Reaping (Kutzor) Jewish Law PDF

Reaping - ‫קוצר‬ Definition - cutting or reaping Uprooting or severing any living plant or vegetation from its source of growth Fact #1 - ‫ קוצר‬is violated even if one uproots something entirely or even just a part of it (ex. leaf of a tree or leaf in the ground)...

Reaping - ‫קוצר‬ Definition - cutting or reaping Uprooting or severing any living plant or vegetation from its source of growth Fact #1 - ‫ קוצר‬is violated even if one uproots something entirely or even just a part of it (ex. leaf of a tree or leaf in the ground) Fact #2 - Limiting growth is not ‫קוצר‬ APP - If you don’t like plants and want to kill them so I close the shades so they won’t have sunlight and will die, is not a violation of ‫קוצר‬ ○ ‫ קוצר‬is not the opposite of ‫זורע‬ APP - Turning off a manual sprinkler on Shabbos is not a violation of ‫קוצר‬. Poskim point out that if turning off one valve will increase the flow of water to other sprinklers might be a violation of ‫זורע‬. Fact #3 - ‫ קוצר‬is only violated once the plant takes root Fact #4 - ‫ קוצר‬is violated ‫ דרבנן‬even if the fruit is fully ripened and no longer getting nutrients from the tree ○ ‫ שמירת שבת כהלכתה‬writes if a branch is detached with a fruit still on it, one may take the fruit off ○ Other potential issues - ‫ מוקצה‬and ‫( קורע‬tearing) APP - Kicking Dandelions ○ Blowing or kicking the “seeds” when attached is ‫קוצר‬ ○ Plucking dandelions is also ‫קוצר‬ ○ There is a problem of ‫ זורע‬- since the seeds promote growth when they land  APP - Walking on Grass ○ ‫ מחבר‬- Walking on grass on Shabbos is‫מותר‬ ○ ‫ שולחן ערוך‬- Explains it is ‫ מותר‬since it is a ‫דבר שאינו‬ ‫מתכוון‬ ○ ‫ משנה ברורה‬- [explains the SA] ○ Even if the grass is long - Even if you are barefoot it is still ‫ מותר‬since it is not a ‫ פסיק רישא‬- but if the grass is on your shoes don’t take it off with your hands since it is ‫מוקצה‬ ○ ‫ משנה ברורה‬-[himself] If the grass is long then one should not run on it since it is a ‫פסיק רישא‬ ○ SA - even if grass is long it is ok to run.. ○ ‫[ ערוך השולחן‬explains SA argues on MB]- How is a ‫( פסיק רישא‬an action that has an affect on something else is prohibited) defined? ‫ שולחן ערוך‬- Since each step you take you don’t know for sure will result in grass being torn we don’t consider it a ‫ פסיק רישא‬- also a ‫דבר שאינו‬ ‫מתכוון‬ ‫ משנה ברורה‬- Looking at the process - running from point A to B as one action - Even if each step is not a ‫ פסיק רישא‬to rip out grass for sure, the entire act of running will definitely rip out grass, which is a ‫פסיק רישא‬ ○ Bottom Line Rabbi Auerbach - preferable to walk on grass (instead of running)  But if you did run - one did not do an ‫עבירה‬ ‫לא איכפת ליה‬/‫ פסיק רישא דלא ניחה‬- Going to happen but not happy with results/don’t care about results - ‫דרבנן‬ ‫ שינוי‬- abnormal way to cut grass - ‫דרבנן‬ ‫ מקלקל‬- destructive - ‫דרבנן‬ ‫ מלאכה שאין צריך לגופה‬- not cutting grass for use Fact #5 - One can not smell ripe fruit while they are attached to the ground - ‫גזירה דרבנן‬ ○ ‫ משנה ברורה‬- One can smell flowers while attached to the ground (‫ יש מחמירין‬- say one should not smell the flower either - since one will come to detach it) ○ Bottom Line - ‫ מותר‬to smell flowers attached to the ground ○ ‫ סברה‬- The normal benefit of fruit is when it is detached (maximum). However there is a benefit of flowers from just viewing its beauty. (‫ סברה‬to detach more if fruit) Rabbinic Prohibition of ‫ השתשמשות באילן‬- using the actual tree ○ Definition of a tree: tree/bush over 3 ‫ טפחים‬high [about 9 inches] ○ Fact - There are 3 Categories of Usage ○ A) ‫ גוף האילן‬- direct usage - ‫אסור‬ Weak tree - moves - ‫אסור‬ Strong tree - a lot of weight - ‫אסור‬  Taking off jacket and hang on a tree (put on a tree) Getting a frisbee or football down from a tree (take off a tree) Lean ladder against tree ○ B) ‫ צדדי האילן‬- indirect usage - ‫אסור‬ The ‫ שולחן ערוך‬writes that an object that is attached to a tree can not be used - if there is a nail in the tree, you can not hang the jacket on the nail ○ C) ‫ צדדי צדדין‬- double usage - ‫מותר‬ Two times removed from a tree is ‫ מותר‬- you can put something in a basket hanging on a hook from a tree APP - Hammock/Tire Swing ○ If a hammock is on poles in the ground/stand - ‫ מותר‬to set up (‫ בונה‬- building) - assuming it is the regular way to attach and detach regularly ○ If a hammock is attached to a tree with rope - ‫ אסור‬to set up and use (‫)צדדי אילן‬ ○ If a hammock is attached to a hook that is attached to a tree - ‫ אסור‬to set up but ‫ מותר‬to use (‫)צדדי צדדין‬ ○ The ‫ שמירת שבת כהלכתה‬writes we view the tire and rope as one “entity” so that the tire is considered only once removed, which is ‫( אסור‬like a ladder - we don’t consider the rungs of a ladder to be ‫ צדדי‬- rather as it is one unit)  Climbing A Tree On Shabbos ○ Fact - It is ‫ אסור‬to climb a tree on Shabbos since the tree is ‫מוקצה‬ ○ Fact - It is ‫ אסור‬to climb a tree on Shabbos due to the Rabbinic Prohibition that you may accidentally break off a branch ○ Fact - If you intentionally/‫ במיזד‬climbed up onto a tree on Shabbos, you must stay up in the tree until ‫מוצאי‬ ‫( שבת‬this is a ‫ קנס‬- penalty). If it is ‫( בשוגג‬lost track of time & realized later it is ‫ )שבת‬you can climb down In case where climbed up tree ‫ במזיד‬on Shabbos, can you jump down? ‫ רש”ז‬has a ‫ פסק‬that maybe you can What if you need to use the bathroom? He can climb down - ‫ כבוד הבריות‬overrides a Rabbinic Prohibition If you climbed up the tree ‫ במיזד‬before ‫שבת‬, and stayed up there ‫במיזד‬, the ‫ מ”ב‬writes you can climb down Clarification on Trees ○ All trees (whether fruit bearing or barren, living or dead) are included in these Rabbinical Degrees (13). But the restrictions apply only to the part of a tree that is higher than ten inches higher off the ground (14). Trees and bushes, which do not grow to a height of ten inches or more are not restricted in any way (15). ○  ○ There is no ‫ קנס‬or penalty for children who climbed on a tree, even intentionally, they are allowed to climb down. Why? Since Chazal didn’t institute this penalty on children (R’ Rimon). ○ What if the tree is basically dead? The ‫משנה ברורה‬ writes that some say it is ‫ אסור‬since people might think it is a live tree ○ Some are lenient and say during the spring/summer when most trees are fruit, it is obvious that while using a barren tree it is a dead tree ○ It is ‫ אסור‬to ride an animal on Shabbos, since you might come to pulling off a branch from a tree while riding the animal (11). As a result of this, the ‫רבנן‬ decreed all animals to be ‫מוקצה‬ Using Animals ○ What if you climbed onto an animal? ○ ‫ מזיד‬- Even if you intentionally did it you can still climb down Because of ‫ צער בעלי חיים‬- we are not going to penalize you at the expense of the animal ○ Can you go in a wagon attached to the animal? No ‫ רמ"א‬- even if the wagon is led by an ox that belongs to a non-Jew Even if the animal is in a desert and there are no trees it is still ‫ אסור‬due to the ‫לא פלוג‬ Pet Care on Shabbos  ○ ‫ הוצאה‬- If there is no ‫ ערוב‬- a pet owner must make sure the animal does not transport anything from a ‫ רשות הרבים‬or a ‫ כרמלית‬to a ‫ רשות היחיד‬on Shabbos or Yom Tov The animal can wear a sweater or something for its protection (bandaid) But not a muzzle or ID tag - since it is not worn for the benefit of the animal A leash is permitted even in a ‫ רשות הרבים‬since it is considered “worn” by the animal Note: Make sure that the leash remains above 3 ‫ טפחים‬off the ground ○ ‫ מוקצה‬- According to most authorities pets are ‫מוקצה‬. Therefore one cannot move it with one’s hand - but can move it with other parts of the body or they may be pulled by a leash (Bodner p. 122) ○ It is permissible to touch a pet or animal without intent to move it (308:42 ‫)ש”ע‬ ○ It is permissible to place food in an animal’s mouth if one is careful not to move it ○ It is permissible to move the animal to alleviate suffering in any way Trapping ○ ‫ צד‬- The Torah prohibits trapping a previously free animal ○ Slow moving animals are consider “trapped” (turtle) since they cannot escape from their confines  ○ Household pets that are generally obedient do not resist their master confining them - it would be permitted to “trap” domesticated animals ○ If the animal is not accustomed to the master or is rebellious then trapping would be ‫אסור‬ ○ It is permitted to treat a sick pet by giving medicine or even an injection - a Jew should not terminate the life of a wounded animal on Shabbos - you should ask a non-Jew to care for the injured pet ○ If an animal dies on Shabbos it is ‫ מוקצה‬so you cannot move it - unless it starts to offensively smell Gathering - ‫מעמר‬ Definition: Collecting scattered fruits and substances - even non-foods that grow from the ground ‫ שיעור‬- at least two items - picking up one item is not ‫ מעמר‬- it’s not even ‫חצי שיער‬ In the ‫ משכן‬they gathered wheat for bread and other dyes Fact #1 - Gathering for a positive purpose to use (gathering wheat to use) ○ Raking leaves to throw out - ‫אסור דרבנן‬ ○ Raking leaves to make them into compost - ‫אסור‬ ‫דאורייתא‬ APP - Gathering Apples In Your Backyard ○ Case: Apples already fell off the tree before ‫ שבת‬- they are not ‫מוקצה‬  Gathering to throw out - ‫אסור דרבנן‬ Gathering for eating - ‫אסור דאורייתא‬ APP - Stringing Figs Together ○ Positive purpose, so it is ‫אסור דאורייתא‬ APP - Making a Bouquet of Flowers ○ ‫ קצות השולחן‬- Holds it is ‫ אסור‬due to ‫מעמר‬ ○ ‫ אגר"מ‬- Holds it is ‫ אסור‬due to ‫( מכה בפטיש‬creating or finishing touches) Conditions of ‫מעמר‬ There are four conditions needed to violate ‫ מעמר‬from the ‫תורה‬ ○ 1) Must be the first time it was gathered ‫ אין עימור אחר עימור‬- “there is no (problem) gathering after gathering” ○ 2) Only prohibited to gather in the place it grew ‫ אין עימור אלא במקום גידולו‬- “there is no gathering unless it is in the place it grew” ○ 3) Only prohibited if it “grows” from the ground ‫אין עימור אלא בגידולי קרקע‬ ○ 4) (‫ )ערוך השולחן‬There is no prohibition of ‫ מעמר‬unless it is in its original state Details of Each Condition 1) ‫ אין עימור אחר עימור‬- is a ‫ מחלוקת‬if once it is gathered it is no longer a problem to re-gather  ○ Example: Gathered apples into a basket before ‫שבת‬ and someone kicks it over - according to condition #1 it is permissible to re-gather the apples 2) ‫ אין עימור אלא במקום גידולו‬- It is only prohibited in the place that it grew ○ Exception: If it is not normal to gather where it grew - it is still ‫ אסור דאורייתא‬even though it’s not ‫מקום גידולו‬. ○ Example: Gathering apples into a basket in my kitchen is not a problem of ‫מעמר‬ ○ Exception: If place it is normally gathered is not in the field then it is still prohibited stringing figs together in your kitchen (not where it grew) is still ‫ אסור‬because it is in the place they are usually stringed together 3) “Grows” from ground includes natural deposits such as salt, rocks, gold, diamonds (‫)פרי מגדים‬ ○ Plastic is not included as something that one can violate ‫מעמר‬ 4) Only a problem if in original state Example of not in original state being ‫ מותר‬- cotton shirts in a field or wooden toys - not a problem of ‫ מעמר‬because they are processed Other issues - ‫ הכנה‬- preparing for after ‫ שבת‬clean up Which Of These Conditions Makes It ‫ מותר‬And Which ‫אסור‬ ‫?דרבנן‬ Condition #4 - Not in original state - ‫מותר‬ Condition #3 - Not “grown” from the ground - ‫מותר‬  Condition #2 - Not in the place it grew - depends ○ Potentially other issues - example: basket of fruit scattered in backyard over a large area - ‫עובדא דחול‬ ○ What is the problem of ‫( ?עובדא דחול‬Rabbinic Prohibition) Looks like a ‫מלאכה‬ Lead you to do a ‫מלאכה‬ ‫ טירחה יתירה‬- big bother (our case) ○ Other issue - scattered outdoors - if fruit mixes with stones - will have ‫( בורר‬selecting) issue ○ Also mentioned the issue of ‫( הכנה‬preparing for after ‫)שבת‬ Condition #1- re-gathering - re-gathering is a problem if the second gathering is better than the first - 1st gathered figs into a basket and second time “gathered” them by stringing them together - this would be ‫ אסור‬because of ‫מעמר‬