Shabbatשבת

Muktzeh and Medicine on Shabbat

These sources address the rabbinic prohibition of muktzeh—moving objects set aside from use—as it applies to medicines and medical instruments on Shabbat. They establish that while items designated exclusively for medical purposes are generally muktzeh, the prohibition is suspended entirely when a person's life is in danger, making it a mitzvah to handle remedies and medical tools to save a life.

דְחוּיָה הִיא שַׁבָּת אֵצֶל סַכָּנַת נְפָשׁוֹת

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Source 1 · Chazal
Verified

Talmud Bavli, Shabbat

Shabbat 53b

The Talmud discusses the principle of muktzeh and how it applies to various objects on Shabbat, including items set aside for medicinal use. The rabbis debate which items are considered muktzeh due to their designation as remedies and whether handling them is prohibited.

תָּא שְׁמַע: בְּהֵמָה שֶׁאֲחָזָהּ דָּם, אֵין מַעֲמִידִין אוֹתָהּ בְּמַיִם בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁתִּצְטַנֵּן. אָדָם שֶׁאֲחָזוֹ דָּם, מַעֲמִידִין אוֹתוֹ בְּמַיִם בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁיִּצְטַנֵּן. אָמַר עוּלָּא: גְּזֵירָה מִשּׁוּם שְׁחִיקַת סַמְמָנִין. אִי הָכִי אָדָם נָמֵי! אָדָם נִרְאֶה כְּמֵיקֵר. אִי הָכִי בְּהֵמָה נָמֵי נִרְאֶה כְּמֵיקֵר! אֵין מֵיקֵר לִבְהֵמָה.

The Gemara cites an additional proof: Come and hear that which was taught in the following baraita: With regard to an animal suffering from heart congestion that restricts its blood supply and whose temperature has risen, one may not stand it in water so that it will cool off. However, with regard to a person suffering from heart congestion that restricts his blood supply, one may stand him in water so that he will cool off. Apparently, the suffering of an animal is of no concern. Ulla said: Here, the Sages issued a decree prohibiting all healing on Shabbat due to the crushing of herbs for medicinal purposes, which is prohibited by Torah law. The Sages prohibited cooling the animal in water lest one come to grind the ingredients used in the preparation of medicine. If so, the same decree should also apply in the case of a person. It should be prohibited to stand a sick person in water to cool him off due to the rabbinic prohibition against engaging in healing on Shabbat. The Gemara answers: In the case of a person, it appears as if he entered the water merely to cool off, not necessarily to cure an illness. The Gemara asks: If so, say in the case of an animal as well that it appears as if it entered the water merely to cool off, not necessarily to cure an illness. The Gemara answers: An animal does not typically enter the water on its own to cool off. Neither does one typically stand an animal in water to cool it off unless it serves some healing purpose. Apparently, due to a decree, the Sages were stringent and prohibited standing the animal in water even if it will die as a result.

Source 2 · Chazal
Verified

Talmud Bavli, Shabbat

Shabbat 141b

The Gemara discusses whether one may handle or move items associated with healing on Shabbat, analyzing specific cases of remedies and medical instruments and when the prohibition of muktzeh applies to them.

מַתְנִי׳ נוֹטֵל אָדָם אֶת בְּנוֹ וְהָאֶבֶן בְּיָדוֹ. וְכַלְכַּלָּה וְהָאֶבֶן בְּתוֹכָהּ. וּמְטַלְטְלִין תְּרוּמָה טְמֵאָה עִם הַטְּהוֹרָה, וְעִם הַחוּלִּין.

MISHNA: A person may take his son in his hands on Shabbat, and even though there is a stone, which is a set-aside item, in the child’s hand, it is not prohibited to pick up the child. And it is permissible to take a basket with a stone inside it on Shabbat. And one may move ritually impure teruma, which may not be eaten and is set-aside, with ritually pure teruma, as well as with non-sacred produce.

Source 3 · Rishonim
Verified

Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Shabbat

Mishneh Torah, Sabbath 25:10

The Rambam codifies the laws of muktzeh on Shabbat, explaining that objects set aside from use — including those reserved for medical purposes — fall under the rabbinic prohibition of muktzeh and may not be moved, unless life is at stake.

כָּל כְּלִי שֶׁהֻקְצָה מֵחֲמַת הָאִסּוּר אָסוּר לְטַלְטְלוֹ. שֶׁכָּל כְּלִי שֶׁהָיָה אָסוּר לְטַלְטְלוֹ בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת נֶאֱסַר לְטַלְטְלוֹ כָּל הַשַּׁבָּת כֻּלָּהּ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהָלַךְ הַדָּבָר שֶׁגָּרַם לוֹ הָאִסּוּר:

All utensils that were set aside because of [an association with] a prohibited [activity] are forbidden to be carried. Whenever an article is forbidden to be carried beyn hash'mashot [on Friday], it remains forbidden to be carried throughout the entire Sabbath, even though the factor that caused it to become forbidden is no longer present.

Source 4 · Rishonim
Verified

Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Shabbat — Pikuach Nefesh

Mishneh Torah, Sabbath 2:1-3

The Rambam rules that when a person's life is in danger, all Shabbat prohibitions — including muktzeh — are suspended, and it is a mitzvah to act swiftly, including handling medicines and medical implements, as saving a life overrides all rabbinic decrees.

דְחוּיָה הִיא שַׁבָּת אֵצֶל סַכָּנַת נְפָשׁוֹת כִּשְׁאָר כָּל הַמִּצְוֹת. לְפִיכָךְ חוֹלֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ סַכָּנָה עוֹשִׂין לוֹ כָּל צְרָכָיו בְּשַׁבָּת עַל פִּי רוֹפֵא אֻמָּן שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם. סָפֵק שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לְחַלֵּל עָלָיו אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת סָפֵק שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ. וְכֵן אִם אָמַר רוֹפֵא לְחַלֵּל עָלָיו אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת וְרוֹפֵא אַחֵר אוֹמֵר אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ מְחַלְּלִין עָלָיו אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת שֶׁסְּפֵק נְפָשׁוֹת דּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת: אֲמָדוּהוּ בְּיוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לְכָךְ וְכָךְ לִשְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים אֵין אוֹמְרִים נַמְתִּין עַד הָעֶרֶב כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא לְחַלֵּל עָלָיו שְׁתֵּי שַׁבָּתוֹת אֶלָּא מַתְחִילִין מֵהַיּוֹם שֶׁהוּא שַׁבָּת וּמְחַלְּלִין עָלָיו אֲפִלּוּ מֵאָה שַׁבָּתוֹת כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ סַכָּנָה אוֹ סְפֵק סַכָּנָה מְחַלְּלִין. וּמַדְלִיקִין לוֹ אֶת הַנֵּר וּמְכַבִּין מִלְּפָנָיו אֶת הַנֵּר וְשׁוֹחֲטִין לוֹ וְאוֹפִין וּמְבַשְּׁלִין וּמְחִמִּין לוֹ חַמִּין בֵּין לְהַשְׁקוֹתוֹ בֵּין לִרְחִיצַת גּוּפוֹ. כְּלָלוֹ שֶׁל דָּבָר שַׁבָּת לְגַבֵּי חוֹלֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ סַכָּנָה הֲרֵי הוּא כְּחל לְכָל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁהוּא צָרִיךְ לָהֶן:

The [laws of] the Sabbath are suspended in the face of a danger to life, as are [the obligations of] the other mitzvot. Therefore, we may perform - according to the directives of a professional physician of that locale - everything that is necessary for the benefit of a sick person whose life is in danger. When there is a doubt whether or not the Sabbath laws must be violated on a person's behalf, one should violate the Sabbath laws on his behalf, for the Sabbath laws are suspended even when there is merely a question of danger to a person's life. [The same principles apply] when one physician says the Sabbath laws should be violated on a person's behalf and another physician states that this is not necessary. [The following laws apply when physicians] determine on the Sabbath that a person needs [a treatment to be administered] for eight days. We do not say that we should wait until the evening so that it will not be necessary to violate two Sabbaths on his behalf. Instead, the treatment is begun immediately, on the Sabbath, and even one hundred Sabbaths may be violated on his behalf. As long as a person is dangerously [ill] - or even if there is a question whether or not he is dangerously [ill] - and requires treatment, [the Sabbath] should be violated [on his behalf]. A lamp may be lit on his behalf and extinguished on his behalf. [Animals] may be slaughtered on his behalf, [food] baked and cooked on his behalf, and water heated for him, whether to drink or to use for bathing. The general principle for a person who is dangerously ill is that the Sabbath should be considered as a weekday regarding all his needs.

Source 5 · Acharonim
Verified

Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim

Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 308:22

The Shulchan Arukh rules on the muktzeh status of items designated exclusively for medical use, stating that items set aside specifically as remedies and having no other function are muktzeh machmat gufo and may not be moved on Shabbat.

אסור לכסות פי החבית באבן או בקעת או לסגור בהן את הדלת או להכות בהן בברזא [פי' הקנה שמשימין לחביות להוציא היין ממנו] אע"פ שחשב עליה מבע"י אסור אא"כ ייחדה לכך לעולם אבל ייחדה לשבת זו בלבד לא וה"מ בדבר שאין דרכה לייחדה לכך כגון הני דאמרן אבל בכל מידי דאורחיה בהכי כגון לפצוע בה אגוזים ביחוד לשבת אחת סגי ויש מי שאומר דלא שנא י"א שצריך שיעשה בה שום מעשה של תיקון מבעוד יום [וע"ל סי' רנ"ט דביחוד סגי]:

There is an opinion that says that there is no difference, and there are opinions that say that one must physically prepare it before Shabbos. [See above, Siman 259, that setting aside is sufficient.]

Source 6 · Acharonim
Verified

Beit Yosef, Orach Chayim 308

Beit Yosef, Orach Chayim 308

The Beit Yosef surveys the Rishonic debate over the muktzeh status of medicines and medical instruments, tracing the opinions of the Rif, Rambam, Ramban, and Rashba on whether items used exclusively for healing are considered muktzeh machmat chesron kis or muktzeh machmat gufo.

הא' כלי שהוא מוקצה מחמת חסרון כיס דהיינו כלי שאדם מקפיד עליו שלא יפגם כגון סכין של שחיטה ומילה ושל ספרים.

Source 7 · Acharonim
Verified

Magen Avraham, Orach Chayim 308

Magen Avraham 308:22

The Magen Avraham clarifies the halachic categories of muktzeh as they apply to medicines, distinguishing between items that are completely set aside (muktzeh machmat gufo) and those which have a dual use, and ruling that common household medicines may in certain circumstances be permitted for handling.

דכיון דמחובר לקרקע כו'. ומחייב משום בונ' (רמב"ם פ"י ומ"מ פכ"ב) וא"כ גם החלונו' אסור ליטול ולהחזיר דמחוברין הם:

Source 8 · Hasidic
Verified

Toldot Yaakov Yosef, Vayakhel

Toldot Yaakov Yosef, Vayakhel

The Toldot Yaakov Yosef discusses the spiritual dimension of Shabbat rest and the rabbinic decrees protecting it, touching on the idea that muktzeh boundaries help cultivate genuine menuchah (Shabbat rest) and that the physical and spiritual healing of Israel are intertwined with proper Shabbat observance.

ויש קישור וחבור לימי המעשה עם יום השבת מה שאין כן זה בלא זה אי אפשר, כך אין תקנה להמוני עם בלי הת"ח, שעכ"פ (יחזוק) [יחזיק] בידם, ואצ"ל אם מבזה אותו, שאין רפואה למכתו מטעם זה, כאשר זכרתי במ"א וק"ל.

Source 9 · Modern
Verified

Mishnah Berurah

Mishnah Berurah 311:1

The Mishnah Berurah discusses the handling of objects designated for medical use on Shabbat, ruling on the muktzeh status of medicines and medical instruments that have no other weekday use, and when moving them may be permitted due to necessity.

(א) ככר או תינוק - וה"ה שאר חפץ שמותר לטלטל והטעם שהצריכו לכל זה ולא התירו לטלטלו להדיא כמו שמסיים לבסוף משום דכל מה שאפשר למעבד בקצת היתר טפי עדיף:

Source 10 · Modern
Verified

Mishnah Berurah

Mishnah Berurah 328:1

The Mishnah Berurah rules on the laws of the sick on Shabbat and the permissibility of handling medicines when there is a risk to life (pikuach nefesh), which overrides the rabbinic prohibition of muktzeh entirely, while a non-dangerously ill person may not handle muktzeh medicines.

(א) מיחוש בעלמא והוא מתחזק וכו' - דאם כאיב ליה טובא וחלה כל גופו עי"ז או שנפל למשכב אף שאין בו סכנה מותר לעשות בשבילו רפואה שאין בה מלאכה וכההיא דסימן שכ"ז ס"א וכה"ג וע"י א"י מותר לעשות אפילו מלאכה גמורה וכדלקמן בסי"ז וסל"ז ע"ש: