Is one
really not allowed to fold one’s tallis on Shabbos?
Rashi tells us in the Mishna in Shabbos
113a, that the reason one is forbidden to fold clothes is because it is as if one is
repairing them. Either the folding into their creases ‘repairs’ them 1
by accenting the folds, or the folding irons out 2 the creases.
Based on the gemora, the Mechaber 3
teaches us that when certain conditions are complied with, one may fold one’s
clothes. The conditions are:
One needs to wear these clothes again that Shabbos, and is
folding them to keep them in good condition.
One must fold them by himself, without the aid of a second
person. The Mishna Berura 4 says that it needs to be folded in
the air and not on a bench etc.
The clothes have not yet been laundered. The M”B
explains that before laundering they are still a bit stiff and do not crease easily, hence
folding them does not appear to be much of an improvement.
Only white clothes may be folded. It is more of an
improvement to fold colored clothes.
One does not have other clothes to wear besides these ones.
Accordingly, one is forbidden to fold one’s tallis, as
some of the conditions are not applicable. The first one being that the tallis is only
worn for shacharis. Also, the tallis may have been dry-cleaned or washed.
However, the Mechaber quotes a Mordechai who
holds that one may fold any garment not according to its original folds. Hence one is
allowed to fold a tallis in a different manner than he usually does.
Does everyone agree to this opinion?
The M”B 5 quotes an opinion saying
that if one prefers to be stringent in this matter, and not fold clothes at all, it is
definitely preferred to do so. However, many Sephardi poskim 6 say that
even if there is room for stringency, with a tallis – being a holy article – one
should at least fold it opposite its original folds, and not leave it lying around. On the
other hand, the Tosefos Shabbos 7 says that we see from another se’if
that the Mechaber did not agree completely with this Mordechai, and
therefore there is room to be stringent, and not fold one’s tallis at all.
The bottom line is
One should not fold one’s tallis on Shabbos in the
regular manner.
One may fold it not on its original creases, and some
poskim say that one should.
There is room for stringency and not fold the tallis at
all.
This does not mean that the tallis must be rolled up into a
tight ball; one is permitted, of course, to fold it haphazardly and place it over a chair.
What is all the talk
about not making beds on Shabbos?
It is forbidden to prepare on Shabbos for after Shabbos.
Therefore making beds on Shabbos in order to sleep in them after Shabbos is forbidden. 8
Accordingly, it is forbidden to change old linen with fresh ones, or to prepare a bed for
sleeping in after Shabbos. On the other hand, one is permitted to tidy one’s house
for the sake of Shabbos itself. Therefore, if one makes the beds, straightens out a carpet
etc. so that the house will not be untidy, it is permitted. 9
Therefore, if after a nap on Shabbos afternoon, one wishes
only to straighten out the bed sheets so that the room will look neat and tidy for Shabbos
itself, it is permitted.
[1] Rashi in the Mishna.
[2] Kol Bo brought down in the Bais Yosef
[3] Simon 302:3
[4] Simon 302:14
[5] Simon 302:19
[6] Kaf HaChayim 14:21-25, Ohr LeTsion vol.2 24:3.
[7] Simon 302:14.
[8] M”B simon 302:19.
[9] K’tsos Hashulchan 117:9.
Food For Thought
Is there a problem scraping mud off
one’s shoes on Shabbos?
Cholent splashed onto
my shirt, what am I supposed to do?
May one pour salt on a
stained tablecloth, so as to prevent it from staining permanently?
Is it permitted to
remove a stain with one’s fingernail?
Answers coming next week.
Vort On The Parsha
B’nei Yisrael were ordered to give half
a shekel as a means to know their numbers. The commentators ask why were they not told to
give a whole shekel, why a half?
One answer is that there are two elements to a mitzvah, one
is the actual doing of the mitzvah, the physical act, and the other is the spirituality
one invests into it. Contrary to common belief, the joy and happiness one invests in a
mitzvah comprises a major portion of the mitzvah, as it says in the parsha of the
curses “…because you did not serve Hashem with happiness and a good heart”.
Therefore, they were commanded to bring half a
shekel, to demonstrate that the other half must be fulfilled with one’s heart and
feelings.
On these lines, our wives must think to themselves, while
cleaning the house for Pesach, that they are not being punished with hard, tedious work,
rather they are toiling to polish a diamond, and as a consequence will instill happiness
and joy in their daily work. |
