Schita – Squeezing Fabrics: Applications

Drying Up With Towels

• It is permissible to dry regular utensils with a towel designated for this purpose, such as a kitchen towel, on Shabbos. This applies even if one is drying multiple utensils and the towel will become quite wet; as it is a type of fabric that normally becomes wet, one is not bothered about it being so and we are not concerned one will come to squeeze it out – when it becomes saturated one will simply use another one.
• Using other fabrics to dry the utensils on Shabbos will be forbidden if drying multiple items; as the fabric will become quite wet we are concerned one will come to squeeze it out given it is not a fabric one normally wets (SA 302:12, MB 59, SSK 12:22).
• Narrow Utensils: One may not dry up a narrow utensil such as a small glass, even with a designated towel – given that the utensil is narrow, water will inevitably be squeezed from the towel when one is drying it (MB 302:60, SSK 12:22).

Moving Spilled Liquids Across a Tablecloth

• If a liquid spills on top of a tablecloth which is absorbent, one may gently move the liquid that remains on the surface with a knife or one’s hand into a bowl or cup etc; on Shabbos however, one must ensure not to apply pressure when doing so as this will squeeze out water that has absorbed into the tablecloth (MB 320:55, SSK 12:40).
• If it is a coloured liquid that has spilled, such as wine, where possible one should also take care not to move it onto patches of the tablecloth that were not yet stained by it, out of concern that this will dye that patch of the tablecloth, which is problematic under the melacha of tzoveia. This problem does not apply if a clear liquid spilled (MB 320:55, SSK 12:40).

Wiping Up Spilled Liquids on Shabbos

• Small spillages of water: If a small amount of water has spilt on the table, one may wipe it up with any clean fabric, such as clothing.
• Large spillages of water: If a significant quantity of water has spilled, there is a concern that one will come to squeeze out a fabric that is used to mop it up. Therefore, as above, one may only use a fabric that is designated for these purposes (ie which regularly gets wet, like a kitchen towel). When using such a designated cloth, one may even use one that is dirty, as one has no interest in the spilt liquid cleaning the cloth. (SSK 12:41, fn107, BH”L 302:9 D”H She’ein).
• Spillages of other liquids: If another liquid has spilled, as  mentioned above, Chazal were not concerned that one would squeeze it out of the fabric that absorbs it; therefore there is no restriction from this perspective on what fabric one may use to clean up the spillage, even if it is of a significant quantity.
• Coloured Liquids: However, if the liquid is coloured, it would be preferable not to use a fabric to wipe it up, particularly if it is the same colour as the liquid, out of concern for the melacha of tzoveia, dying. It would be preferable to use napkins, paper towels etc to clean up such a spillage as these are immediately disposed of, so we are not concerned about them being dyed. However, when one has no other option one may use fabric (ideally of a different colour) to clean up the liquid, relying on the opinion that this is simply ‘dirtying’ the fabric so isn’t a problem of dying (MB 320:59, SSK 12:41, OS 15 fn91).
• Wiping Gently: In all the cases above, one must ensure to wipe the liquid up gently, not forcefully, which would lead to one squeezing the liquid out of the fabric. (SSK 12:41)

Washing Up Brushes

• If one wishes to use a brush when washing up utensils on Shabbos, one should ensure that its ‘hairs’ are made from a synthetic material so they are non absorbent. Furthermore, these hairs must be somewhat spaced out so they don’t trap water in between them – when they are spaced out the liquid is simply considered like passing through a narrow tube. In contrast, when the hairs are closely packed together, water becomes trapped in between them and when one uses the brush one ends up squeezing the water out, which is forbidden. (SSK 12:15, fn 45 and 46).
• Generally speaking this is a problem when using standard washing up brushes; Shabbos approved alternatives exist.

Cleaning With a Moist Towel

• One may not clean a dirty tabletop, one’s body etc with a moist cloth on Shabbos, as one will inevitably come to squeeze water out of the cloth in the process.
• For the same reason, one may not clean these by wetting their surfaces and then wiping with a cloth. This differs from merely cleaning up a spill (discussed above) with a cloth when one’s only intent is to soak up the liquid (SSK MB 326:6, SSK 12:43, fn119, 15:6).
• However, one may wet a tabletop and wipe it clean with a rubber wiper (squeegee) on Shabbos – there is no prohibition on wetting the tabletop given it is hard, and as the rubber wiper is a single piece of non-absorbent material, there is no prohibition to squeeze it (SSK 12:43).

Wearing Wet Clothes on Shabbos

• Became wet whilst wearing: One whose clothes became wet on Shabbos when wearing them may continue to wear them without being concerned that one will squeeze them through the normal act of wearing them; however, one may not shake out the water that is absorbed in them, nor, as we will see below, may one sit with them near a radiator etc where they could be heated to 45 degrees (SA 301:45, BHL D”H Ve’eino Choshesh, SSK 15:18).
• Socks: Specifically in relation to wet socks, it would be preferable to remove them when one is home – these are the item of clothing that one places the greatest amount of pressure on when one is walking, so are most liable to be squeezed.
• Putting on wet clothes: If one does not have any other clothes to wear, one is even permitted to wear wet clothes – in such a case, the prohibition against moving wet fabrics is waived (MB 301:162, SHT 203, SSK 15:92).

Shaking Rain Out of a Garment

• If a garment has become wet due to the rain, or falling into water:
  • It is forbidden to shake it out vigorously on Shabbos due to the prohibition of schita, squeezing fabrics (R 302:1, MB 4).
  • It is forbidden to shake even in a gentle fashion if the garment is still somewhat new; given one is normally particular that such clothes don’t get wet so that they do not shrink, even this more limited shaking becomes forbidden under the prohibition of squeezing. The same also applies to older garments if one is particular that they do not get wet, as is normal with smart or more expensive clothing, such as Shabbos clothing (R 302:1, MB4, Dirshu 1, SSK 15:36, fn117, OS 13:27).
• Raincoats and plastic covers: Raincoats which are made from woven fabrics would be treated as garments that one is not particular about, as they normally get wet. If the coat is made entirely from a sheet of plastic without any absorbent threads mixed in, it may even be shaken vigorously as there is no prohibition of squeezing out plastic as it does not absorb liquid at all. The same would apply to shaking out a fully plastic hat or pram cover which are made from a sheet of plastic (but not of woven threads, even if they are synthetic) (SSK 15:37, fn122).

Shaking Snow Off a Garment

• If snow has landed on one’s clothes on Shabbos without yet melting into it, one may gently shake it off, as one is not drawing out moisture from the fabric. One may not, however, shake the clothing vigorously unless it is made entirely from a sheet of plastic, without absorbent threads mixed in, as above (BH”L 302:1 D”H Min Hatal, SSK 15:39).

Using Wet (Baby) Wipes on Shabbos

• There is significant debate in the poskim about whether one may use wet wipes on Shabbos to clean surfaces, a baby etc, given the concern that one may squeeze liquid out of the wipes whilst using them. The factors discussed include the materials that the wipes are made of (older wipes seem to have more commonly been made from a paper material, with modern wipes more commonly made from cotton) and how moist they are. One should consult a Rav for practical guidance (see SSK 14:37, OS 13:46)

Squeezing hair

• There is a Rabbinic prohibition against squeezing water out of hair on Shabbos, which is one of the reasons given to refrain from. SSK rules that this prohibition does not apply if the water is being immediately absorbed into a towel so is neither visible nor being used and thus permits drying hair in a normal fashion.
  • Other poskim disagree with SSK’s leniency and one should consult a Rav for practical guidance, for example if a woman is going to mikva on Friday night (MB 320:55, 326:21, SSK 14:22, fn66, Dirshu 320:47).