Question: May one eat birthday cake or tea biscuits with words on them on Shabbat?
Answer: This topic is subject a long discussion among the great Acharonim surrounding the forbidden work of erasing on Shabbat. In our scenario, it seems that eating such a cake or biscuit should be forbidden on Shabbat since by doing so, one will be erasing the letters written on them. Indeed, the Rama (Chapter 340) rules that “it is forbidden to break a cake upon which there are letters written, for this constitutes erasing.”
Nevertheless, the Roke’ach (Chapter 296) writes, “The custom of our fathers is that we have the child learn Torah on the night of Shavuot since the Torah was given on Shavuot. The child then sits in the lap of the teacher and he brings a board upon which the letters ‘Alef, Bet, Gimmel, Dalet’ and the verse ‘Torah Tziva Lanu Moshe’ are written. The teacher then reads the verses and the child repeats after him after which the teacher pours some honey on the board and the child licks it. Afterwards, they bring a honey cake upon which the verse ‘Hashem, G-d, gave me a skilled tongue’ is written and the child proceeds to eat the cake.” It seems from the words of the Roke’ach that such a cake with letters on it may be eaten on Shabbat (as Shabbat and Yom Tov share the same law in this regard). Indeed, Rabbeinu Shlomo Ha’Levi (Chapter 26) rules leniently regarding our case based on the above.
However, some reject this proof from the Roke’ach and they claim that this still entails a rabbinic prohibition, for although the Torah only prohibits erasing on Shabbat when one intends to write in the place of the erasure and here this is certainly not the case since the cake is being eaten, nevertheless, this is still forbidden as a result of a rabbinic injunction. Indeed, the Mordechi (Chapter 7 of Shabbat, Section 369) writes explicitly that this would constitute a rabbinic prohibition.
The Turei Zahav (Chapter 340) writes that in his opinion, there is room for leniency since eating the (letters on) the cake is a form of eating, not a form of work. On the other hand, several Acharonim, including the Chazon Ish (Shabbat, Chapter 61), write that performing work is prohibited even when this is being done as a form of eating (besides for the forbidden works of selecting and grinding which are permitted when performed as a form of eating, as we have explained in those relevant Halachot).
Hagaon Rabbeinu Shlomo Ha’Levi writes furthermore that in his opinion, the prohibition of eating the letters applies only when they are written on the cake in dye (such as food coloring, cream, or frosting); however, when the letters are made from the actual cake, this poses no concern of erasing on Shabbat. Many Acharonim discuss his opinion and bring many proofs to it. Indeed, the great Ya’abetz (in his Mor U’ktzia, Chapter 340) brings a proof to the opinion of Rabbeinu Shlomo Ha’Levi from the fact that the Lechem Ha’Panim (the “Bread of Display” placed on the Table inside the Mishkan and Bet Hamikdash) would be eaten on Shabbat and the Gemara (Menachot 96a) states that there were designs on all sides of this bread. Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l rejects this proof as it is evident from the words of several Rishonim that the “Lechem Ha’Panim” did not have actual letters on it.
Halachically speaking, Maran Rabbeinu Ovadia Yosef zt”l writes (in his Chazon Ovadia- Shabbat, Volume 5, page 225) that if the writing on the cake is part of the actual cake itself, such as the words “Petit Beurre” engraved on some tea biscuits, there is no doubt that eating such cakes and cookies is permissible on Shabbat and the prohibition of erasing does not apply here. Even when the letters are written on the cake externally with frosting or food coloring, one who wishes to act leniently and eat the cake by ruining its letters has on whom to rely. This is especially true when one does so just by eating the cake as opposed to breaking the letters by hand in which case there is even more room for leniency.
