Opening Bottles, Cans, and Packages

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  1. These laws equally apply to Shabbat as they do to Yom Tov. [1]

Preferable option

  1. To avoid all forbidden activities with opening bottles and cans on Shabbat, it's preferable to open the bottles and cans before Shabbat. [2]

Background

  1. Opening containers on Shabbat involves several prohibited activities including ripping, making a useful container, finishing a vessel, and erasing letters. [3]

Opening a bag or container on Shabbat

  1. If a container (bag, can, or bottle) is usually reused after having been emptied are forbidden to open whether or not one intends to reuse it. [4]
  2. If a container is usually used to keep the original contents after having been opened, but not usually reused, it’s forbidden to open on Shabbat. However, some are lenient if one really intends not to reuse it and one does not make a neat convenient opening. [5]
  3. It is permissible to open a container (which is usually reused or at least used to keep the original contents) if at the time of the opening (or beforehand) one ruins the container by perforating the side or bottom so that it could no longer be used. [6]
  4. It's permissible to rip open a miniature pack of sugar which is thrown out right after it's opened. [7] Similarly, one may rip open a candy wrapper, bandaid wrapper, plastic or paper seal around wine bottles or jars because these are usually ripped and discarded immediately. [8]
  5. It’s forbidden to take special care to rip a neat hole to be used as a opening or to rip open a container along the lines marked for perforation. [9]

Packages stapled close

  1. It’s permitted to remove the staples from a container stapled shut. [10]

Cardboard boxes

  1. Cardboard boxes closed with gummed paper or tape, papers stuck together, or a paper wrapper may be (ripped) opened on Shabbat only if one ruins the box in a way that it’s unusable as a container afterwards (nor is any part of it useful which is violated if one tears along the edge of prize tokens printed on the wrapper). [11]

Twistees

  1. Some authorities forbid using plastic or wire twist ties (twisters) to close bags unless one plans to undo it within 24 hours. [12] However, others permit. [13] It is praiseworthy to avoid using them if they will remain undone for more than 24 hours. [14]

Packages tied close

  1. It’s permissible to rip or cut string that’s used to close a container if it’s impossible to remove the string otherwise as long as cutting spoils it for later use. [15]

Ripping letter or pictures

  1. One may not rip through lettering or pictures. [16]

Closing bags

  1. One may not close a bag with a metal or plastic twister. [17]

Bottle caps

  1. Ashkenazic poskim hold that one may not open a bottle with a metal cap for the first time on Shabbos because removing the cap separates the ring from the cap and makes the cap into a useable vessel. One may make a hole using a knife in the cap if there aren’t letters or pictures on it so that makes it unfit for a cap afterwards and then one may open the bottle. [18] However, it’s permissible to open a bottle with a plastic bottle cap (because it had the form of a cap before it was attached).[19] Some Ashkenazic poskim and Sephardic poskim hold it’s permissible to open bottles with metal or plastic caps but add that one who is strict to open them before Shabbat will be blessed. [20]
  2. Someone who holds that it’s forbidden to open a bottle on Shabbat is forbidden to ask another Jew who holds that it’s permissible to open a bottle on Shabbat. [21] However, some say that if one is only strict based on the minhag of his Rabbis or father one may ask someone who holds it’s permissible. [22]

Plastic protective seal

  1. It is permissible to remove a protective plastic seal on yogurt containers, tubs of butter or cottage cheese, coffee jar, and wine bottles in the normal way. [23]

Metal can

  1. One should not open a metal can unless one only opens it halfway, removes the content immediately, and throws out the can. [24]

Milk carton

  1. It is forbidden to open a milk or juice carton which has a folding spigot for the first time. [25] Some say that preferably one should not open the folding spout but there is a lenient opinion to rely on. [26]

Juice box

  1. When possible the juice should be opened before Shabbat, however, if it wasn't one may insert the straw to drink the juice. [27]

Jars

  1. It’s permissible to puncture the lid of a vacuum sealed jar in order to open a jar. [28]

After the fact

  1. If one opened a can, bag, bottle or other container in a prohibited way, one may still eat the food on Shabbat. [29]

Related Pages

  1. Koreah (Tearing)
  2. [[Opening and Reading Mail on Shabbat]]

References

  1. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:22 (See also Sh"t Igrot Moshe 1:122)
  2. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:1, Shabbos Kitchen (Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen, pg 184)
  3. ↑ 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 3, pg 831-2)
  4. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:2, Shabbos Kitchen (pg 187-8) similarly forbids opening wrappers, bags, and boxes, unless one rips it to the extent that the bag is unusable afterwards and one is careful about not ripping the letters.
  5. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:3
  6. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:3
  7. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:4
  8. ↑ 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 3, pg 833)
  9. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:5-6
  10. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:9
  11. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:10-12
  12. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:13, 14:9 and (15 note 166, in the new edition note 174) quoting Rav Shlomo Zalman
  13. ↑ 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, Melechat Koshair note 54) quoting Rav Moshe Feinstein
  14. ↑ 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 3, pg 800)
  15. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:14
  16. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:12
  17. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:13
  18. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:17 (new edition 9:18), Shabbos Kitchen (Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen, pg 184-6). [39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 3, pg 841) writes that a less preferable option is to twist off the cap and discard it immediately (and it may be useful to have another cap handy).]
  19. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:17 (new edition 9:18), Shabbos Kitchen (Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen, pg 184-6). [39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 3, pg 841) writes that a less preferable option is to twist off the cap and discard it immediately (and it may be useful to have another cap handy).]
  20. ↑ Yalkut Yosef (vol 2, pg 517, 675). See also Rabbi Mordechai Willig’s opinion in Am Mordechai (Shabbat, Siman 29, pg 161).
  21. ↑ The 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 1, pg 93) writes that it’s forbidden to ask a fellow Jew to open a can or bottle for him on Shabbat if the one requesting holds that one is forbidden to do so. He supports this with Sh”t Igrot Moshe 4:119:5. Many poskim also forbid including Tal Imrati (18:11, pg 190) quoting Chacham Ben Tzion Abba Shaul, Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat, vol 3, pg 217-9) quoting Rav Ovadyah Yosef, Banim Chavivim (Siman 18, pg 91) quoting Rabbi Eliezer Waldenburg (from Meor HaShabbat (vol 1, Peninei HaMeor pg 552)) and Rav Chaim Kanievsky (from Meor HaShabbat (vol 2, pg 77)). Rav Yisrael Belsky in Shulchan HaLevi (vol 1, Birur Halacha 10, pg 339) also rules stringently and gives four reasons.
    • (1) Shelichut LeDvar Avierah. In the Gemara Bava Metsia 10b there is a dispute between Ravina and Rami Bar Chama regarding Shaliach LeDvar Avierah. Ravina holds that there’s only Ein Shaliach LeDvar Avierah when the one being sent is obligated in that prohibition, while Rami Bar Chama says that there’s Ein Shaliach LeDvar Avierah whenever the one being sent has the ability to choose to do it or not. The Rama C”M 182:1 rules like Ravina and so if the one being sent isn’t obligated then there is Shelichut. Rav Belsky concludes that since the one being sent follows a Rabbi who holds it’s permissible to open a bottle he’s considered not obligated in that prohibition and there would be Shelichut. Thus, if he is asked by someone who doesn’t open the bottle there would be a Deoritta violation of Shabbat.
    • (2) Lifnei Iver. Rav Belsky writes that since the opinion of those who hold it is forbidden is that it is forbidden for all Jews it would be forbidden to ask another Jew because of Lifnei Iver.
    • (3) Amirah LeYisrael. He quotes the Radvaz 4:258 who forbids Amirah LeYisrael because it should be no better than Amirah LeNochri.
    • (4) Degrading one’s friend. By asking one’s friend to do something which one holds is forbidden is treating him like a Shabbos goy or a less important Jew.
    • Rav Belsky concludes that it’s forbidden to ask him to open the bottle and it would be just as forbidden to ask him to open it for himself to drink because all the reasons apply except (perhaps) the first one. Though, he agrees that if the one who holds it is permissible opened it for himself it is permissible for others to benefit from the contents of the bottle.
  22. ↑ Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Meor HaShabbat (Peninei HaMoer 3:8)) rules that if the one requesting holds it’s forbidden based on his ruling, then, it’s forbidden to ask someone who holds it’s permitted to do it for him, however, if the one requesting is only strict because of the minhag of his Rabbis or father, then it’s permitted to ask someone else to do that act.
  23. ↑ Shabbos Kitchen (Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen, pg 188), 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 3, pg 833)
  24. ↑ Shabbos Kitchen (Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen, pg 187)
  25. ↑ Shabbos Kitchan (Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen, pg 184)
  26. ↑ 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 3, pg 837-8) at first writes one should not open it, then writes some permit and concludes that preferably one shouldn't rely on the lenient opinion.
  27. ↑ 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 3, pg 838)
  28. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:21
  29. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 9:23
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