Drinking holy lemon tea for a sore throat
Question
I saw on the website that it's forbidden to use holy lemons to alleviate nausea. What about drinking honey-lemon tea for a sore throat? Is that also considered medicinal?
Answer
Rabbi Moshe Bloom
We learn many laws of permitted and forbidden medicinal use of shemitah produce from the laws of Shabbat.
The rule of thumb for differentiating medicinal use from regular use is what healthy people do. Since healthy people also drink honey lemon tea, and not just those with sore throats, it is not necessarily considered a medical use.
Bottom line: drinking holy honey lemon tea is permitted, even if it is to alleviate a sore throat.