#259: Brushing Teeth as Related to Sechitah

1. The prohibition of sechitah related to dosh may also apply to other items that do not involve food. For example, when brushing teeth on Shabbat, pressing a toothbrush that was rinsed with water against one’s teeth when brushing may involve sechitah on a rabbinic level because the water absorbed in the area of the bristles is squeezed and used to rinse the teeth. Although the bristles themselves do not absorb liquid, pressing the toothbrush against one’s teeth still may be similar to squeezing one’s hair, which is forbidden rabbinically (Tractate Shabbat 128b) because the hairs are very close together and the water appears to be absorbed (Shabbat sponges may be more lenient and will be discussed next week).

2. Some poskim hold that one may not brush one’s teeth on Shabbat due to concerns of sechitah, along with other potential issues (see Igrot Moshe, O.C. 1:112, Minchat Yitzchak 3:48). Others hold that this does not constitute sechitah for a variety of reasons[EO2] (Seridei Eish 1:30, R. Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, cited in Shemirat Shabbat K'hilchatah). We will continue discussing this subject tomorrow.

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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.