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This battery-powered handheld clock that has alarm clock and stopwatch features, would such a clock be muktzeh on Shabbos, even if one turned off the alarm clock feature before Shabbos?

larry909
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mishmosh73
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2 Answers2

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According this article of Rabbi Yisrael Rozen of Tzomet institute, it might not even be a muktze.

He states that changing the power of existing electrical current in Shabbat is not forbidden:

כך פסק הר"י נויבירט (שמירת שבת כהלכתה לד,כח) בשם הרש"ז אוירבך:

מכשיר חשמלי בשבת לכבדי שמיעה מותר להם להשתמש בו בשבת, ובתנאי שהמכשיר יהיה מופעל מבעוד יום. ומותר לשנות בשבת את עצמת המכשיר.

וכן כתב הרא"י ולדינברג (ציץ-אליעזר ח"ו סוף סי' ו):

אין גם לאסור את הדיבור אל החרש הזה המורכב במשקפי שמע אלה, אע"פ שהאדם המדבר מפעיל בדיבורו אליו את הזרם שבמשקפי השמע, ואין כאן לא משום בונה ולא משום מוליד.

ובעקבותיהם הר"ע יוסף (יביע-אומר ח"א או"ח סי' יט):

דברתי בזה עם ידידי הרב הגאון המפורסם כמהר"ר שלמה זלמן אוירבך, ובבקיאותו הרבה בענינים אלו הודיעני באופן ברור, כי דברי הרב עצי-הלבנון וילקוט-הגרשוני בזה אינם נכונים במציאות, ושאין הדיבור והבל הפה מעוררים זיקי אש וניצוצי אור חשמלי, רק הגברת הזרם שאין בו שום חשש של הבערה וכבוי...לפי האמור יש להתיר אם מכינים אותה מע"ש, שאין לחוש בהגברת הזרם לכלום.

R"Y Noibert (Shmirat Shavat Kehilchta 34:28) of behalf of Garsh"z Oyerbach

Hearing aid is allowed to be used on Shabbat, if it was on before Shabbat, and it's allowed to change the aid's volume

RA"Y Valdinberg (Tziz Eliezer 6:6)

We are not to forbid the disabled to use those aids, even if the man that talks operates the current in the aid, it not Bonee nor Molid.

Rabbi Ovadia Yossef (Yabia Ommer A Orach Haim 19)

I Talked to the Garsha"z, and with his vast knowledge of those issues he told me clearly, the the Rabbies Etzi Havanon and Yalkut Gershoni misunderstand the reality, and the talking (to those aids) does not cause sparks nor light, just empower on the electrical current that has nothing to do with ignition or extinguish... according to this, it should be allowed if is on before Shabbat, because empower on the electrical current is lacking any prohibition.

So maybe a Rabbi will not allow you to turn on the stopper on Shabbat because you are not in need like a person who need hearing aids, but theoretically, there is no Chilul Shabat on turning on the stopper, so the watch can't be muktze because of this.

Alaychem goes to Codidact
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According to your description, the clock sounds like a כלי שמלאכתו לאסור. In that case it would be permissible to move it if you needed the space it occupies (e.g. someone left it on the couch), לצורך מקומו. It would also be permissible to move it in order to do a permitted action such as reading the time it displays, לצורך גופו. With this type of muktzeh, whether or not you can move it, it depends on what you are planning to do with it. Hope this was clear!

nosh
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    Since the use is just to look at it, how it melakhto le'issur? – Micha Berger Jan 19 '20 at 14:37
  • The use as an alarm clock or the stop watch may be what is meant. @MichaBerger – sabbahillel Jan 20 '20 at 00:46
  • @sabbahillel: but he said the alarm clock is turned off. So the primary function is the clock, no? – Micha Berger Jan 20 '20 at 01:22
  • @MichaBerger It was my understanding that the clock display was battery powered. In any case the clock was manufactured to be an alarm clock, to set the alarm and turn of the alarm when it rings, i.e. to use it in its normal way, would be an issur. – nosh Jan 20 '20 at 03:40
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    @nosh isn't the "primary use" of any clock the clock, not the alarm? – Micha Berger Jan 20 '20 at 03:42
  • @MichaBerger The root of the issur of muktzeh is that the item is not set aside, i.e. you do not intend to use/move it on shabbos. The use of the clock as a clock does not require you to move it, only using the stopwatch or alarm would require moving the item (generally). – nosh Jan 20 '20 at 03:46
  • @nosh unless you are learning in the dining room, where there is no clock but there is a table to put the sefarim down on, and you need to know when to leave for Minchah. (If people didn't want portable clocks, why would they make battery powered ones? Or watches?) You are saying that because this particular clock has an alarm, there is no market for such clocks without one? – Micha Berger Jan 20 '20 at 03:58
  • Your premise is challenged by many Achronim, see my answer. – Alaychem goes to Codidact Jan 20 '20 at 10:09
  • Definitely a battery operated clock which has no alarm is not muktzeh at all, but once a clock has an alarm, it is manufactured for that purpose. – nosh Jan 21 '20 at 05:20
  • I have some clocks like this and I use them as clocks. I think I've used the alarm once. Your phone probably has an alarm too. Is it manufactured for that purpose? (Don't get me wrong - I'm not doubting that a phone is muktzeh. I'm saying that just because something has an alarm doesn't mean the alarm is its primary purpose.) – Heshy Jan 22 '20 at 14:01
  • As far as a phone, and many clocks, the question would arise if it is in fact muktseh mechamat chesron kis, in which case it can't be moved for ANY purpose. The phone's main usage is something which is assur, making it melachto le'isur, if not chesron kis. – Ysiegel Aug 14 '22 at 11:01