Showering on Yom Tov

From Halachipedia

Primary Sources

  1. Beitzah 21b: may heat up water
    1. Beit Hillel:
      1. Beitza 13 he relies on “Mitoch”
      2. or says any action which is permissible should it be in the context of cooking process is so too permitted for non-cooking purposes
      3. any pleasurable activity is under the permissibility of ochel nefesh

Debate amongst Rishonim

  1. Tosafot
    1. Davar shaave lechol nefesh
    2. ketubot 7: venison meat is shaave (so lack of availability doesn’t preclude shaave)
  2. Rambam
    1. Takanat Hamerchatz/Gezeirat Habalanim
  3. Ramban
    1. Peripheral Gezerah
    2. Attacks Tosafot: argues that showering is indeed a pleasurable activity enjoyed by all
    3. Disagrees with the (Rambam) idea of extending a Gezerah of Shabbat to Yom Tov

Nafka Minot

  1. Tosafot
    1. Limb by Limb
      1. Rashba says Limb is “Shaave Lakol”.
    2. Second day of Yom Tov, or a three day yom tov=a dirty person
    3. Infant
    4. Taking the chill out of the water
      1. Chafetz Chaim says for mikvah, hot water isn’t shaave but taking the chill out of the water (511:25) is Shaave
  2. Rambam
    1. Modern Bathrooms not analogous to ancient bathhouses
    2. Water Heated up Erev Yom Tov
      1. Sephardic: since issur is dirabanan, not extend gezeirah legezeirah and therefore permissible (practically, taking hot shower 9pm vs 4pm the next day)
      2. Ashkenazik: since issur is deoroita, extend gezerah to water heated before Yom Tov
    3. Chole sheeyn bo sakana
    4. Amira le’akum

Psak

  1. Sephardic
    1. Shulchan Oruch O’C 511:
      1. May not shower on Yom tov with water heated on Yom Tov
      2. May Shower on Yom Tov with water heated before Yom Tov
    2. Rav Ovadyah Yosef (Chazon Ovadya Yom Tov p41,157):
      1. Since today’s bathrooms are different than ancient bathhouses, one may
      2. Shower on Yom Tov with water heated before Yom Tov as long as not in a bathhouse
      3. Shower on Yom Tov Sheni with water heated by an electric heater on Yom Tov Rishon
  2. Ashkenazik
    1. Mishna Berurah [1] since whole body is not “Shaave Lakol”, it’s prohibited.
    2. Shmirat Shabbat Kihilchitah [2]
      1. Washing the whole or most of one’s body at once in warm water is forbidden on Yom Tov even if the water was heated before Yom Tov
      2. Water Which was heated before Yom tov may be used to wash parts or even the whole of one’s body part by part
      3. Water may be heated on Yom Tov itself to wash one’s face hands and feet.
      4. ponders “Shaave" at length , especially if one is very dirty.
      5. even if not "Shaave” the way our pipes work, the hot water will also go to the kitchen sink to wash hands “making tosafot’s fear remote”
    3. Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen [3]
      1. It is prohibited to bathe or shower one’s entire body or the majority of the body in warm water on Yom Tov, even if the water was heated up the day before
      2. It is customary to refrain even form bathing or showering with cold water on Yom Tov
      3. In cases of discomfort (e.g. a person perspiring heavily) it is permitted to bathe or shower with cold water
      4. It is permitted to wash the entire body one limb at a time with cold water heated before yom tov. However it is forbidden to heat water or use hot tap water for this purpose
      5. it is permitted to heat up water for the purpose of washing a minor par of the boy
      6. washing any part of the body in a shower or bathtub is forbidden unless one is partly clothed
    4. Is “Davar HaShaaveh Lakol Nefesh” subject to change? [4]
      1. Ramah and Magen Avraham argue over whether daily showering for a baby is Shave
      2. Chafetz Chaim in Biur Halacha suggests reason shulcha oruch only wrote hands and not “hands and feet” is that possibly “shaave” changed and whereas in the past without shoes and dirty roads feet used to be “Shaave” but not any longer
    5. linchpin seems to be minhag of not using even cold water to bathe on Shabbat, once challenge the extension (RMF allow cold bathing on Shabbat if Tzaar), may be permissible to shower on Yom Tov

Extra

  1. Nafka Minot Between Shabbbat and Yom Tov
    1. Hotel: infusing idea of lo nicha is only relevant when action of heating water inherently prohibited (Shabbat)
  1. ↑ Mishna Brurah 511:18
  2. ↑ 14:7
  3. ↑ This is discussed in his book "The Laws of Yom Tov".
  4. ↑ "Changes in Sociology or Technology and Jewish Law Responses to Them: The Cases of Showering or Smoking on Yom Tov" is a good RJJ article by Avi Wagner and R’ Broyde on this topic. (R’ broyde states aware of only one posek who says “Shaave” never changes).
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