Muktzeh machmas gufo
[1] (Halacha 21)
Question: May one make use of stones on Shabbos?
Answer:
a. Stones, since they are not in the category of a utensil [even though one sometimes takes a stone to crack nuts with it (that is, those who rely on the basic law that it is permitted to crack, which is not the case according to the Chabad minhag) or to cover some utensil with the stone and the like] are considered severe muktzeh, muktzeh on account of its substance, and therefore it is forbidden to move them even for the sake of their use or their place.
b. 'An unusual use' - and even if one in fact used the stones several times for a certain use, but it is an action that one does not usually do with stones (such as covering a barrel with the stone and the like), and one also thought before Shabbos to use it on Shabbos, for that action, this does not permit them.
c. However, in the event that one performed an act upon the stones - an act of preparation that demonstrates that they are suitable for the action in which he is interested, this will be effective to permit moving them for the sake of that action and not for another matter.
d. An action that one usually does - and if it concerns an action that one usually does from time to time with the stone, such as cracking nuts, it is enough that one thought about this, or that one in fact performed this action with the stone even once before Shabbos, and the stone is then no longer in the category of muktzeh.
e. And in any case, in the event that one designated the stones permanently for the sake of a certain use, the law of muktzeh is nullified from them entirely. (Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe siman 308, se'if 8 and se'ifim 53
[2] (Halacha 23)
Question: May one touch a stone without moving it?
Answer: a. There is a general law in all types of muktzeh, including this severe muktzeh, that the entire prohibition is only on moving and not on touching (that is, we have no problem with a person deriving benefit from the muktzeh, only that he should not move it), and therefore it is permitted to touch the stones.
b. But there is a condition, that at the moment of contact it does not cause the muktzeh to move, and even a partial jostling of the muktzeh is forbidden. Therefore it is forbidden to touch the tray of candles when the tray is suspended in the air, because the contact will move it, but when the tray rests on a stable place it is permitted to touch it.
c. And in a case of doubt, where perhaps the contact will cause jostling, it is permitted to touch, since one does not intend to move it and it is also not a p'sik reisha - that is, it is not inevitable that the movement will occur.
d. However, if it concerns something where it is almost certain that the contact will move it, such as touching an egg of muktzeh, where since it is round there is a great chance that it will move because of the contact, in such a situation it is forbidden to touch the muktzeh.
Notes:
1 Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe siman 308 se'if 14, siman 513 se'if 3) ↩
[3] (Halacha 24)
Question: Is there contact with muktzeh without jostling it that is nonetheless forbidden?
The Rebbe wrote (in siman 310, se'if 10) that to overturn a utensil onto muktzeh when the purpose is for the benefit of the muktzeh, such as that it should be protected, is permitted on the condition that the utensil does not touch the muktzeh; for although we saw in the previous halacha that contact with muktzeh without moving it is permitted, that is on the condition that the contact is for the sake of a permitted matter, which is not the case if the purpose is for the benefit of the muktzeh, in which case it is forbidden to touch it, even contact by means of a utensil.
However, there are those who disagree and hold that there is no problem in touching muktzeh even when it is for the benefit of the muktzeh, so long as we do not move it.
And in practice we must be stringent in this, since the Rebbe wrote first the stringent view anonymously, and only afterward wrote that there are those who permit, and the rule is that the law follows the first view that was written anonymously. [And especially since in the laws of Yom Tov (siman 495, se'if 15) the Rebbe mentioned only the stringent view].
If so, the conclusion is that it is forbidden to touch muktzeh when it is for the sake of the muktzeh, and accordingly, if there is an object of muktzeh that is about to fall, it is forbidden to stop it from falling.
[4] (Halacha 25)
Question: May one place an object on muktzeh or take an object from it, or sit on it?
Answer: a. It is permitted to place an object that is permitted to move upon muktzeh, and likewise to take an object that rests on muktzeh, even if as a result of his action the muktzeh will move a bit, since this is tiltul min hatzad (moving from the side).
b. Likewise it is permitted to sit on the muktzeh, even if it will move a bit because of the sitting, since this is called tiltul kil'achar yad (moving in an unusual manner), and on the condition that he does not touch it with his hands in such a situation where there is a concern that he will move it, but only to sit on it.
c. A point of clarification - the reason it is permitted to place objects or to sit on muktzeh is because the Sages did not forbid deriving benefit from muktzeh, but only forbade moving it by direct movement.
Notes:
1 Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe siman 308 se'if 14 ↩
[5] (Halacha 26)
'Tiltul kil'achar yad' (moving in an unusual manner)
Question: May one push the stone with one's foot or in an unusual manner?
Answer: a. For every muktzeh, the prohibition of moving it is only when one moves it in the manner in which one moves it on a weekday, and since the usual manner of moving is with the hands, the Sages therefore forbade only moving with the hands.
b. But moving that is called in the language of our Sages 'kil'achar yad', meaning that it is not directly with the hands, is permitted, and therefore it is permitted to hold the object on the backs of one's hands or between one's armpits or on the head, and in this manner even an object that is usually taken in such a way is permitted, since the Sages forbade only moving with the hands proper.
c. Likewise moving with the feet is permitted, and therefore it is permitted to clear away muktzeh with the feet while walking, when one needs the place of the muktzeh, or one wishes to hide the muktzeh. (However, with the feet it is forbidden to move something that is usually moved in this way).
d. And all the more so it is permitted to move muktzeh by blowing with the mouth.
Notes:
1 Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe siman 308 se'if 15. ↩
[6] (Halacha 27)
Question: Is uncooked meat/poultry considered muktzeh on account of its substance?
Answer: It is written in the Shulchan Aruch (siman 308, se'if 31) that raw meat has no law of muktzeh, since it is possible to eat it raw in a certain way. And some explained (Taz, s.k. 20) that included in this law is all meat, even hard meat, since at least it is fit to be eaten by dogs. However, the Magen Avraham (s.k. 56) wrote that the Mechaber permitted only soft meat such as poultry that is possible to eat raw, and not beef which is hard and requires cooking; and although it is fit for dogs, since the person does not want to give it to a dog but intends to eat it himself, it is therefore muktzeh.
The Rebbe (in se'if 68) ruled in accordance with the view of the Magen Avraham, that soft meat is permitted, and hard meat is forbidden to move - it is muktzeh on account of its substance.
And accordingly, beef [and likewise uncooked legumes or flour] that is in the freezer, since it is muktzeh on account of its substance, it is forbidden to move it unless one moves it kil'achar yad (in an unusual manner)!
A practical example: if we have ice cream in the freezer and frozen meat rests in front of it, it is forbidden to take the meat out by hand in order to reach the ice cream; rather, we will need to push the meat with a change - with the elbow and the like. Or if it is possible to reach the ice cream with the hand and pull it out, this is permitted even if the meat moves in the process, as we learned in the previous halachos.
[7] (Halacha 28)
Question: We learned in the previous halacha that: soft meat - poultry is not considered muktzeh on account of its substance; is this the law in practice?
Answer: The poskim wrote that since nowadays people do not eat raw meat, including poultry and the like, consequently all raw meat including poultry has the law of muktzeh on account of its substance (see the references in Piskei Teshuvos siman 308 note 372).
Question: Frozen cooked food - is it muktzeh?
Answer: Frozen foods, since in themselves they are fit to eat, and one can always take them out to thaw, are not muktzeh. (Shabbos Kehalacha ch. 3 note 55, ch. 12 note 108)
Question: What is the law of vegetables that are not fit to eat without cooking?
Answer: Food that in itself is not fit to eat without cooking, and which we designate for eating by means of cooking, is muktzeh as long as it has not been cooked, such as potatoes, eggplants, legumes, flour, or unbaked dough - all of these are muktzeh on account of their substance (Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe siman 308 se'if 8, Ketzos Hashulchan siman 111 se'if 3)
[8] (Halacha 29)
Question: Is something fit to eat but which has a prohibition that prevents me from eating it considered muktzeh?
Answer: Anything that is forbidden to eat and to derive benefit from, such as the meat of an animal that was cooked with milk, is muktzeh. And even if the prohibition is rabbinic, such as plain gentile wine - (wine that a gentile touched but which we do not know was poured as a libation for idolatry), it is muktzeh.
And even fruits and vegetables that are tevel - that have not been tithed, they are muktzeh, since there is in them a prohibition of deriving benefit in a manner of consumption (where the food is entirely used up), and this is despite the fact that the entire prohibition of tithing on Shabbos is only rabbinic.
But something that is forbidden to eat and permitted to derive benefit from, since it is possible to give it to dogs, is not muktzeh, on the condition that it is designated for dogs, such as something whose prohibition continues for a long time. But something whose prohibition is short, such as an egg that was laid on Shabbos, or milk that was milked on Shabbos, since at the conclusion of Shabbos it will be permitted to the person and it is designated for that - this is muktzeh.
Notes:
1 Shulchan Aruch of the Alter Rebbe siman 308 se'if 9. ↩
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