May one carry a lulav home from shul if nobody needs it there?

If there is no eruv and nobody needs the lulav at home it seems that it should not be carried home. However, based on ñåôå îùåí úçéìúå learned in last week’s shiur, one may carry it home.

What are the mechanics of this heter?

As stated last week, the heter is that if one is committed to leave one’s siddur in shul and not carry it home, then one would not take a siddur to shul lest it get removed or lost. Consequently Chazal permitted carrying the siddur home. The same logic applies to a lulav and to anything else valuable brought to shul for the sake of a mitzvah.  Many rely on the fact that others will need to bentch on the lulav at home.

May one carry a lulav home for women?

The ùàâú àøéä writes [1] that one may not carry a shofar through a reshus harabim to blow for women, nor a lulav for women to bentch (make a b'racha). This is because women are not obligated to hear the shofar or bentch on the lulav and this is considered carrying for no reason.

The Shulchan Aruch HaRav [2] however argues and rules that one may blow the shofar for women on Rosh Hashana and carry the shofar through a reshus harabim for that purpose. The same applies to bringing a lulav home from shul for women to bentch on. [3] This carrying is deemed necessary and permitted.

What about carrying a tallis home after davening?

It will have the same heter as carrying home a machzor. If it can be left in shul without fear of it getting removed or misplaced it should, otherwise it may be carried home.

Are matches muktze on Yom Tov?

It is ossur to strike a match to light a fire even when needed for ochel nefesh i.e. cooking etc. on account of nolad – creating a new entity. [4] Matches may be used to pass fire from one place to another; [5] for example, you touch a match to a gas fire on your stove and light Yom Tov candles or another fire.

What’s the chidush, why should it not be allowed?

The chidush is the match is a conduit and not necessary for itself. One might think that one must light Yom Tov candles directly from an existing flame and not use matches as an intermediary. Since matches have a permitted use on Yom Tov they are not muktze and may be handled like any other k’li she’mlachto l’heter (an item used for permitted purposes). On Shabbos matches are a k’li she’mlachto l’issur.

Does nolad apply to Yom Tov?

Nolad applies to Yom Tov and its halachos are stricter than on Shabbos. For example, bones left on one’s plate on Yom Tov are muktze even when one owns a dog or there are dogs in one’s vicinity. Those same bones on Shabbos are not muktze and may be given to dogs. [6]

This type of muktze is a derivative of nolad – a new being. The entire piece of chicken or meat was intended for human consumption when Yom Tov began. Subsequent to eating the bones are “found” and are intended for dogs and animals, which is a new purpose, because until now the whole piece was human food. Although the bones were intended for animals from the start, but being attached to the meat they are tafel (subordinate) to it and are not an entity on their own. They acquire this new purpose on Yom Tov.

And there is a difference between Yom Tov and Shabbos?

Yes, on Yom Tov the bones are muktze and on Shabbos they are not, provided that dogs or animals are in the vicinity.

Why is Yom Tov stricter than Shabbos?

The gemora in the beginning of maseches Beitza says Rebbi was stricter on Yom Tov with regards to muktze because Yom Tov has leniencies that do not exist on Shabbos, namely cooking. Since cooking and other melachos may be performed on Yom Tov, people tend to regard Yom Tov as being less severe than Shabbos and might violate issurim when prohibited. Consequently he adopted a stricter position with regards to muktze and nolad.

The same applies to peels and shells fit for animal consumption: on Yom Tov they are muktze and on Shabbos, when animals are in the vicinity, they are not muktze. [7]

Does that mean that peels and bones must be left on the table?

All it means is they are muktze and must be dealt with according to the laws of muktze. This is not new. Many of us do not live next to cows and sheep (who consume shells and peels) and consequently these items are muktze on Shabbos as well.

The way to remove them from the table on Shabbos is either by scraping them with a knife onto a plate (according to Taz and Mishna Berura, not the Chazon Ish) or to place them on a plate in the first place. Some are machmir to place a heter in the plate before placing muktze. [8] If the pile of peels and bones appear distasteful, one may remove them with one’s hands, based on the heter of g’raf shel re’i. [9]