Chamesh Avanim / “טשי"ך” / Kugelach
19. Noisemaking. Children used to play with a small bone [from a cattle foot] called the “טשיך” [knucklebone, talus] (עי' פרישה יו''ד סי' נ''ה סק''ח ובאר היטב שם למהרי''ט ). It was a game like today’s kugelach [or chamesh avanim], and apparently the bones made noise during the game. Nevertheless, it was mutar to play; there was no issur of noisemaking on Shabbos (above, 11) because there was no intent for music (רמ''א או''ח סי' של''ח ס''ה ).
Please do not read during davening or Krias HaTorah
In the next issue, we will deal with the toys of construction, such as Lego, Click's, Capllah, Magnetile's, and the like. Since new toys are always renewed, the public is invited to send questions about Shabbat on different toys with a description of the toy and its actions and a picture, and in the next issue we will try to answer the common questions
20. Leveling the ground. One may not play a game on the ground on Shabbos if the game requires the ground to be level out of concern he will level the ground (שו''ע סי' של''ח ס''ה ). Thus, one may not play in a courtyard, even if it has flooring, as a gezeira for a yard without flooring (רמ''א סי' של''ז ס''ב, מ''ב סי' של''ח סק''כ, הגרשז''א שלחן שלמה סי' של''ז סק''ד, שו''ת שבט הלוי ח''ט סי' ע''ח ). [The Mechaber holds it is mutar if there is flooring (שו''ע שם ).] Nowadays that most houses have flooring, one can be meikel in a house, as Chazal did not make a gezeira on the majority of cases due to a concern for the minority of cases (ביאה''ל ד''ה ויש מחמירין ), especially for small children (ארחות שבת פי''ח אות נ''ג ובהערה ).
21. Thus, children should not play kugelach or marbles on the ground in a shul’s outdoor courtyard or in a building’s courtyard, even if it has flooring. However, it is mutar in a building (כנ''ל ) or on a table (רמ''א שם ).
Chess
22. The poskim hold one may play chess on Shabbos. However, some used silver pieces to differentiate them from weekday pieces to avoid עובדין דחול (מג''א סי' של''ח סק''ח, מ''ב סקכ''א ). In practice, today people do not specifically use chess pieces designated for Shabbos.
23. At the beginning of the game, each player may choose his color, as that is for an immediate purpose and אוכל מפסולת. However, one may not separate the black pieces from the white pieces after the game to put it away neatly in the box for the next game, as that is borer for later use, which is assur.
24. Wasting time. However, some forbid spending time playing chess on Shabbos since there is no purpose in learning that knowledge. This is based on the issur to study books about disciplines other than Torah (שו''ע סי' ש''ז סי''ז ) (ר''א ששון הובא במג''א שם ). This is even if it is done to sharpen the mind, as one can sharpen his mind through Torah. However, one should not object to people playing in a place where the minhag is to be meikel (המג''א שם ), especially for children under bar mitzva.
Odds and Evens
25. As a game. There is a game commonly played by children called Even or Odd [Whole or Missing (רמ''א ), or Grad or Umgrad (מ''ב סקכ''ב )]. One player has to guess if there is an even or odd number of items in his friend’s closed hand. If he guesses right, he gets what is in the friend’s hand, or he gets to go first for something or the like. The poskim hold that if there is no monetary gain and it is just a game, it may be played on Shabbos (רמ''א סי' של''ח ס''ה ).
26. For monetary gain. However, if it is done for monetary gain, e.g., the winner wins a monetary obligation or some other item, food, or candy that will become completely his, and it is not just a game or pastime, it may not be played on Shabbos, because it is like business on Shabbos. However, one should not object to women or children, as it is better for them to transgress unknowingly than intentionally (רמ''א שם ).
Monopoly
27. Chazal only made a gezeira on games whose goal is to gain something. If the goal is not for any gain whatsoever, neither money nor anything of monetary value, there is no issur according to halacha. Even if it closely resembles business, e.g., it uses fake money and bills and involves deals, purchases, and sales of property, like the game Monopoly, there is no issur, especially for small children.
28. However, in practice, it is proper and appropriate to refrain and to stop chinuch aged children from playing this. It is an objectionable thing and it is disrespectful to the Shabbos to speak words and use things that are spoken and used for business during the week.
Baby Toys that Make Noise
29. One may put in a small baby’s hands a toy that makes noise when it is shaken or pressed, e.g., a rattle or the like, because its main purpose is to be used as a toy. However, a gadol may not make any noise with these toys, even if he is just doing so for the baby (שש''כ פט''ז אות ג'). If the baby is crying a lot and it is distressing to him, it can be allowed in an unusual manner (שו''ת משנה הלכות ח''ו סי' ע''ד ).
