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Does zippering up a sweatshirt like this one, which when zippering causes the letter A to become a letter create a problem of Kesivah on Shabbos? It is an Old Navy sweatshirt where the word Old is on one side and Navy on the other better?

Please give sources and not your feelings with sources.

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  • Isn't the Old and the Navy already connected on the back-side? – YDK Feb 7 '12 at 1:39
  • See here (post from 11/03/11) where he compares it to books with words stamped on the side of the pages. – jake Feb 7 '12 at 2:50
  • I second YDK's question -- please clarify what is being changed, since both words are already written on one piece of fabric. – Curiouser Feb 7 '12 at 2:53
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This case is directly analogous, it seems to me, to the case of opening and shutting a book with words (i.e. a person's name) printed on the edge of the pages. There the the Mishneh Berurah 340:17 says that the custom is like the Rema in his responsa (and other achronim) who rules since this it is intended to constantly be "opened" and "closed" it is not a transgression of erasing or writing. Nevertheless the Mishneh Berurah adds that it is proper to be stringent if possible (i.e. one has another book...or coat).

Nevertheless, since unlike book pages the two sides of the garment are actually joined together as one, there may be even more room to be stringent.

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  • I have a couple of potential refinements I would like to add, but I don't have time at the moment – Yirmeyahu Feb 7 '12 at 3:50
  • more like a parachos on an ahron kodesh – simchastorah Feb 7 '12 at 4:10
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    CYLOR!!!!!!!!!! – Double AA♦ Feb 7 '12 at 6:01
  • @Yirmeyahu Did you ever get a chance to add the refinements you wanted? – Ariel Mar 11 '13 at 4:07
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I heard of a Rav that took this question to the Gateshead Rov. The Rov paskened that if the person had no alternative jumper they could wear it. If not, it would not be permitted.

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  • For non-British/Australian readers: "jumper" = sweater. – Alex Feb 7 '12 at 16:31
  • By "the Gateshead Rov" do you mean Rabbi Sternbuch? – msh210♦ Feb 7 '12 at 18:27
  • no, Rabbi Shraga Feivel Halevy Zimmerman – Moshe Yitzhak Feb 8 '12 at 17:27

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