Making Ice on Shabbos

May I Make Ice Cubes on Shabbos?

One of the prominent poskim of the past generation, R. Dov Berish Weidenfeld, who was the Tshebiner Rav and author of Dovev Meisharim, ruled that freezing water to make ice cubes on Shabbos is not permitted due to the prohibition of molid (creating a new entity), or nolad (benefitting from something that came into existence on Shabbos). Other poskim argue that it might be similar to the melachah of boneh (using existing ingredients to construct something).

However, the majority of poskim rejected both these positions, and ruled that making ice cubes on Shabbos is permitted, provided they are intended for use on Shabbos. In a case where there is a tzorech (need), there is even more room for leniency, as the Rama tends to be lenient regarding similar aspects of nolad on Shabbos and Yom Tov if there is a tzorech. Obviously, this discussion doesn’t refer to an automatic ice-maker which is forbidden to be used on Shabbos and Yom Tov. #448

https://halacha2go.com?number=448

Practical Halacha: One minute a day. By Horav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, shlita, Mara D'asra and member of the Badatz of Crown Heights.