want to drink Coke.2:14So most of the time,2:15especially outdoors,2:16nobody's2:17indoors, you can't do that.2:18Otherwise, chop your head off.2:20That'll be melacha of2:22noten l'sham otov like that,2:23be'ezrat Hashem. But if you throw the water out,2:26which normally2:27everybody does,2:27but you just have to pay attention2:29on Shabbat,2:29that's nisuch de'oraita of zorea,2:32because the water is going on the grass,2:34and that is watering the grass.2:36That will be a problem.2:38There could be more examples,2:40but it's all around the same idea,2:43that anything that promotes growth,2:46anything that you plant,2:48obviously,2:48that will also be a problem.2:50One more thing2:51people should pay attention to,2:53and the following:2:54people sometimes have a2:56vaz—not a2:57vaz, what do you call it?2:58You know, they buy the plants from Home Depot.3:01No, no, no, no,3:02I forgot what it's called.3:04Like with a bucket,3:05basically.3:05It's an earthenware bucket.3:06It's a clay bucket,3:08has dirt3:09and has a plant,3:11right?3:11So now,3:12if it's totally covered,3:13if it's totally closed,3:15that means the bucket is totally closed,3:17so it's still zorea there,3:19but3:20miderabanan. That means if a person does something to that3:23plant—you know, waters that3:24plant—but it's3:24miderabanan. But if a person now takes that3:27and he goes outside,3:29that could be3:29de'oraita, which means3:30a lot of them have sometimes holes3:33on the bottom,3:34because the reason why they have a hole on the bottom is3:36for two reasons.3:36Number one is when you put liquids and things,3:38it drips out3:39and doesn't stay all the way inside;3:40sometimes it floods it.3:41Another reason is that it wants to breathe,3:46right,3:46and it nurtures,3:47and the Gemara says that helps it grow.3:49So if a person is actually moving the pot,3:52I think so,3:54the pottery—you know,3:54the plants in the3:56pottery—if he moves them from one location to another location,3:58that could be a problem of helping things grow on Shabbat,4:01and that would be a problem.4:03Let me see if I have more time for one more4:05halacha. Yeah,4:05one more small thing just to be aware of:4:08putting flowers into water. On Shabbat.4:12Okay,4:13we once had such a case.4:14A person came over on Shabbat.4:16Chazi wasn't religious,4:17but, you know,4:18he wanted to do something nice.4:19He came with flowers on Shabbat.4:21Now,4:22what do you do with flowers?4:23Somebody gives you flowers,4:24take it and you put it into a vase,4:26right?4:27The problem is4:27if you put it in a vase with water.4:29So now,4:29here we go.4:30According to the4:32Kaf HaChaim, and other Acharonim also bring this,4:34putting flowers into water on Shabbat is an issue4:36because it looks4:38like—because it makes the flowers grow more,4:39even though you're just trying to keep it4:41fresh, but it does actually open up the flowers eventually.4:44So to put flowers on Shabbat for the first time4:47inside of water,4:48that would be a problem as well.4:50So therefore,4:51just something to be aware of.4:52You know,4:53the rose comes out of the water,4:55of the vase with the water,4:56do not put it back in.