Tea Infusers on Shabbat

Is one allowed to use a tea infuser on Shabbat?

Shalom!

Thank you for your question.

The making of tea, in general, is subject to several important halachic principles which I will briefly explain here.

According to halacha, cooking can only be accomplished in certain specific circumstances. In halacha, we have what’s known as a “Kli Rishon.” A Kli Rishon is a vessel, usually a pot, that has been heated by fire. Then we have a “Kli Sheini” which is a vessel into which water or food from a Kli Rishon has been poured. In halacha, a Kli Rishon is certainly able to cook something while a Kli Sheini is assumed to not be able to cook something raw, (although Le'halcha there are certain stringencies regarding Kli Sheini ).

There are however some foods known as “Kalei Habishul” – foods that are very easily cooked. Examples of such a food is tea, as in the common tea bag. Such foods are assumed to be able to cook even in a Kli Sheini. As such, one would not be able to put tea into a Kli Sheini. There are other reasons that nothing raw should be placed in a Kli Sheini on Shabbat, as well.

There is a third type of vessel known as a “Kli Shlishi.” A Kli Shlishi is made by pouring the contents of a Kli Sheini into another, third, vessel. It is the view of Rav Amram Fried Shelitah that Tea Leaves should not be placed into a Kli Shlishi either. This is based on the view that as long as water is hot, no matter how many times it is poured into another vessel, Tea leaves can become cooked.

As such, tea should not be made on Shabbos from tea bag or from a dry tea mixture placed into a tea infuser. Furthermore, there are other problems with making tea on Shabbat which are beyond the scope of this answer.

Tosafot, Shabbat 40b, s.v. “shema mina”; Mishna Berura 318:36; Aruch Hashulchan 318:28; Chayei Adam 20:4; Chazon Ish, OC 52:19.