From the Rav’s Desk: Folding a page of a Sefer on Shabbos

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  1. Question: [Thursday, 19th Nissan, 5781]

May I make a mark on the page of a book on Shabbos in order to remember the page for editorial or other type of purposes? Is this considered like writing? Is this considered like preparing for after Shabbos?

Answer:

It is forbidden to make an indentation on a page on Shabbos, such as through the use of one’s fingernail. However, it is permitted to fold the tip of the page of a Torah Sefer for the sake of remembering the page after Shabbos to either make note of its content or for editorial purposes.

Explanation: Although on Shabbos it is forbidden to make an indentation on the page of a book due to the Rabbinical writing prohibition, nonetheless the Poskim write that it is permitted to bend the page being that there is no intent to make an indentation. Nonetheless, this is only allowed for a mitzvah purpose, such as to remember a Torah subject, as otherwise it is forbidden to prepare on Shabbos for a weekday.

                                                                             

Sources: See Admur 340:7; Sheivet Hakehasy 1:130; Kinyan Torah 2:115; Piskeiy Teshuvos 340:19 [21]

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

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