Games on Shabbat

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Games on Shabbat

Children above Bar/Bat Mitzvah

  1. It’s highly advisable that older children (above 13 for a boy and above 12 for a girl) and adults should desist from playing games on Shabbat because Shabbat was given for enjoyment which should very much spiritual enjoyment. The reward for someone who celebrates Shabbat in such a way is a boundless portion in Olam HaBah. [1]

Noisemakers

  1. Items which make noise such as bells, rattles, and musical instruments are Muktzeh. [2]
  2. It’s permissible for an adult to give a baby a toy that makes noise, such as whistles, rattles, or other noisemakers. [3] Some say that one shouldn’t give the toy to the baby but rather to place it in front of him unless the child won’t take it for himself. [4]
  3. An adult shouldn’t himself use a noisemaker (such as a rattle) to entertain a baby [5] unless there’s a necessity such as a crying baby, and even in such a case it’s preferable to shake it in an unusual manner. [6]
  4. Children that are above the age of chinuch (approximately four years old) should be taught not to use these noisemakers on Shabbat. [7]
  5. However, toys which primary function isn’t for the noise such as a merry-go-round that clicks as is used, may be used by children on Shabbat. [8]

Playing with sand

  1. It’s permissible for children to play with sand that’s fine, dry, and prepared before Shabbat for this use (as in a sandbox). One may not add water to the sand on Shabbat. [9]

Clay

  1. It’s forbidden to play with clay or plaster on Shabbat. [10]

Paper folding

  1. On Shabbat, one should not make a toy out of folded paper such as a boat or a hat. [11]

Snow

  1. Snow isn’t Muktzeh but it’s forbidden to make snowballs or a snowman. [12]

Marbles

  1. Children may play with marbles inside the house (as long as it has flooring and not bare earth) but not outside. [13]

Playing with a ball

  1. Children may play ball games on paved (asphalt or concrete) ground or on a ping-pong table, indoors or outside as long as there’s an appropriate Eruv. [14]
  2. It’s forbidden to get a ball out of a tree whether by hand or using a stick. [15]
  3. It’s permissible to blow up inflatable balls once it was once inflated and the air is kept in using a plastic or rubber insertion. However, if it’s usual to tie the opening after inflating the ball is Muktzeh and can’t be used. [16] Similarly, some permit one to inflate a balloon on Shabbat for a child. [17]
  4. It’s not within the sanctity of Shabbat to visit a sports game even if there’s no issue of the admissions ticket. [18]

Bikes

  1. Children shouldn’t ride a bike on Shabbat, however a tricycle or scooter is permissible only within in an eruv. Preferably, the bell on the scooter should be removed. [19]

Swings

  1. It’s permissible to climb a swing set, but forbidden to climb a tree or ascend a ladder leaning against a tree. [20]
  2. It’s permissible to use a swing suspended from a swing set. [21]
  3. Some permit using a swing suspended from a tree as long as the tree doesn’t shake when used, however, a tire suspended from a tree shouldn’t be used, while others forbid altogether unless the swing suspends from a pole that’s attached to two trees. [22]

Toy car

  1. It’s permissible to wind up a spring motorized toy on Shabbat. [23]
  2. Before Shabbat one must remove batteries from a battery run toy in order that the child can play with it on Shabbat. [24]

Scrabble

  1. It’s forbidden to play a game that one normally writes when playing the game. [25] Therefore, some say that scrabble shouldn’t be played on Shabbat because one normally writes when playing the game. [26]
  2. Some hold that it is permissible to play as long as you do not use the scrabble board that has individual squares for each tile.

Jacks

  1. Playing five stone (a type of jacks) is permissible and isn’t an issue of Muktze. [27]

Photographs

  1. It’s permissible to place a photograph into an album unless the photo’s adhere to the page or is stuck into the album even by means of a corner piece. [28]

Lego or Tinkertoy

  1. It’s permissible to play with building blocks that don’t interlock. [29]
  2. Some say that playing with Lego or Tinkertoy isn’t considered building and is permissible. [30] However, some say that it’s forbidden. [31]

Board games

  1. Using dice on Shabbat is permitted. [32]

Monopoly

  1. It is permitted to play monopoly on Shabbat, while others say that one should refrain. [33]

Card games

  1. It’s permissible to play card games, however, when finished, one may not separate the cards in order to put it away. [34]

Puzzles

  1. Some poskim permit building puzzles on Shabbat, while others forbid. To avoid the issue of Borer (separating) one must be careful not to separate pieces that one doesn’t want from those that one wants. [35]

Sephardim

Sh”t Or Letzion 2:26:8 writes that a ball is Muktzah for boys and girls above Bar and Bat mitzvah, however games, in general, isn’t muktzah but it’s better not to treat it as muktzah and not move it.

References

  1. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:1, Children in Halacha (Rabbi Simcha Bunim pg 132). See Sh”t Or Letzion 2:45:5 who only permits games for girls under Bat Mitzvah because for adults it’s an issue of muktzah, and for boys under Bar Mitzvah it’s an issue of getting them involved in something that will cause Bitul Torah.
  2. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:2
  3. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:3, 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 4, pg 1161-2)
  4. ↑ Children in Halacha (Rabbi Simcha Bunim, pg 134)
  5. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:3, 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 4, pg 1161)
  6. ↑ Children in Halacha (Rabbi Simcha Bunim, pg 135)
  7. ↑ Children in Halacha (Rabbi Simcha Bunim, pg 133)
  8. ↑ Children in Halacha (Rabbi Simcha Bunim, pg 134)
  9. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:4, Children in Halacha (Rabbi Simcha Bunim, pg 137-8), 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 2, pg 253)
  10. ↑ Children in Halacha (pg 140), Sh”t Bear Moshe 6:34, Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:13
  11. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:21
  12. ↑ Children in Halacha (Rabbi Simcha Bunim, pg 138)
  13. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:5
  14. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:6. Children in Halacha (Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen, pg 137) adds that any game which the ball rolls on the ground may not be played except on pavement, however, other ball games can be played even on grass. Children in Halacha (Rabbi Simcha Bunim, pg 140) says that it’s permissible to play ping-pong.
  15. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:7, Children in Halacha (Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen, pg 137)
  16. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:8
  17. ↑ Children in Halacha (pg 139)
  18. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:9
  19. ↑ Children in Halacha (pg 138), Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:17 adds a scooter
  20. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:15
  21. ↑ Children in Halacha (pg 140), Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:16
  22. ↑ Children in Halacha (pg 140) is lenient, while Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:16 is stringent.
  23. ↑ Children in Halacha (pg 139), Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:14
  24. ↑ Children in Halacha (pg 139)
  25. ↑ Chaye Adam (Shabbat 38:11)
  26. ↑ Children in Halacha (Rabbi Simcha Bunim, pg 135), Tiltulei Shabbat (Halachos of Muktzeh pg 24)
  27. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:11
  28. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:12
  29. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:18
  30. ↑ Sh”T Or Letzion vol 2 (chap 45:5 pg 272), Sh”t Tzitz Eliezer 13:30, Sh”t Bear Moshe 6:25, Sh”t Yabea Omer 7:39(4), Yalkut Yosef 314:1, Children in Halacha (Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen, pg 135), Sh”t Machazeh Eliyahu 69
  31. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:19 (in the new edition) writes that building blocks which fit together tightly are forbidden and continues to give Lego as an example. Similarly, Shalmei Yehuda (pg 90) quotes Rav Elyashiv as saying that lego would be considered building. Sefer Tiltulei Shabbat (Rabbi Pinchas Bodner, pg 24) quotes Rav Moshe Feinstein as saying that it’s not clear whether the interlocking pieces is forbidden, and therefore the Sefer Tiltulei Shabbat writes that one shouldn’t give it to a child, but if the child takes it not to object.
  32. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:33
  33. ↑ Children in Halacha (pg 139) and Sh”t Or Letzion 2:45:5 in the note are lenient, while Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:32 says that it’s preferable to refrain.
  34. ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:34
  35. ↑ Sh”t Or Letzion 2:45:6 writes that it’s not considered writing since it’s only for the purposes of a game (and it’s temporary). So too there’s no issue of Borer since one takes the pieces one wants and uses them immediately. So holds Sh”t Beer Moshe 6:26, and Rav Pinchas Scheinberg quoted in Children in Halacha (pg 140), and Rav Moshe HaLevi in Menuchat Ahava (vol 3, 22:16). However, Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata 16:23 forbids if the pieces fit tight together (interlock). Similarly, Shalmei Yehuda (pg 90) quoting Rav Elyashiv and Sefer Tiltulei Shabbat (pg 25; Rabbi Yisrael Bodner) write that it’s forbidden.
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