Shabbat, Sepharadi Style part 4

We go to Synagogue, come home, make Kiddush on the wine, and have our meal. Although there are different nuances in the prayers, and the foods served at the meal, none of these differences are terribly significant. Our next big "shocker" comes when we stand in the bathroom, ready to brush our teeth. Sepharadim will, Ashkenazim won't. Here we find one of the most basic differences between the two groups. As we have discussed, there are thirty nine labors forbidden on Shabbat. They are based on the thirty nine activities involved in the building of the Sanctuary in the wilderness. The labor of making fire is mentioned specifically in the Torah. But extinguishing is also one of the thirty nine. It was an action used in the manufacturing of charcoal, used in the burning of incense. There is a Talmudic debate about extinguishing a burning object NOT for the purpose of making coal. One view is that such an activity is still forbidden Biblically. Others say that it is forbidden only rabbinically. This situation is known as "melachah sheeinah tzerichah L'gufah" (A labor not intended for it's designated purpose).The view of nearly all medieval authorities, other than RAMBAM, is that it is a rabbinic prohibition. But what if one is not at all interested in the RESULTS of the action, but rather in the action itself? For example, one of the labors is "spreading". If a viscous coating is spread on an object, such as glue or cement intended to fix a crack in a utensil, that would be the prohibition of "spreading". What about toothpaste? We certainly spread it. However, we are not interested in the toothpaste covering our teeth, but rather in the effects of the toothpaste. In fact, we quickly spit it out, and rinse our mouths in order to get rid of the last traces. Ashkenazim still consider this to be a prohibition of "spreading"; either by Biblical or rabbinic law. Sepharadim argue that, as I am not interested in having the toothpaste remain in my mouth, only in the effects, there is no prohibition whatsoever. The same applies to a bar of soap. Ashkenazi rabbis see in it two prohibitions; "spreading" and "wearing down" (an offshoot of "grinding").Sepharadic rabbis say that as I have no desire to keep the worn down soap on my body, but rather I quickly rinse it off, there is really no issue. Going even further, salves and creams, that I DO NOT wash off, but my intent is that they be absorbed in my skin, also constitute no problem. (I will discuss the issue of medications in another post). This idea will be applied not only to toiletries, but in many areas of food preparation, as I shall discuss. Indeed, there is a very different mood to a Sepharadi Shabbat.