589. Making Music

In an introductory note to this chapter, the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch writes that most Jews are already familiar with the prohibited labors of Shabbos and that he is only addressing common situations with which people may not be familiar. Clearly, the laws of Shabbos constitute an area requiring much greater study than this email alone will allow. 80:87 We are not permitted to make musical sounds on Shabbos, not with an instrument nor with our body parts other than with our mouths; one may not even snap his fingers or rap them on the table, nor may he rattle nuts or ring a bell to entertain a small child. One should not clap hands or dance on Shabbos, though this is permitted in honor of the Torah (though not for other simchas - Mishnah Brurah 339:8). If a peron does so to amuse a crying child, he should not be reprimanded because there are authorities who permit this. (Nowadays, we are generally more lenient when it comes to clapping and dancing on Shabbos - see Rema 339:3.)

80:88 It is permitted to make non-musical sounds, so we may do things like knocking on a door so that it should be opened. Some authorities forbid making noise with objects designed specifically for that purpose, such as a door knocker. Similarly, a clock that sounds the hour when pressed or when one pulls a string may not be used on Shabbos or yom tov.