May
children play with a writing board, which is has a
plastic sheet which when lifted erases the letters?
The Mishna in Shabbos 104b
specifies the foundation for the melacha of
ëåúá – writing. The two
main fundamentals of the melacha are that one
write with long-lasting ink and that the letters are
written on a durable surface. These two features coupled
with the required amount of letters written, obligate
the writer to bring a korban for violating an
issur d’oraisso
– a biblical commandment.
The
Mishna says that were one to write with say fruit
juice on a durable surface or with ink on a non-durable
surface, one would be absolved of an issur d’oraisso.
Nevertheless, mid’rabanan one is prohibited from
doing so.
We
must add that it is not imperative that ink be used to
be liable for the issur d’oraisso
because engraving or etching is equal to writing with
ink, provided that it is done on a surface which leaves
an imprint, thus fulfilling two of the requisites of the
melacha.
Based on the above, a delegation from ‘Hachovesh’, (the
emergency service of Har Nof, Yerushalayim) approached
Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach ztz”l
and
asked whether the writing board with the plastic sheet
could be used on Shabbos for writing with by the
emergency dispatcher. (They were obviously aware that
normally it would at least be ossur mid’rabanan
to use such a board, however the question was whether it
was better than writing with ink on paper).
Rav
Shlomo Zalman answered that one has not gained anything
by writing on such a board, because although one
normally erases everything etched onto the board, but
until it is erased it is considered permanent writing
and therefore a d’oraisso.
Therefore, to answer the question, writing or drawing on
such a board on Shabbos is ossur mid’oraisso.
Is one permitted to
draw shapes on a frosted window?
Drawing shapes or writing on a frosted
window is ossur mid’rabanan on Shabbos. Although
the writing is not permanent, nevertheless Chazal
prohibited writing or drawing that is non-permanent.
Accordingly therefore, one may not write by tracing
one’s finger in sand, or write in a film of liquid on a
table, or draw a picture in the dust on a table.
What about writing
in the air?
There is no issur to imaginarily draw
shapes or write letters in the air because one is not
leaving a mark anywhere.
For the same reason one may trace letters with a ‘dry’
finger on the table or on paper because one is not
leaving an impression.
Is there a problem
eating cookies or cake with letters formed on them?
The Mordechai
in the 7th perek of Shabbos cites a
question posed to the Maharam. The custom was
that on Yom Tov (probably Shavuos) children would
eat cake with letters formed on the cake and the problem
is that they were erasing the letters. The Maharam
answered that although it is not an issur d’oraisso
because for erasing to be an issur d’oraisso
it
must be with intention of replacing the erasure or for
some other positive benefit. Notwithstanding, it is
ossur mid’rabanan, but since it involves children
and adults are not handing them an issur,
it is permitted for them to eat the cake. The Rama
quotes this as the halacha.
The
Mishna Berura
however quotes the Nodah Biyhuda
who argues and is lenient. He says that the case of the
Maharam was where the writing was purposely
intended to be eaten by the children as a
ñâåìä – a spiritual
enhancement to Torah (on Shavuos) and therefore
he only permitted it for children, but in regular cases
everyone may eat such cake.
The
Mishna Berura rules that one may rely on the
lenient opinion when biting into the letter with one’s
teeth, but he does not permit cutting the letters.
The
Mishna Berura
adds that the entire debate revolves around letters
formed on cake or cookies, such as icing, but when the
writing is of the same substance as the cookie, i.e. it
is etched into the cookie, there is no problem to break
or cut the cookie.
May one open a book
with letters or words written on the edges of the pages?
(The words are seen when the book is closed).
In his respona the Rama addressed
what seemed to be a common issue. It was customary to
decorate a sefer with writing on the edges of the
pages and hence the question was whether it is permitted
to open such a book, thereby erasing letters, and
shutting the book, thereby writing and reforming
letters.
The
Rama
and many others permitted this, saying that it is
similar to the opening and the shutting of a door. Just
as we do not say that opening or shutting a door is
Boneh and Soter (construction and dismantling
of the building) so too we do not say that one is
writing or erasing when opening and shutting such a book
because it is ‘created’ to do so.
On
the other hand the Levush and the M”A held
that one should not use such a book on Shabbos.
The
M”B states that the custom is in accordance with
the Rama, but if possible to use another book
without edge printing, one should use the alternative
book. He concludes that one should definitely avoid
printing such seforim in order to comply with all
the poskim.
Are there any cases
where erasing will be beneficial and constructive and
thus ossur mid’oraisso?
Besides the obvious case of erasing in order to be able
to write in the place of the erroneous letters, there is
another case. The P’ri Megadim writes
that erasing an IOU note that has been paid would be an
issur d’oraisso,
because it is beneficial. Usually erasing is destructive
unless done with the intention of writing in its place,
but in this case the erasure is beneficial on its own.
ø' îøãëé áï äìì àùëðæé
- A relative of the Rosh, son-in-law of
R’ Yechiel of Paris, brother-in-law and student
of the Maharam