Hi,
On Shabbat, one may walk outside an eruv with a coat worn over his shoulders, without his arms in the sleeves, where that is a normal mode of wearing a coat. This is considered "wearing" it, not carrying it. We are also not concerned that it might fall off and then you might carry it.
(Rivivot Ephraim 1:223:14)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Use a bookmark!
Hi,
[Note: I hesitate to call this "law", but I cite it in order to teach an important sensitivity to the honour of Torah.]
There is no problem with folding over the corner of a page on Shabbat in order to mark one's place. This is not called "improving" the book.
However, where the book is of Torah, it may be inappropriate to fold over the page during the week, particularly where the folded part includes text. First, it shows a level of disrespect; one would not do this with text he valued. Second, it can damage the page. Therefore, it would be better to use a bookmark.
(Rivivot Ephraim 1:223:11)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
[Note: I hesitate to call this "law", but I cite it in order to teach an important sensitivity to the honour of Torah.]
There is no problem with folding over the corner of a page on Shabbat in order to mark one's place. This is not called "improving" the book.
However, where the book is of Torah, it may be inappropriate to fold over the page during the week, particularly where the folded part includes text. First, it shows a level of disrespect; one would not do this with text he valued. Second, it can damage the page. Therefore, it would be better to use a bookmark.
(Rivivot Ephraim 1:223:11)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Lying through song at the Shabbos table
Hi,
Some are concerned regarding singing Shabbat songs when the words don't apply, out of concern for uttering falsehood. For example, they suggest not to sing Tzur miShelo, which says "we have imbibed His wine", if one has not personally imbibed wine.
Others disagree with this concern, contending that despite the first-person language, it is meant to refer to what people do in general. Nonetheless, it would be good to sing the song at the end of the meal rather than the middle, to satisfy the language of "we have been sated, and we have left some over".
[Rivivot Ephraim does not address another popular Tzur miShelo question: whether singing this song, which is designed to summarize Birkat haMazon, might qualify as an act of Birkat haMazon in itself.]
(Rivivot Ephraim 1:223:10)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Some are concerned regarding singing Shabbat songs when the words don't apply, out of concern for uttering falsehood. For example, they suggest not to sing Tzur miShelo, which says "we have imbibed His wine", if one has not personally imbibed wine.
Others disagree with this concern, contending that despite the first-person language, it is meant to refer to what people do in general. Nonetheless, it would be good to sing the song at the end of the meal rather than the middle, to satisfy the language of "we have been sated, and we have left some over".
[Rivivot Ephraim does not address another popular Tzur miShelo question: whether singing this song, which is designed to summarize Birkat haMazon, might qualify as an act of Birkat haMazon in itself.]
(Rivivot Ephraim 1:223:10)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Earmuffs outside the eruv
Hi,
[Introductory note: Both earmuffs and gloves function as garments, and therefore they should be fine for wearing on Shabbat without an eruv. However, one may not wear garments without an eruv if there is a reasonable possibility that one might remove them, such as to display them for someone. Hence the following halachah.]
One may wear earmuffs on Shabbat outside an eruv, especially on days that are very cold. There is no concern that one might remove them, due to the cold. This is certainly true according to the view that one may wear gloves outside an eruv, even though gloves are removed from time to time.
(Rivivot Ephraim 1:223:9)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
[Introductory note: Both earmuffs and gloves function as garments, and therefore they should be fine for wearing on Shabbat without an eruv. However, one may not wear garments without an eruv if there is a reasonable possibility that one might remove them, such as to display them for someone. Hence the following halachah.]
One may wear earmuffs on Shabbat outside an eruv, especially on days that are very cold. There is no concern that one might remove them, due to the cold. This is certainly true according to the view that one may wear gloves outside an eruv, even though gloves are removed from time to time.
(Rivivot Ephraim 1:223:9)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Monday, January 5, 2015
Folding paper on Shabbos
Hi,
Folding garments makes them more wearable, by eliminating wrinkles and sharpening creases. Therefore, folding garments on Shabbat may be prohibited, under the categories of מתקן מנא (improving an implement) or כיבוס (laundering). However, neither of these applies to paper, and so one may fold paper on Shabbat.
There is an additional reason to permit folding paper table napkins: they are disposable, and meant to be disposed of.
(Rivivot Ephraim 1:223:8)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Folding garments makes them more wearable, by eliminating wrinkles and sharpening creases. Therefore, folding garments on Shabbat may be prohibited, under the categories of מתקן מנא (improving an implement) or כיבוס (laundering). However, neither of these applies to paper, and so one may fold paper on Shabbat.
There is an additional reason to permit folding paper table napkins: they are disposable, and meant to be disposed of.
(Rivivot Ephraim 1:223:8)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Sunday, January 4, 2015
A button that fell off on Shabbos
Hi,
A button which was attached to a garment when Shabbat began has the status of a kli [functional implement]. Should the button fall off but remain intact, it would not lose its status, and therefore it would not be muktzeh.
Buttons which have never been attached to garments, and broken garments, do not have kli status and are muktzeh.
(Rivivot Ephraim 1:223:7)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
A button which was attached to a garment when Shabbat began has the status of a kli [functional implement]. Should the button fall off but remain intact, it would not lose its status, and therefore it would not be muktzeh.
Buttons which have never been attached to garments, and broken garments, do not have kli status and are muktzeh.
(Rivivot Ephraim 1:223:7)
Have a great day,
Mordechai
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Lifting weights on Shabbos
Hi,
One may not lift weights on Shabbat, because this would violate the biblical requirement that one differentiate his behaviour on Shabbat from that of the week.
(Rivivot Ephraim 1:223:6)
[Note: One might contend that the requirement of differentiating one's behaviour is broad and vague, and could apply to a whole host of behaviours, including sitting in a chair, eating at a table, and sleeping in bed. However, the classic understanding of this requirement is to apply it to activities involving physical strain, which would prevent one from identifying Shabbat as a day of halting activity and of rest. See, for example, Ramban to Vayikra 23:24. - MT]
Have a great day,
Mordechai
One may not lift weights on Shabbat, because this would violate the biblical requirement that one differentiate his behaviour on Shabbat from that of the week.
(Rivivot Ephraim 1:223:6)
[Note: One might contend that the requirement of differentiating one's behaviour is broad and vague, and could apply to a whole host of behaviours, including sitting in a chair, eating at a table, and sleeping in bed. However, the classic understanding of this requirement is to apply it to activities involving physical strain, which would prevent one from identifying Shabbat as a day of halting activity and of rest. See, for example, Ramban to Vayikra 23:24. - MT]
Have a great day,
Mordechai
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