Search results for: ""Shabbat""

Shabbat: Kazoos/Whistles
You may not use a kazoo or a whistle on Shabbat, but you may whistle with your mouth.
 
Shabbat: Mopping
You may squeegee a floor on Shabbat (or Jewish festival)--as is commonly done in Israel, but you may not push the water onto earth or plants.
You may mop up a local spill but only without squeezing out the rag or mop.
 
Shabbat: Medicine for Non-Chronic Diseases
You may take medicine on Shabbat for non-chronic illnesses, if skipping one day will prevent cure, but not if skipping a day will just delay your cure.
Exception  If the disease affects your entire body, you may take the medicine anyway.
 
Shabbat: Medicine for Chronic Diseases
You may take medicine on Shabbat for chronic diseases such as high blood pressure.
 
Shabbat: Massage Oils
You may rub olive oil, almond oil, and other massage oils onto your skin for the purpose of massage, but you may not use such oils for moisturizing rough or dry skin.
Reason Moisturizing rough or dry skin is a type of healing/refu'a.
Shabbat: Squeezing, Dabbing, and Smearing Medicinal Creams
You may squeeze a tube of cream on Shabbat, but you might not be able to use the cream on Shabbat for other reasons—consult a rabbi.
Note Smearing creams or ointments is permitted only in life-threatening situations. Otherwise, you may not smear cream on skin on Shabbat (or a Jewish festival) even using a shinu'i such as using the back of your hand or a toe.
Dabbing is permitted, but only when you are permitted to use medicine for that purpose.
ExampleYou may dab cream on Shabbat for a bee sting.
Reason The pain from the sting will affect the entire body.
ExampleYou may not use cream for a mosquito bite.
Reason It is only a local irritation.
Note You may not smear cream for either condition.
Shabbat: Bringing Newspaper inside House
You may bring a newspaper, magazine, or other reading material inside the house on Shabbat and read it if there is an eruv, unless it was:
  • Brought from outside the techum Shabbat, OR
  • Printed on Shabbat, OR
  • Delivered by a Jew.
If any of these conditions apply, you may not use it in any way on Shabbat, even if all of the other conditions would have permitted its use. You may use it once Shabbat is over.
Note As a policy, you may tell delivery services that you do not need to have the item delivered until after dark.
Reason If the item is delivered on Shabbat, it is not being done at your request and, if it is reading material, you may read the material as long as the other conditions permit it--see above.
Note If you do not know where the reading material came from, you may not use it Shabbat.
Note Although taking possession of the newspaper, magazine, or other reading material is “acquisition” (kinyan), you may do so since you will use it on Shabbat.
Shabbat: Bringing Mail inside House
Do not bring mail inside the house on Shabbat, unless it was delivered:
  • From within techum Shabbat, AND
  • Within an eruv, AND
  • By a non-Jew, AND
  • Already open.
Reason Most mail is muktza since it cannot be opened or used without doing melacha.
Shabbat: Removing Makeup
On Shabbat (or Jewish festivals), a girl or woman may remove makeup.  
Shabbat: Applying Makeup
Women and girls may not apply any nail polish or makeup on Shabbat (and Jewish festivals), including mascara and lipstick. You may not even apply lip coatings such as ChapStick, even if just to prevent chapping.
Note Beware of “Shabbat makeup” that stays on longer than normal makeup but may not be applied on Shabbat.


Shabbat: Moving Lighting Fixture
You may slide a lamp or other light fixture to where you need the light if it is not practical to move closer to the light, but not by using your hand directly (you must use a shinu'i such as a stick or other object).
  • You may not plug in the cord or remove the plug from the wall.
  • You may not turn the light on or off.
 
Shabbat: Redirecting Lighting Fixture
You may redirect a light fixture on Shabbat, but only by moving it with a stick or other object (a shinu'i), not directly with your hand.
Note You may not turn the light on or off and you may not disconnect the light during Shabbat.
Shabbat: Causing LCDs/LEDs To Change
You may not use any item on Shabbat that will cause an LCD or LED to form or change letters or change an LCD display.
Shabbat: Causing LED To Light Up
You may not do anything on Shabbat that will cause an LED to light up.
Note You may not turn on anything that generates noticeable light AND heat on Shabbat (and Jewish festivals).
Shabbat: Double Bows
You may not tie a double bow on Shabbat.