Responsa for Shabbat 278:19

ונותנין ביצה במסננת: תני יעקב קרחה

<b><i>MISHNAH</i></b>. WATER MAY BE POURED OVER LEES IN ORDER TO CLARIFY THEM, AND WINE MAY BE STRAINED THROUGH CLOTHS AND THROUGH A BASKET MADE OF PALM TWIGS; AND AN EGG MAY BE PASSED THROUGH A MUSTARD STRAINER;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Rashi: the strainer contains mustard, and when the egg is poured upon it the yolk passes through and the white remains on top. R. Halevi (quoted by Rash): the egg is strained into a dish, not into mustard, but a mustard strainer is specified in order that the action on the Sabbath, though permitted, shall be done differently from what it is on weekdays. ');">¹⁷</span> AND ENOMLIN<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. Gemara infra. ');">¹⁸</span> MAY BE PREPARED ON THE SABBATH. R. JUDAH SAID: ON THE SABBATH [IT MAY ONLY BE MADE] IN A GOBLET; ON FESTIVALS, IN A LAGIN;<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Larger than a goblet ([H]) but smaller than a barrel ([H]). ');">¹⁹</span> AND ON THE INTERMEDIATE DAYS OF FESTIVALS IN A BARREL. R. ZADOK SAID: IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE [NUMBER OF] GUESTS. <b><i>GEMARA</i></b>. Ze'iri said: One may pour clear wine and clear water into a strainer on the Sabbath without fear,<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Of transgression. ');">²⁰</span> but not turbid [liquids]. An objection is raised: R. Simeon b. Gamaliel said: One may stir up a barrel of wine, [i.e..] the wine and the lees, and pour it into a strainer on the Sabbath without fear!<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Though the liquid is turbid through the stirring. ');">²¹</span> — Ze'iri explained it: They learnt this of the season of the wine pressing.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' All wine is turbid then and drunk thus; hence it is not made fit for drinking (which would be forbidden on the Sabbath) by being put through the strainer. ');">²²</span> WINE MAY BE STRAINED THROUGH CLOTHS. R. Shimi b. Hiyya said: Provided that one does not make a hollow.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The cloth must be taut and not form a hollow ');">²³</span> AND THROUGH A BASKET MADE OF PALM TWIGS. R. Hiyya b. Ashi said in Rab's name: Provided he does not lift it [the basket] a handbreadth from the bottom of the vessel.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' Which receives the wine. Otherwise it forms a 'tent', v. p. 694, n. 1. ');">²⁴</span> Rab said: [Spreading] a rag over half a cask [to cover it] is permitted; over the whole cask, is forbidden.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' In the latter case a 'tent' is made. ');">²⁵</span> R. Papa said: A man must not stuff chips into the mouth of a cask jug.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., a jug used for taking wine out of a cask; the chips act as a strainer. ');">²⁶</span> because it looks like a strainer. R. Papa's household poured wine slowly from one vessel to another.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' So as to leave the sediment behind. ');">²⁷</span> R. Aha of Difti<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' V. p. 35, n. 5. ');">²⁸</span> objected: But there is the residue?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' The last drops percolating through the dregs left behind in the first vessel, which shows that their purpose was to strain the wine. ');">²⁹</span> — The residue had no value in R. Papa's household.<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' He was a beer brewer (B.M. 65b) and could afford to throw away the little wine left at the bottom together with the chips, thus leaving nothing at all there to show their real motive. ');">³⁰</span> AN EGG MAY BE PASSED THROUGH A MUSTARD STRAINER. R. Jacob Karhah recited:

Shut min haShamayim

Teshuvot Maharam