KollelBoker: Can I open the hood of the stroller on shabbos?

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Vol. 1 Iss. 27

פרשת בחוקותי

Dvar Torah

By: Rabbi Goldman

The Mishna in Perkei Avos tells us that the world stands on 3 things(Torah/Avoda/Chesed). Rabbeinu Yonah's understanding of these words is that Hashem's purpose for creating the world was for these 3 things to occur (For people to learn torah and daven and to help each other).

This mishna really seems to highlight the significance of all 3 of these actions.There are so many parts to Hashems amazing universe and everything was created in order to bring about these things.

It is our great privilege and honor to be able to be involved with these amazing mitzvos. We can really be motivated to daven learn and do chesed if we appreciate the significance of these actions.

Dvar Halacha

By: R' Chananya Berman

Question: Can I open the hood on the stroller to protect my child from the elements?

Discussion: On Shabbos one is not allowed to make an ohel (a tent). This is a subcategory of the melacha of boneh. Chazal prohibited making a temporary roof as a precaution against making a permanent one (Shulchan Aruch 316:1).

Many poskim (including the Chazon Ish) say that in the case of a canopy on a stroller that was attached before shabbos there would be no problem of opening it on Shabbos. The reason for this is Chazal were not concerned about a case in which the canopy was totally assembled before Shabbos and just needed to be opened.

However, Rav Moshe zt"l held that one should not rely on this opinion. Rather, he says that one should only open the hood on Shabbos if prior to Shabbos it was already opened at least a tefach. The reason for this is you are only adding onto the roof not creating it (Iggros Moshe Vol. 4 Ch. 105:3).

Closing the hood

The same dispute is found the opposite way when we talk about closing the hood. According to Rav Moshe zt"l one should not close the hood entirely, on Shabbos, as this would constitute dismantling a roof. However, if one left at least a tefach open that would be okay. One the other hand the opinion that held one would be allowed to open the hood would say that one would also be permitted to close the hood on Shabbos.

For all practical questions please ask your Rav.