#230: Climbing Trees (Part 1)
1. In addition to concerns about smelling fruits mentioned yesterday, Chazal instituted several other rabbinic safeguards related to trees on Shabbat to ensure that one does not detach branches on Shabbat and violate the melachah of kotzer (detaching). For example, one may not climb or stand in a tree on Shabbat (Talmud, Beitzah 36b; Shulchan Aruch, O.C. 336:1). Though adults rarely climb trees, children often do. Thus, it is important to teach kids of chinuch age (around three) that tree climbing is forbidden on Shabbat.
2. The prohibition of climbing a tree applies only to trees that are higher than 3 tefachim (handbreadths) off the ground (24 cm/9.4 in) (Shulchan Aruch, O.C. 336:2). Therefore, it would be permitted to stand on a short tree stump.
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Dedicated by Fran Broder as a zechus for the hostages to be released safely to their families and may everlasting peace come to Eretz Yisrael in the merit of learning Hilchos Shabbos.
