Carrying on Shabbat: What Counts as Carrying? Part 2

(3) Taking an article from the place where it is resting is called akirah (dislodging). Putting down an article is called hanachah (depositing). Even dislodging without depositing, or depositing without dislodging is forbidden.⁴According to Yaavetz this is De’oraisa prohibition, but most other authorities disagree and maintain it is not De’oraisa. Therefore, a Jew is forbidden to hand an article to a non-Jew in order that he take it from a private domain to a public domain or a karmelis,⁵Maharam Mintz Resp. 116. for the Jew is thereby doing the dislodging; —rather, the non-Jew himself should take the article. Likewise, when a non-Jew brings an article, the Jew may not take it from his hand, for thereby the Jew does the depositing; rather, the non-Jew himself should put down the article. You should be careful in this regard in the case of an infant, when a non-Jewess carries him to the synagogue⁶It is forbidden to bring the baby to the synagogue through areas that have no eiruv, even through a non-Jew, because it is possible to have the circumcision done in the home, and it is often done in the home because of cold weather, or for similar reasons. See Mishnah Berurah 346: 8; 372: 49. to be circumcised, that she herself pick up the baby in the house, and when she comes to the courtyard or the lobby of the synagogue, she should put him down, and then a Jewess should take him.

(10) A woman may lead her child even in a public domain as long as she does not drag him. But the child should lift up one foot and keep the other one on the ground supporting himself on it until he sets down the foot he had lifted. This way he is always supporting himself on one foot. But when she drags both feet [of the child] it is just like carrying him, which is forbidden,²¹Maseches Shabbos 128b. According to Rashi this is a de’oraisa. even in a karmelis. Carrying a child outright, even if he is big enough to walk by himself, is forbidden, even in a karmelis.²²See also Biur Halachah 308: 41—Magein Avraham, Chayei Adam etc. Also see Rabbi Akiva Eiger (Resp. 28). The Sages applied the rule that "a living being carries itself" only to exempt [the person who carries it] from bringing a sin-offering,²³A sin offering is brought for an unintentional desecration of Shabbos. but it still is a violation of a Rabbinical prohibition (shevus). In a karmelis it is a shevus on a shevus. It is necessary to warn the public who [generally] err regarding this matter.

(1) It is forbidden to walk out into a public domain or a karmelis with article that is neither a garment nor an ornament. Therefore, you may not go out with a needle stuck in your garment, or even a pin without an eye. Even when he needs it for his clothes a man should follow the stringent view.¹This is in accord with the first opinion cited in Shulchan Aruch 301: 8, that going out with a needle with an eye is a de’oraisa prohibition, while going out with a needle without an eye is prohibited Rabbinically. However, since women usually fasten their ribbons, kerchiefs and similar things with pins, she is permitted to go out with [pins] for her dressing²Wearing more pins than necessary is considered carrying and is prohibited. [Mishnah Berurah 301: 67] needs,³Shulchan Aruch 303: 9. but only with a pin without an eye, not with a needle with an eye.

(2) There are certain ornaments that our Sages of blessed memory forbid to be carried on Shabbos in a public domain. Some ornaments are forbidden to men and some ornaments are forbidden to women. For example, jewelry about which there is reason to be concerned that the woman might remove in order to show it to someone [is not permitted.] Now, the prevailing custom is to permit it, and the authorities wrote reasons for this,⁴One of the reasons is, that according to many poskim, our streets are not a public domain, but rather a karmelis, for we do not have 600, 000 people (daily) passing in the streets (cited in Shulchan Aruch 303: 18.) We do have this number of people in the streets of our large cities, however, and thus may not be able to rely on this view. Others cite the reason as being that since so many women will continue to do so, it is better that they do so in a state of unawareness rather than to do so knowingly and willfully. but a God-fearing person should be strict regarding this. A man should be careful⁵This also applies to a woman with an engraved signet ring. [See Shulchan Aruch 303: 18.] not to go out with a ring on which there is no engraved seal,⁶Some are meikil, as with other jewelry, but a pious man should not go out of the eiruv wearing any ring. [Mishnah Berurah 303: 65, Rabbi Akiva Eiger] and he should certainly not wear a watch, even if it is attached to a gold chain that he wears around his neck, which is a piece of jewelry. But the pocket watch [is certainly considered] a burden,⁷The watch, even though it is attached to an ornamental gold chain, is a burden and not an ornament, since it is in your pocket and cannot be seen. The Aruch Hashulchan 301: 62 is stringent even if it can be seen. As to wrist watches, see Igros Moshe 111 and Chelkas Yaakov Vol. 1: 89. and is not permitted.⁸This is prohibited de’oraisa. [Chayei Adam 56: 2 and Divrei Chaim (2: 33). See Biur Halachah 301: 11. [The Shoel Umeishiv Vol. 1, 3: 31 says it is prohibited Rabbinically.]

(3) A silver key,⁹It serves primarily as jewelry unlike brass and steel keys which are functional and prohibited. even though it is made for ordinary use, since it is also a piece of jewelry, it is customary to carry it on Shabbos.¹⁰As a pin or tie bar. It is better to have a belt using the key as the clasp or tooth of the buckle. The key must also be attached to the end of the belt. But eyeglasses, even if they have silver frames, are forbidden to be carried outside.¹¹This applies both to glasses serving only as an ornament as well as for corrective lenses. Reading glasses are not permitted for you may take them off and carry them. Sunglasses are not permitted unless they are required for a particular eye ailment. [Har Tzvi 173]

(4) A woman may not put a garment over her kerchief, nor should a man put a garment on his hat¹²Some poskim permit wearing a plastic rain hat over a hat if it won’t fall off. [Har Tzvi, Beis Shlomoh, Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Bloch Z’l, Chelkas Yaakov Vol. 2, 100] This is only so provided that people do not normally remove it if the rain stops. [Rabbi S. Z. Auerbach ztl] The Igros Moshe 108–111 only permits wearing a cover that warms. to protect it from the rain, for this is not the usual way the garment is worn. If their intention is that they should not be annoyed by the rain; it is permitted.¹³Magein Avraham 301: 23. The poskim permit wearing rubbers (for the same reason, even if they don’t permit plastic hat covers).

(12) It is permitted go out on Shabbos wearing two garments one over the other, even though you do not need the other garment for yourself but are taking it out for someone else. But this is true only if occasionally on weekdays you also wear two such garments, for then it is your usual way of dressing, (even though most of the time you do not dress like that). But if you never wear two such garments, you are forbidden to go out with them on Shabbos, because the second one is considered a burden. The same law applies to two pairs of socks, or a large hat over a yarmulka²⁵Shulchan Aruch, Rema 301: 36. or something similar.

(16) You may go out with a tallis with tzitzis if you wear it in the usual way; but if you wear it folded around your neck in a community where it is not customary to wear it like that, it is forbidden.³⁴Magein Avraham in Shulchan Aruch 301: 30. See Biur Halachah.