Microphones on Shabbat

Hi,

There are four main reasons to prohibit speaking into a classic microphone on Shabbat:

Causing a microphone to broadcast a sound via its reaction to one's voice may involve completing the microphone's functionality or building it, which would be biblically prohibited;

Causing the electrical current to rise and fall may involve biblical prohibitions, even though the circuit remains "on" throughout the operation of the microphone;

We may not engage in activities which appear to be prohibited ("marit ayin"), and since microphones are normally turned on only when needed, listeners may not realize that this sound system was turned on before Shabbat;

If the sound system were to malfunction, one might forget it is Shabbat and adjust it.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:84)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Wearing a pager on Shabbat, outside an Eruv

Hi,

Doctors and emergency personnel may wear pagers on Shabbat outside of an eruv, to aid in saving lives. This is considered part of their clothing.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:81)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Payment for providing medical treatment on Shabbat

Hi,

It would be a good idea for doctors to refuse payment for offering medical treatment on Shabbat, lest they err in their judgment of what requires treatment on Shabbat.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:79)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Opening a milk container on Shabbat

Hi,

Regarding containers as are commonly used for milk, which have spouts that are glued closed, so that one needs to separate them and draw out a spout which had been folded inward: One may not open these on Shabbat, for that is a form of completing construction of the container, making it usable.

Some do point out that the spout was already open at one point, before it was glued shut, but this is irrelevant; the gluing erased that original opening.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:78)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Reciting tachanun with a bare arm

Hi,

When "falling forward" for tachanun, may I lean on a bare arm?

One reason we "fall forward" when reciting the first part of Tachanun is to demonstrate embarrassment for our sins, and so we lean forward, turn toward the ground and cover our faces with our arms. The Ari z"l said that one should use the arm, specifically, rather than the hand.

A bare arm is not considered a 'cover' for one's face, because the face and arm are composed of the same substance; one who is wearing short sleeves should cover the arm with some material before reciting Tachanun. Similarly, covering one's head with a hand does not constitute adequate covering in place of a yarmulka when uttering HaShem's Name.

(Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 74:2, 91:4; Taz Orach Chaim 8:3; Magen Avraham 91:4; Ba'eir Heiteiv 131:2; Mishneh Berurah 2:12; 131:3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Putting dishes in the dishwasher on Shabbos

Hi,

One may clear dirty dishes from the table and put them in a dishwasher on Shabbos, even though that will expedite the process of washing them after Shabbos. This is not called "preparing for after Shabbos"; it is simply part of the process of cleaning up the room so that people can sit there.

However: One may not sort the dishes into the spots they will occupy in the dishwasher during washing. Aside from the prohibition against sorting, one may not prepare for after Shabbat.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:74: Rechitzah 4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Bathing in cold water on Shabbos

Hi,

Although our practice is that we do not even bathe (full-body) in cold water on Shabbos, one may do so in a case of pain, such as from a heat wave.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:74: Rechitzah 3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Mikvah on Shabbos

Hi,

We have said that one may not bathe his entire body in warm water on Shabbat, lest he heat up water for that purpose on Shabbat. Therefore, men who go to mikvah on Shabbat should be careful not to have warm water.

However: A woman who goes to mikvah and finds that the water is warm may still immerse, on the assumption that the water is only warm to her sensitivities, but that it would not be considered warm for other women. This is because we are dealing with immersion for the sake of a mitzvah, and the prohibition involved is rabbinic.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:74:Rechitzah 2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Bathing in warm water on Shabbos

Hi,

The Sages forbade bathing one's entire body - all at once or limb by limb - on Shabbat in warm water, even if it was heated before Shabbat. This is due to concern lest one heat water illegally on Shabbat. (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 326:1; Mishneh Berurah 326:1)

This includes any water which is warm enough that people would normally bathe with it.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:74: Rechitzah 1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Instant pudding on Shabbos

Hi,

One may make instant pudding on Shabbos, if:

1. The mixture is dilute, and
2. One changes the normal order of adding ingredients, and
3. One stirs it in an abnormal way.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:74: Lash 12)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Covering one's head when called to the Torah

Hi,

Am I required to cover my head when receiving an aliyah, or when serving as Baal Keriah?

The Rama wrote that one may not read the Torah with "an uncovered head." This statement seems odd, since we require a yarmulka for all of davening!

The Mishneh Berurah explained that the Rama was referring to a child, saying that he is exempt from the standard yarmulka requirement but he must wear one when reading from the Torah. On the other hand, the Aruch haShulchan understood that the Rama required a hat. Customs vary in this regard, and one should follow local practice.

It is worth noting that some authorities rule that an unmarried man should never cover his head with a tallis.

(Rama Orach Chaim 282:3; Magen Avraham 8:3; Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 282:10; Mishneh Berurah 282:16; Biur Halachah 14 sha'alah; Shaarei Ephraim 3:18; Tefillah l'Hilchasah 16:34; www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/726345)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Mixing cereal for babies on Shabbos

Hi,

One may not create thick mixtures on Shabbos. One who has a great need for cereal for a baby may mix cereal with liquid, assuming that he (1) makes the mixture loose rather than dense, and (2) adds the cereal and liquid in the reverse of the normal order.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:74: Lash 3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Instant drinks on Shabbat

Hi,

One may dissolve powders, like instant cocoa or sugar, in water on Shabbat. The prohibited melachah of lishah only includes creating thick, dough-like mixtures.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:74: Lash 1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Slicing egg on Shabbat

Hi,

The prohibition against grinding food on Shabbat applies to cutting food into tiny pieces, but not to cutting food into thin slices. Thus, one may slice egg or vegetables into thin slivers on Shabbat.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:74:Tochein 3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Mashing banana on Shabbat

Hi,

One may not grind items on Shabbat, but crushing a banana is fine; the banana remains one mass, and is not turned into powder.

However: Because there is a prominent view which does consider this an act of grinding, one should use an abnormal method, such as by using the handle of an implement, if possible.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:74: Tochein 2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Clothing of different colours

Hi,

The Shabbat prohibition against separating types of items which are found in a mixture applies not only to food, but also to non-food items, such as clothing.

Garments which are identical, but of different colours, are considered to be of different "types".

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:74:Boreir 10)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A non-muktzeh wallet?

Hi,

A wallet, although designated for use with money (which is muktzeh), is not necessarily muktzeh. Any utensil that is designated for holding muktzeh items is muktzeh for Shabbat only if those muktzeh items are present in it when Shabbat starts, or at the moment one wishes to use it for that purpose.

(Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 310:10)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Mistaken muktzeh

Hi,

An item becomes muktzeh if the owners plan not to use it on Shabbat. However, if the owners mistakenly thought it was muktzeh and therefore decided not to use it, that erroneous decision did not make the item muktzeh.

(Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 310:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Forget something?

Hi,

If one forgets a muktzeh item on top of a non-muktzeh item before Shabbat starts, and after Shabbat starts he realizes that the muktzeh item is there, he may simply nudge the muktzeh item off of the lower item, and then use the lower item as he chooses. The lower item has not become muktzeh.

(Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 309:15)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A basket containing muktzeh and non-muktzeh items

Hi,

If a receptacle contains items that are muktzeh and items that are not muktzeh, and the non-muktzeh items would be damaged if one were to spill them out, then one who wishes to transport the non-muktzeh items is not required to strain himself to remove all of the non-muktzeh items, spill out the muktzeh items and then return all of the muktzeh items to the receptacle. Rather, one may transport the whole thing.

(Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 309:5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Moving a muktzeh item via another item

Hi,

"One may carry a muktzeh item on Shabbat via an intermediate item, when necessary - such as by carrying one's child even if the child is holding a rock, which is muktzeh.

(Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 309:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Leading animals on Shabbos

Hi,

We have said that live animals are muktzeh, and we don't handle muktzeh entities on Shabbat. Nonetheless, one may lead an animal in an enclosed yard or in a street that is within an eruv enclosure, while holding on to the animal itself, if remaining indoors would be painful for the animal.

(Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 308:66)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Status of live animals on Shabbos

Hi,

Live animals are muktzeh, since one cannot 'use' them for any practical purpose on Shabbat; petting them is not considered 'use' in any practical sense. This includes domesticated pets.

One may handle these animals in certain ways for their own benefit, though, as I expect to explain during the next few days.

(Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 308:65)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Tachanun without an Aron Kodesh

Hi,

Do we 'fall forward' for Tachanun in a space which lacks an Aron Kodesh?

We normally recite the first paragraph of Tachanun while 'falling forward', leaning forward and concealing our face with our arm, in a demonstration of humility. One source for this is Yehoshua's act of falling forward before the Aron in prayer (Yehoshua 7:6), and so some early Ashkenazi authorities required the presence of a Sefer Torah as a prerequisite for 'falling forward'. Others disagreed, noting that Moshe 'fell forward' even without an Aron. Therefore, in some places people 'fall forward' even without an Aron; one should follow communal practice.

Those who require a Sefer Torah are lenient to permit 'falling forward' even in an adjacent room, so long as the door between the two rooms is not locked. Others even permit falling forward if one prays at the same time as a local minyan which has a Sefer Torah, although this is not commonly accepted.

(Beit Yosef Orach Chaim 131 katav haRivash, Rama Orach Chaim 131:2; Taz Orach Chaim 131:5-7; Aruch haShulchan Orach Chaim 131:10; Mishneh Berurah 131:11, 13; Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:21:1; Az Nidbiru 5:26)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Wearing a self-winding or kinetic watch on Shabbos

Hi,

May one wear a self-winding watch on Shabbos?

There is debate regarding starting any mechanical watch on Shabbos. One view compares this with the permissible act of assembling a utensil which is frequently disassembled; others contend that it is prohibited as an act of fixing an implement. Many authorities follow this latter view in practice; some prohibit even winding a watch which is currently operational, other than in cases of great need.

The above paragraph notwithstanding, many permit a Jew to wear a self-winding mechanical watch if it is currently operational. An implement which is so easily 'repaired' is not said to be broken at all, and therefore one may wear it.

Kinetic watches, which generate an electric charge via one's movement, pose a more complicated challenge, and their permissibility is uncertain.

(Panim Meirot 2:123; Mishneh Berurah 338:14; Tzitz Eliezer 9:20; Shemirat Shabbat k'Hilchatah 28:19-22, 28; http://bit.ly/M9cawS)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Peeling apples on Shabbos

Hi,

One may peel apples right before eating them; similarly, one may remove the skin from fish right before eating it. This must be done right before eating; although the peel and skin are edible, one's intent is to dispose of them.

That which is inedible, such as an eggshell, has the same rules as a skin one does not intend to eat.

One may remove the skin from chicken long before serving/eating, though; the skin is considered part of the chicken itself, despite one's intent.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:74:Boreir 8)

Have a great day,
Mordechai