- Q. Last Shabbos, we were taking part in a beautiful Sheva Brochos Kiddush. Sadly someone serving tripped and a large pile of dishes fell on the floor and mostly broke. Was it better, since the broken pieces are muktza that just one (the one that broke them, he is Jewish), should collect them or could others also help? Is touching and moving muktza by two more lenient?
A. Talmud (Shabbos 93a) discusses the prohibited Melachos of Shabbos when done by two people together. There is a discussion between Poskim whether the above applies only to become exempt from bringing a Korban for redemption of the sin, or for other punishments for the sin itself.
Eishel Avrohom (Buchach 2 – 305: 19), indeed maintains that there is more leniency when two do the prohibited melacha on Shabbos.
Imrei Yosher (ibid at the end of the Sefer) further explains that as in need one can move a muktza object with his feet or similar, so were our sages more lenient with the Rabbinical prohibition of Muktza when done by two.
However, Oz Nidberu and others remain stringent.
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is also to be stringent.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Yaakov Hirschman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit'a.
Important Numbers
