12
votes
Accepted
Why does my box of Matzah say "BOX SHOULD BE OPENED BEFORE SHABBOS AND YOM TOV"
There is a concern that by opening the box, a usable vessel has been completed, which can be a violation of the prohibition of makeh b'patish, one of the 39 forbidden categories of "work" on Shabbath ...
- 17.9k
11
votes
Accepted
Tying double knot of garbarge bag
R. Yitzchak Abadi (Ohr Yitzchak 1:175) rules it is permitted to make a knot on a garbage bag that is going to be thrown out since it cannot be called a kesher shel kayama.
- 12.1k
9
votes
Can one extinguish Shabbat candles after dark if you a worried about an animal knocking it over and causing a fire?
The practice of lighting shabbat candles is a rabbinic requirement (see, e.g. Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Shabbat 25b; Rambam Laws of Shabbat 5:1), to honor the Shabbat and create a pleasant and ...
- 17.9k
9
votes
Accepted
If someone switches off a light and then switches it back on for a Jew on Shabbat
The Biur Halacha in 276:1 (l’tzorcho) brings from the Elya Rabba that this would be permissible since he was the one who closed it, we consider his reopening it as being done for himself;
כתב הא"...
- 13.3k
9
votes
Playing jenga on Shabbat
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 ...
- 33.9k
8
votes
How do hotels set up for the 2nd Seder?
The Maharsham (Daas Torah 444:1) and others (based on the Pri Megadim) allow instructing a gentile to perform hachanah and others allow doing so if necessary for a mitzvah, which would presumably ...
- 81
8
votes
Are you allowed to play basketball on Shabbos? Can a boy under 13?
R Yehoshua Neuwirth in Shmirat Shabbat KeHilchata (vol. 1, p. 189 in the 2002 edition) allows basketball if
played on a hard surface such as asphalt or concrete (but not on earth or grass)
in an area ...
- 53.7k
7
votes
Why 40 minus 1 - why not just say 39 Melachot?
Four answers to this question are brought here. (summarized below)
Tosfos Yom Tov provides the first 3 answers. In his commentary to mishnayot Shabbos 7:2 he writes:
Since 39 lashes are referred ...
- 44.7k
7
votes
Accepted
Automatic lights requiring more than one person on Shabbat
Assuming the person walking is Jewish, that the light always turns on and that the person walking benefits from its light, then it is forbidden to walk towards it intentionally. This is called psik ...
- 53.7k
7
votes
Accepted
Does "borer" apply to people?
The Aruch Hashulchan Orach Chaim317,4 quotes the Yerushalmi Shabbos 7,1 that suggests that there might be Borer for Humans from humans (i assume with kids who are man handled and don't move ...
- 11.5k
7
votes
Accepted
Why is making salt water prohibited on Shabbat?
Shabbat 108 forbids making a large amount of salt water on shabbat.
Rashi ad loc. explains that the prohibition is because it looks like one is going to be tanning hides, one of the avot melachot. ...
- 45.2k
7
votes
Accepted
Opening chips bags on Shabbat
It is not a problem either way.
Rabbi Ribiat's The 39 Melochos (Vol III) writes extensively about food wrappings.
As a background, the potential issues would be any of the following:
Koraya (Tearing)
...
- 33.9k
6
votes
Accepted
Can you work on Chol Ha'moed if you'll be fired otherwise?
One of the reasons permitting melacha on Chol Hamoed is davar ha-aved, the loss or damage of either money or possessions. Melacha may be done on chol hamoed to prevent a loss of this type if the ...
- 53.7k
6
votes
Accepted
Tying shoes on Shabbat if you don’t plan to untie them in a day
Shulchan aruch orach chaim 317/5
עניבה מותר דלאו קשר הוא: הגה ואפי' אם עושה קשר אחד למטה נוהגין בו היתר: (אגור):
5. A bow is permitted because it is not a knot. RAMA: even if one ties a single knot ...
- 3,708
5
votes
Accepted
Waving at a security camera on Shabbat
From Halachipedia:
Many poskim permit walking in an area where the surveillance cameras will capture a person’s image as long as he does not intend to be recorded.¹
Waving at a camera cannot be ...
- 3,879
5
votes
Why allowed on Yom Tov?
The principle here is termed by the Gemara (Beitzah 12a, Kesubos 7a) as מתוך שהותרה לצורץ הותרה נמי שלא לצורך - since it was permitted for the purpose [of food preparation] it is also permitted ...
- 23.2k
5
votes
Why 40 minus 1 - why not just say 39 Melachot?
R’ Aryeh Kaplan zt”l noted in a class once that Chazal number the melakhos as “40 missing 1”. It could be a shorthand for 39, much the way the “i” is placed before the last “x” in the Roman numeral ...
- 9,931
5
votes
Accepted
Are there any issues with blowing on your glasses to clean them on Shabbat?
R. Moshe Stern (Be'er Moshe 6:62) explicitly permits one to clean glasses on Shabbos, by both blowing on and wiping the glasses. He does not cite the Rema's ruling (OC 319:17) in which he finds ...
- 12.1k
5
votes
Accepted
Explain why the "kli sheini" rule works regarding Shabbat cooking
No need to worry about this being a bad question. Its Tosfos's question!
ושמע מינה כלי שני אינו מבשל - תימה מאי שנא כלי שני מכלי ראשון דאי יד סולדת אפי' כלי שני נמי ואי אין יד סולדת אפילו כלי ראשון ...
- 5,465
5
votes
Contradiction in Rambam's laws of Talmud Torah and Shevet Levy (end of Shmitah)
This contradiction was apparently noted and addressed by R. David Ibn Zimra. In his commentary to the statement in Hilchot Shemita V'yovel he writes:
הוא מיושר דעתו וסברתו ז"ל ודקדקתי בדבריו ז"ל ...
- 49.9k
5
votes
Accepted
Writing/drawing in the sand on Shabbos
The Gemara in Shabbos 3a states that when it comes to laws of Shabbos, the term פָּטוּר generally means that it is forbidden but doesn't require a sacrifice to be brought. So the Mishna never really '...
- 6,515
5
votes
Composing religious songs and melodies on Shabbos
As you correctly write, nolad applies to physical elements and is connected to the laws of mukze, which also only applies to physical objects.
Kitzur Shulchan Aruch writes (88:4)
Nolad is ...
- 53.7k
5
votes
If one steps on an insect on Shabbos and the insect is then mutilated to the point that it will surely die, then is one allowed to kill it?
R Dovid Ribiat answers your question in his book The 39 melochos (vol 3, p. 888)
It is questionable wether killing a mortally ill or wounded animal is
the melocho m'deoraisa of Schochait. In any case,...
- 53.7k
5
votes
Accepted
Folding chairs/tables on Shabbat
Refer to the Peninei Halacha:
מותר לפתוח עגלת ילדים, שולחן מתקפל, כסא מתקפל, מיטה מתקפלת ולול של תינוקות, מפני שהכל שם עשוי ומחובר מערב שבת ורק פותחים אותם בשבת (שו"ע או"ח שטו, ה).
One may ...
- 33.9k
5
votes
Accepted
May Jews cut extra vegetables when slicing for immediate eating on Shabbat
When peeling vegetables (which can be an issue of borer) or cutting vegetables (which can be an issue of tochein), there is a leniency of doing this close to the meal. However one may not consciously ...
- 53.7k
4
votes
Accepted
Is it permitted to use a thermochromic cup on Shabbos?
In sefer Shu"t Yad Dodi page 149:30 Reb Dovid Feinstein was asked about using the magic cup on shabbos ,and he his response was it is permitted to use such a cup.
Text of responsa:
- 42.5k
4
votes
Audio Recording on Shabbat/Yom Tov
Recording on shabbat is linked to use of microphones on Shabbat (since you require microphones to record). It might be in this context that you heard R Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (RSZA) being quoted since ...
- 53.7k
4
votes
Accepted
Can a Jew tell a Gentile to fix his ambulance on Shabbat?
The Noda Beyehuda (YO"D 210) writes that one may not dissect a Jewish corpse (which is forbidden) in order to discover the cause of death, even if it is the only way to uncover information that will ...
- 10.8k
4
votes
Accepted
Burning "pulver" on Simchas Torah?
See here that פּולווער is gunpowder and here and here that it was common in some communities to light firecrackers on Simchat Torah.
- 7,580
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