Daf HaYomi B'Halacha Daily Email

Stepping on hides

One of the thirty-nine forbidden melachos is me’abed--tanning the hide of an animal. All forms of preparing and preserving hides are included in this melachah. Preserving animal fats is also a form of me’abed. Preserving food, however, is only forbidden mid’rabonon. This melachah is forbidden on Yom Tov as well as Shabbos, since tanning is unnecessary for ochel nefesh. Chazal were concerned, though, that if people were altogether forbidden from preserving animal hides on Yom Tov, they might refrain from shechting so as not to sustain a loss on the hides. Therefore, in the case of a Yom Tov shechitah, Chazal allowed the hides to be put in a place where people walk. As they are walking, they will unwittingly step on and harden the leather, thereby preserving it. Although doing melachah in an unusual way is normally forbidden mid’rabonon, Chazal allowed it in this case in order to encourage people to prepare fresh food on Yom Tov.

[ שו"ע תצט, ג, ומשנ"ב ה, יג ו־טו; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 13-12 ;משנ"ב שכא, כא; וראה שו"ע שם, ב]

Moving hides on Yom Tov

Shulchon Aruch rules that moist hides are muktzeh. Dry ones are not, since they can be used as mats. Rema differentiates between the hides of large animals and small animals. Hides of large animals are not muktzeh (even when they are moist) and hides of small animals are muktzeh (even when they are dry). On Yom Tov, when cooking is allowed, a hide may be moved if there is a piece of meat attached to it. Since raw meat is not muktzeh on Yom Tov, the hide which is attached to it may be moved as an accessory to the meat. Hides that are in the sun and are in danger of becoming ruined, may be moved under all circumstances.

[ משנ"ב תצט, ד ו־טו, ושעה"צ ז]

Moving candles on Yom Tov

The fats of an animal that was shechted before Yom Tov are not muktzeh, since they can be used as fuel to add to an existing fire. The poskim disagree about whether this leniency applies to an animal that was shechted on Yom Tov. Some say that it does not, since the fats are nolad (“born”) on Yom Tov. They are considered nolad because they were not designated as fuel before Yom Tov. Candle wax is not muktzeh, since candles may be used on Yom Tov. Leftover wax may be removed from a candelabra to make space for candles that will be lit on Yom Tov.

[ משנ"ב תצט, ט; ביאורים ומוספים דרשו, 17]

Prior to covering the blood of a chayah, its lungs should be checked to ascertain that it is not a treifah. If it is, there is no obligation to do kissui hadam. Checking beforehand prevents a brochah l’vatalah (reciting a brochah in vain) in the case of a treifah.

A person who shechts before Yom Tov must be careful to perform kissui hadam prior to the onset of Yom Tov.

An animal that was shechted on Yom Tov may be skinned in order to access its meat. Although skinning is a melachah, it is permitted in this case because it is for ochel nefesh.

Conducting a sale on Shabbos and Yom Tov

Mentioning the price of an item

Using muktzeh on Yom Tov

PLEASE NOTE: The information in this email is for learning purposes only. Please review the Mishna Berura and Biurim U'Musafim before making a halachic decision. Hebrew words are occasionally transliterated to enable a smoother reading of the text. Common Ashkenazi pronunciation is generally used in these cases.