Shabbat: A (Acquisitions, Animals)

Richard B. Aiken

Shabbat: Permitted Acquisitions

You may not acquire items (kinyan) on Shabbat unless they are needed for that Shabbat or for doing a mitzva. The classic example of doing something for Shabbat is bringing food or drink to a house for Shabbat lunch, which the house owner acquires on Shabbat for Shabbat. Other permissible kinyan on Shabbat:

  • Giving a siddur or chumash to use on that Shabbat.
  • Giving permissible medicine for use on that Shabbat.

Shabbat: Moving Animals

All animals are muktza on Shabbat, even pets, since they do not have a practical use. Moving the animal or its fur or picking up an animal is a violation of muktza.

REASON: Originally, all animals were owned for specific practical purposes (cats to catch mice, dogs for protections, horses for traveling...) and they were not used as pets as they are today (for companionship, to pet, etc). Some poskim say that some pets are not muktza since they are similar to toys.

Shabbat: Feeding Animals Before Yourself

If you do own an animal, you must generally feed it before you are permitted to eat your own food. If  you eat first, you have violated a Torah commandment.

Shabbat: Dog-Walking inside Eruv

You may walk a dog or other animal on a leash on Shabbat within an eruv or inside an enclosed property.

Shabbat: Dog-Walking outside Eruv

You may walk a dog or other animal on a leash on Shabbat outside a private domain, but you must hold the leash within 10 1/2" (27 cm) of the end and no part of the leash may droop to within 10 1/2" of the ground at any time.

Muktza: Feeding Animals that Do Not Belong To You

You may not feed animals that do not belong to you on Shabbat (even if they are tame).

EXCEPTION:  It may be permissible to feed dogs on Shabbat even if they do not belong to you. Consult a rabbi.

Training Animal To Violate Shabbat

You may not train your dog or other animal to turn on or off lights for you on Shabbat.

Shabbat: Trapping/Releasing Animals

You may not trap wild animals on Shabbat (or on a Jewish festival). You may release a wild animal that is trapped in a trap or cage by opening the door or gate, but you may not move or lift the cage when the animal is in the cage.

NOTE: The question behind this was asked by my niece Eliza when she was 6-years-old—ANYONE can ask intelligent and useful questions!

Shabbat: Feeding Wild Trapped Animal

You may not feed wild animals on Shabbat.  But, if you intend to keep an animal that you trapped, you MUST feed it.

Copyright 2015 Richard B. Aiken. Halacha L’Maaseh appears courtesy of www.practicalhalacha.com Visit their web site for more information.