Four-year-old Miriam was so happy to receive a toy cell phone as a present for her birthday. Her birthday was on Sunday, and she played with the phone all week long. On erev Shabbos, her brother Avromy said to her: “I bet you’ll miss your phone on Shabbos...” To which Miriam replied: “Why should I miss it?! I’ll play with it on Shabbos!”
“You can’t!” stated Avromy, “When you press buttons, it makes sounds.”
“So I’ll play with it without pressing the buttons!” said Miriam.
“I think even if you are not planning to press the buttons you still cannot play it on Shabbos, because it’s a toy that’s made to press on electronic buttons,” said Avromy.
“And what if Abba will take out the batteries before Shabbos?” asked Miriam.
“Hmm...I am not sure,” replied Avromy honestly.
Question: Can Miriam play with the toy phone on Shabbos, if the batteries will be removed from it before Shabbos?
Hints & Answers
HALACHA CHALLENGE: Electronic toys (e.g., cars, phones, dolls, robots) are in the category of Kli Shemelachto L’isur (i.e., a muktza category which refers to items that are generally used (during the week) to do melacha with them). Generally speaking (although some exceptions apply), a muktza item from this category can be moved in order to use it in a permissible way. As such, playing with an electronic toy in a permissible way (e.g., playing with a toy car without activating the electronic switches) is allowed. However, care should be taken to make sure that a child will not activate electronic switches. For example, a parent should remove the batteries from the toy before Shabbos. [See Piskei Teshuvos 308, note 330]
RHYMES:
“quick”
RIDDLE:
Avraham Avinu. He prayed for Avimelech’s family members to be able to give birth. And after that prayer, Avraham was blessed first, namely, that Sarah gave birth to Yitzchok (See Rashi to 21:1).
*Menucha answers are not to be taken as final decisions in halacha.
