Sunday, December 6, 2009

Shabbat & High Heels

Daniella Ginsberg writes:
Is it muktza to walk on the grass on shabbos in high heels if it makes holes in the ground? And if so, what malacha is it?
Thanks,
Daniella

The melacha that wearing high heels on grass, dirt, or sand might violate is choresh-plowing. Rabbi Ribiat, in his encyclopedic work, The 39 Melachot (which is an excellent resource for Hilchot Shabbat questions!) writes that there is firm basis to allow wearing high heels even when making holes and kicking up dirt or sand is inevitable. He does quote some in the footnotes who say that it might be preferable to walk slowly if you are wearing heels in this situation, as then penetrating the soil and kicking up soil might not be inevitable.

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