Daily Halacha - Shabbat Laws, 12th of Av 5777
Essential Shabbat laws to know - practical guidance based on the rulings of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef
Is it permitted to smell fragrant plants that are attached to the ground?
It is forbidden to smell fruit attached to a tree lest one pluck it, but it is permitted to smell fragrant plants even if they are attached to the ground [Yalkut Yosef Siman 336].
Is it permitted to throw pits on the ground on Shabbat?
It is permitted to throw pits and seeds in places where there is no concern for growth, but it is forbidden on damp soil [Shulchan Aruch 336, 4].
Is it permitted to wash hands on Shabbat in a sink that drains to vegetation?
It is permitted to wash one's hands in a sink connected to a pipe that flows to vegetation, since it is only an indirect action (grama) and furthermore one does not intend to water the plants [Chazon Ovadia 4, p. 9].
Ach Tov VaChesed - Daily Halacha
