Shabbat, Sepharadi Style part 3

Now that the candles have been lit, let's take a peak into the kitchen. As the Torah clearly forbids lighting a fire on Shabbat, we will find either a gas jet left on, covered by a piece of metal (blech or plata), or an electric hot plate. In the Ashkenazi home, the blech is covered with many dishes to be eaten both on Friday night, and on Shabbat day. The ones for the day might be only partially cooked, in which case, they may not be stirred, as this will hasten the cooking. Once they are fully cooked, they may be stirred, but only while not directly over the flame, lest, unbeknownst to us, there might remain some morsel of food that has not yet been completely cooked, which may become cooked when we stir it.  While serving the food, the pot must at all times be held in one's hand, or else it will not be permitted to return to the blech. In the Sepharadic home, we will be surprised to see none of this, and the above restrictions are likely to be unknown. Friday night's food will, indeed, be on the blech, already fully cooked, waiting to be enjoyed by the family, once the men have returned from Synagogue. We will find the food for Shabbat day, fully cooked, stored in the refrigerator. It will be placed on the blech in sufficient time to become piping hot when served. Why the difference? The Talmud clearly states a principle "There is no cooking after cooking". This means that once food has been fully cooked, there is no prohibition to warm it up; it does not "cook" again. There are, however,  minority opinions in medieval rabbinic literature, that this applies only to a solid dish. Liquids can cook again. Most Yemenites ignore this, even replacing a pot of previously boiled water on to the blech. Sepharadim do consider those minority opinions, but will put back on the blech a mostly solid dish, even if it contains some liquid from the cooking. No new liquid will be added. Although some Ashkenazim will put a previously cooked dish on the blech, they will be sure to check that there is no visible liquid. Most, however, will NEVER do this, as there is always likely to be at least a trace of liquid, which will boil once placed on the heat. Some even fear that fat present in meat will melt, and then boil. Thus, the principle of "no cooking after cooking" is seen as completely theoretical. Let us remember that the idea of previously cooked liquids being able to boil,is a minority opinion, and hence a mere stringency. Once the food is served, it may freely be returned to the blech or the refrigerator. A dish that is mostly liquid, such as soup, will either be kept on the blech, or refrigerated and put on the blech on an upside down pan or plate, so that it will only get warm, and not cook. Sepharadim will use a timer on an electric hot plate. They will even put soup on the hotplate before the hot plate switches on, allowing the soup to thus become hot automatically. If the plate has become hot already, it must be considered as similar to the case of the blech over the fire. Ashkenazim consider many of these actions to be forbidden. If I may editorialize a bit; most hot plates are of shoddy construction, imported from the Far East. Overheating and fire are not uncommon. There have already been tragedies. Those rabbis who insist on stringency with hot plates on timers will, I believe, have to give an accounting in the Heavenly Court for having spiled blood.. Having the hot plate go on only shortly before the meal, when the kitchen is supervised, saves lives.Once again, we see that the Serpharadi approach is not really a leniency, but rather does what Talmudic law requires, without theoretical constructs  reading into the text ideas that never occurred to our Sages. "Her ways are the ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace".(Proverbs 3:17)