570. Separating Pages

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. 80:49 Sometimes, a stitch in a garment may come loose, causing the sections of the garment to separate slightly. If one pulls on the loose thread, the pieces of the garment are drawn together again. One may not pull on such a stitch on Shabbos because it constitutes sewing.

80:50 If pages get stuck together unintentionally, such as if the pages of a book are stuck together from the binder’s glue or wax that dripped on them, one may separate them on Shabbos (so long as one does not break letters - Mishnah Berurah 340:45). (If the pages of a book are connected because they were never properly separated, one may not separate them on Shabbos – MB, ibid.)