Is it permissible to play the game Jenga on Shabbat? I could see an issue of building, but it would be intentionally disassembled. This is all of course in doors, so there would be no issues of carrying without an eruv.
1 Answer
This question is brought here and is allowed as per my comment above. Whilst the Rov is not aware of the game he makes an important distinction.
אם מדובר בחלקים שרק מניחים אותם אחד על השני מותר לשחק בשבת. אם מדובר בחלקים שמחברים אותם זה לזה כמו לגו וכד' דינם כלגו וכפי שמפורט:
נחלקו הפוסקים האם מותר לשחק בלגו בשבת. יש האוסרים משום מלאכת בונה (שמירת שבת כהלכתה טז יט) ויש מתירים כיון שאין כאן הרכבה חזקה וקבועה אלא הרכבה זמנית שבדרך כלל רגילים לפרק אותה לאחר זמן (ציץ אליעזר יג, לא; יחו"ד ב, נה).
If you're speaking about parts that one merely places one on top of the other, it is permitted to play on Shabbos. If you are speaking about parts that connect to each other e.g. lego etc. the halacha is like that of lego as detailed:
The poskim argue if it is permitted to play lego on Shabbos. There are those who foribid it because of the malacha of boneh (building) - (Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchaso 19:19). And there are those who permit it because there is no strong and permanent assembly here, rather a temporary assembly, that is usually disassembled after a while. (See Tzitz Eliezer 13:31, Yechave Daas 2:55)
So as Jenga is just loosely balancing blocks on top of each other it would be permitted.
