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According the rules of Muktzeh regarding the category of Mechamat Chisaron Kis, objects that have one specific purpose and the owner takes care not to damage it or let it get stolen may not be handled on shabbat.

Does this classify a kiddush cup as something Mechamat Chisaron Kis? What is the exception that makes the kiddush cup permitted to be handled on shabbat?

MTL
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Ani Yodea
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2 Answers2

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Rabbi Ribiat (The 39 Melochos) defines Muktza Machmas Chesron Kis as

  1. Items or utensils that one would generally not handle at any time because of their fragility or great value.
  2. Items that (because they are fragile or valuable) would not be used for anything other than their specific non-permissible uses, and are not left "lying around" between uses.

(vol. 1, page 47; emphasis his, but I probably would have emphasized that anyway ;-)

I don't think that either rule applies to a kiddush cup.

MTL
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    D'oh! Otherwise a sefer torah would also be muktzeh... – Ani Yodea Feb 02 '15 at 16:33
  • Shokhet, why do you feel that the first rule does not apply to kiddush cups? – Ani Yodea Feb 02 '15 at 16:34
  • We use silver kiddush cups all the time, don't we? I don't think it's like an original Rembrandt painting that I'd never touch. – MTL Feb 02 '15 at 16:35
  • You might be taking the rule to the extreme, but tzarich iyun. – Ani Yodea Feb 02 '15 at 16:43
  • Rembrandt was a rather extreme example, I'll grant you that. But all the same, I don't think that people avoid touching or using kiddush cups because of their value. – MTL Feb 02 '15 at 16:45
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    @AniYodea, It may be worthwhile to check out this question. – MTL Feb 02 '15 at 16:46
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    @AniYodea Seforim have no din Muktza attached to them – ertert3terte Feb 02 '15 at 17:52
  • @ShmuelBrin, even a very valuable sefer? Perhaps one that is up for sale? – Ani Yodea Feb 02 '15 at 18:28
  • @AniYodea every object has a din of muktza, just some have more lenient laws than the other. The only exception is food and seforim (and some say cutlery). There was no Muktza decreed against these vessels, so one can move them as much as one wants (in contrast to everything else which can only be moved for a reason) – ertert3terte Feb 02 '15 at 22:20
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Shulchan Aruch Harav implies that to be muktzeh machmas chesron kis an object must also be "melachto l'issur" See here

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