Shoes with leather inserts on Yom Kippur

Hi,

On Yom Kippur, one may not wear leather shoes. However, one may wear a shoe with a leather pad insert that cushions the bottom of his foot; the insert is not, itself, a shoe.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:225)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Shoe inserts on Shabbos

Hi,

One may put a shoe insert into a shoe on Shabbos, to make the shoe wearable; it is considered part of the shoe, and not a separate entity that is "fixing" the shoe. One may also wear the shoe outside of the eruv, with the insert in it.

[Note: Some prohibit putting an insert in a shoe for the first time; this view is referenced in the Rivivot Ephraim here, but he does not state his own view.]

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:225)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Shoelaces outside the eruv

Hi,

If one is walking outside the eruv, and his shoe becomes untied, is he obligated to tie his shoes, lest he be considered "carrying" his shoelaces?

If the shoelaces are still keeping the shoe somewhat closed, one need not stop to tie them. There are those who permit him to continue walking even where the shoes are entirely open; since the laces could be used to tie the shoe, they are considered part of the garment.

[I have seen a similar question discussed regarding the belt of an open raincoat, but there it seems that the consensus is that one need not close the coat with the belt; a belt in beltloops is considered part of the garment. - MT]

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:223:15)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Polishing shoes during the period leading up to Tishah b'Av

Hi,

May one polish shoes during the Nine Days?

We do not launder clothing during the Nine Days leading up to Tisha b'Av. However, polishing shoes may be different from laundering clothing; the same question is raised regarding the prohibition against laundering clothing on chol hamoed, and diverse opinions are expressed.

Many halachic authorities permit blackening and shining shoes during the Nine Days, and only prohibit use of shoe polish. Further, authorities are more lenient regarding polishing shoes for use on Shabbat, within the view that one may wear beautiful Shabbat clothing on the Shabbat before Tisha b'Av.

(Melamed l'Hoil Orach Chaim 113; Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:80; Halichot Emet 14:12)

המצפה לישועה,

Mordechai

Washing ritually after touching shoelaces

Hi,

We wash ritually (netilat yadayim) after touching shoes, but it is not necessary to wash after touching  shoelaces.

(Rivivot Ephraim 1:10:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Polishing shoes on Chol haMoed

Hi,

One may polish shoes on chol hamoed to wear on chol hamoed or Yom Tov, but only with a normal level of polishing, not in an "extra-fine" way.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 5:36:4)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Polishing shoes during the Nine Days

Hi,

We addressed this in a post back here, but this is an expanded version.

We do not launder clothing during the Nine Days leading up to Tisha b'Av. However, it is not clear that polishing shoes qualifies as an act of laundering; the same question is raised regarding the prohibition against laundering clothing on chol hamoed, and diverse opinions are expressed.

Many halachic authorities permit blackening and shining shoes during the Nine Days, but prohibit use of shoe polish. However, authorities are more lenient regarding polishing shoes for use on Shabbat, within the view that one may wear beautiful Shabbat clothing on the Shabbat before Tisha b'Av.

(Melamed l'Hoil Orach Chaim 113; Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:80; Halichot Emet 14:12)

המצפה לישועה,
Mordechai

Polishing shoes during the Nine Days

Hi,

One may polish shoes for Shabbat during the Nine Days if one generally wears Shabbat clothes for Shabbat during the Nine Days.

One may blacken shoes during the Nine Days.

(Rav Moshe Feinstein, Igrot Moshe Orach Chaim 3:80)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

When a mourner removes his shoes

Hi,

We said here that the prohibition against a mourner wearing leather shoes begins after burial.

In general, all of the laws of mourning begin when the grave is covered with dirt. However, one need not remove his leather shoes until arriving home from the cemetery. Many do remove their shoes at the cemetery, though.

(Code of Jewish Law Yoreh Deah 375:1)

Have a good day,
Mordechai

An onen's footwear

Hi,

An onen may wear leather shoes; the practice of removing one's leather shoes in mourning does not begin until after the burial.

(Code of Jewish Law Yoreh Deah 340:5)

Have a good day,
Mordechai