Taking vitamin tablets on Shabbos: Ashkenazi vs. Sephardi Customs

Dear Rabbi, this winter I decided to prepare myself well since last year I spent the whole time catching the flu. Therefore, I decided to take vitamin tablets daily. Is there a problem with taking the vitamin tablets even on Shabbos?

Thank you for your question. The answer: Ashkenazim are forbidden to take multi vitamin tablets on Shabbos; however, Sephardim are permitted to do so. Even according to the stringent opinion of the Ashkenazim, if one mixes the tablet into food before Shabbos, then one may eat this food on Shabbos even with the tablet inside. The answer explained: In order to understand the dispute between the Sephardim and Ashkenazim minhagim. I would like to first bring the source to this halacha: In general, a healthy person may not take medication on Shabbos. The reason for this prohibition is that, in the times of the Talmud, one would grind the ingredients of the medication to make it edible, which is forbidden to do on Shabbos since it constitutes the melacha of “Tochen”. Therefore, the Chachamim initiated a ban on taking medical tablets on Shabbos as a precaution, lest one forget it's Shabbos and grind the ingredients. This prohibition applies even nowadays, and not only does it include taking medicine pills, but anything a person does for medical purposes is also included in this issur. Now the question we can ask is: Can taking vitamins be considered as something medical and therefore it would be forbidden, or can we say that since its purpose is not to heal any illness, we can consider it as any other food that people generally eat, and therefore be permitted? This is brought in the Shulchan Aruch (OC Siman 328 seif 36) A food that healthy people eat, is permitted to eat on Shabbos since it is not viewed as something medical. That is why according to the Sephardi minhag it is permitted to take multivitamins on Shabbos, since this is not specifically a food that sick people eat. However, the Mishnah Berurah writes in seif katan 120 as follows: משנה ברורה סימן שכח דהיינו שאוכל ושותה לרעבונו ולצמאונו [מ"א בשם הטור] אבל אם הוא עושה לרפואה דהיינו כדי לחזק מזגו כתב המ"א דאפילו בבריא גמור אסור The Mishnah Berurah writes in the name of the Magen Avraham, that this leniency applies only in a case when one eats and drinks food with the intention of stilling his hunger. However, if he eats it in order to strengthen his body and health, it is forbidden. Therefore, based on this, the Ashkenazi custom is that it is forbidden to take vitamin tablets on Shabbos since they are taken for health reasons. The solution according to the Ashkenazi Minhag: The solution found in the Shulchan Aruch for taking vitamin tablets on Shabbos is that one may mix them into food before Shabbos and then eat this food on Shabbos, even if the tablet is inside. This is based on the Talmud tractate Shabbos 108b תלמוד בבלי מסכת שבת דף קח עמוד ב אמר מר עוקבא אמר שמואל: שורה אדם קילורין מערב שבת ונותן על גב עיניו בשבת ואינו חושש Mar Ukva said in the name of Shmuel: A person may prepare medical compresses on erev Shabbos and place them on his eyes on Shabbos. Mar Ukva said in the name of Shmuel, that a person may prepare compresses on erev Shabbos and place them on his eyes on Shabbos. Rashi explains that the reason it is permitted in this way is twofold: a. Since the person had to prepare it before Shabbos, this will serve as a reminder that on Shabbos, he may not desecrate Shabbos to prepare any medication. b. The onlookers do not see the medication in the bandage, and therefore will think that he is only moisturizing his eyes. Based on this halacha, which is brought in the Shulchan Aruch,( OC Siman 328, Seif 21), one may prepare the vitamins by placing them in food before Shabbos and then eat it on Shabbosץ Wishing you a healthy and prosperous winter.

1. Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim: Siman 328, Seif 36 2. Mishnah Berurah: Siman 328, Seif Katan 120 3. Talmud Bavli, Tractate Shabbos: Page 108b 4. Magen Avraham (cited in Mishnah Berurah)