An Evil Spirit Rests Upon Them: Foods and Drinks That Pose Danger

1. Peeled eggs, garlic, or onions that have been left overnight are forbidden to eat because an evil spirit rests upon them, even if they are wrapped and sealed in paper, as explained in the Talmud, Tractate Niddah (17a) where Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said: There are five things that one who does them endangers himself and his blood is on his head. Rashi explained - he causes himself punishment and the obligation of his blood is demanded from him.

It is true that the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch did not mention this statement before us, and the poskim have already discussed this, why the Tur and the Shulchan Aruch did not mention this statement. The Chafetz Chaim wrote in his book Likutei Halachot: "I did not find this in the Rambam, but certainly one must be cautious about these."

2. If even a small part of the peel remains on them, or if the roots at the top of the garlic or onion remain - they are permitted, and similarly, eggs, garlic or onions that are already mixed in salad or cooked dishes are no longer forbidden. Likewise, if salt or oil was sprinkled on them, they are not forbidden, and from the poskim it appears that even if only part of the peel remains, that is sufficient.

3. A peel that is not attached and was placed after peeling, does it permit the food? Some have written in the name of Maharsham that leaving the peel helps only in natural connection, however, in the book Shmirat Haguf V'hanefesh (p. 21) he quoted from the book Shevet Mussar who wrote - "And there are those who put the peel of garlic into it." It seems clear from his words that even if the peel of garlic or onion and the like was added afterwards, they are permitted.

In practice, one may be lenient in a case where an unattached peel was added, especially when there would be a loss involved.

4. Regarding peeled eggs that were left overnight and are needed for a Shabbat meal, Rabbi Ovadia Hadaya wrote in his book Yaskil Avdi that in retrospect one can be lenient, because "the guardian of a mitzvah will know no evil" and especially since before eating them one recites a blessing over them.

5. Three drinks: water, wine, and milk that remained uncovered, whether during the day or night, in places where snakes or scorpions are common, are forbidden to drink. In the book HaKashrut, it is written that Rabbi Ben Zion Abba Shaul ruled that the law of uncovered drinks applies in single-story houses or ground floor apartments when there are fields or lots in the area, such as in houses on the outskirts of neighborhoods.

Indeed, in the Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah (116, 1) it is written that the concern with uncovered drinks is that perhaps a snake drank from them and injected venom into them, according to the Mishnah in Tractate Terumot. And although the Shulchan Aruch there added: "And now that snakes are not common among us, it is permitted," however, in the book Pitchei Teshuva he quotes in the name of the Shelah Hakadosh, that one who guards his soul should distance himself from this, and the proof is that in the book of the Tur he wrote these laws, and furthermore, in the customs of the Gaon of Vilna it was written that the Gaon was very careful about this, and in his book he added that one should be concerned about uncovered drinks also because of evil spirits.

6. The law of uncovered drinks does not apply if there was an awake person present, or if the water was boiled and emitting steam.

7. Uncovered drinks that were kept inside a refrigerator are considered covered, and the same applies if they are inside a cabinet, even a cabinet attached to a wall, as long as it has a back panel.

8. Drinks that have been uncovered are forbidden for use and should not be poured in public areas, nor should they be used to wash the house, nor should they be placed before animals or birds.

Some are careful not to use water that was left uncovered for morning ritual hand washing, and even not to bathe with them, however, they are not disqualified for ritual washing of hands before meals. It should be known that filtering does not help for drinks that were uncovered.

Rabbi Shai Amar is a rabbi in the Halachic department of Hidabroot

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