Separating pages in a book on Shabbos

Hi,

If pages are joined in a book I am reading on Shabbos, may I separate them?

One may separate pages which had once been apart before becoming stuck together, if three conditions are fulfilled:
1) The adhesion is not over actual letters; and
2) The owner would not have wanted them stuck together; and
3) Separating the pages would not tear them, or peel away a layer of their thickness.

If the pages were not cut by the publisher, then one may not separate them; this would be seen as an act of mending the book.

(Pri Megadim Eishel Avraham 340:18; Biur Halachah 340 v'chayyav, Yesodei Yeshurun 4:97; Shemirat Shabbat k'Hilchatah 28:1, 28:footnote 5)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Words on the parochet

Hi,

If the parochet (curtain in front of the Ark in a synagogue) has words written on it, and opening the parochet will cause the words to be split, but there is no physical joining of the letters, then one may open the parochet on Shabbat.

This is not ideal, though; it would be better for the two sides to be separated before Shabbat.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 4:40:22)

Have a great day,
Mordechai