Melaben - Bleaching (Laundering)

Bleaching, the av melachah of melaben, is forbidden on Shabbat.1 Some authorities maintain that the av melachah is laundering, not bleaching,2 but the dispute is merely academic, because all agree that any activity which cleans or refines fabric is included in melaben. The question is merely which activity is the av and which is the toladah.

According to the Talmud, “With regard to clothing (or any absorbent material) soaking is considered laundering.”3 This indicates that a) melaben is transgressed simply by soaking unclean cloth in water, even without scrubbing or removing a stain, and b) soaking is only problematic with absorbent materials like clothes, but does not apply to non-absorbent materials like rubber or leather.

Practically, this means that if a garment has dirt or a stain on it, one may not put any liquid at all4 on the stain in order to treat it.5 If a non-absorbent material gets dirty, like muddy shoes, one may only pour water on the dirt but may not scrape or rub it off.6

Per some authorities, even wetting a clean garment with water transgresses melaben,7 because the garment has a fresher look after it has been soaked and therefore melaben has been performed. The halachic consensus is that one should be stringent to follow this interpretation.8 The question then arises, how is it that on Shabbat we dry our hands on clean towels and clean up spills with napkins? If one may not even wet a clean garment, how are these activities permitted?

The answer lies in the fact that the intention of melaben is to enhance and refine a material. In these cases, the intention is quite the opposite—the towel or napkin is being used to absorb the dirty liquid.9 This dispensation is called derech lichluch - wetting something whereby it becomes dirty.Moreover, disposable napkins never really pose an issue of melaben because they aren’t used more than once and one has no interest in cleaning them.

Removing dirt or stains from a garment can be an issue of melaben even without using water, since the garment looks more presentable when the dirt is removed. For example, dusting off a felt hat with a hat brush should be avoided on Shabbat.10 If one finds a dry stain on his or her clothing, he or she should not rub it against another part of the garment or a brush, etc. One may, however, scratch it out with one’s nail.11

Squeezing wet fabric is also forbidden under melaben, since it is part of the laundering process.12 As such, when using a towel to wipe up a spill, one should make sure not to press the towel down or soak it to the extent that liquid will be squeezed out when picking it back up. Drying dishes is permitted since the dish towel doesn’t get soaked with water, but one should not dry drinking glasses or dishes which are narrow, because it is likely that one will have to squeeze the towel to get it inside; in the process some liquid will be expressed from the towel.13

Melaben in the Mishkan

Bleaching wool was part of the process of making tapestries for the Mishkan.

Common Activities to Avoid

Wetting a stain on one’s clothing with water
Using a sponge when rinsing the dishes14
Pretreating clothes with stain remover

Footnotes

Shabbat 73a; Maimonides Hilchot Shabbat 9:10; Shulchan Aruch Harav 301:56.

Rashi and Rabbeinu Nissim to Shabbat ibid.

Zevachim 74b.

The Shulchan Aruch only seems to prohibit soaking a stained garment in water or other clear liquids. Soaking it in colored or dirty liquids seems to be permitted. This is logical, for only clear liquids can truly clean a garment, whereas soaking with a liquid that is not clear only replaces one stain with another. Indeed, many authorities follow this understanding. Shulchan Aruch Harav, however, says that if a garment has a stain, one may not wet it with any liquid, even if it is not clear, because even if a non-clear liquid cannot clean the garment fully, it still has the capacity to remove a heavier stain that was previously on the garment. Thus, melaben is performed to some degree. (Tehilla Ledavid Orach Chaim 302:14.)

Shulchan Aruch Harav Orach Chaim 302:20.

Shulchan Aruch Harav ibid 19.

This is the opinion of Rashbam, quoted in Tosafot to Shabbat 120a.

Rama, Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 302:9; Shulchan Aruch Harav ibid 21.

Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 302:10 and Shulchan Aruch Harav 302:21 mention the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer of Metz who does not agree with the leniency of derech lichluch. Instead, he maintains that one who washes his hands should shake off as much as possible before drying them on a towel. Only then, when there is very little water on one’s hands, does he allow the use of the towel.

10.

Rashi to Shabbat 147a. The Talmud there states, “One who shakes out his cloak on Shabbat is liable” (for transgressing the melachah of melaben). Rashi understands the case to be of a cloak that was dusty, and by shaking it out melaben is transgressed. Many other commentaries, including Tosafot, argue with Rashi’s interpretation and maintain that melaben cannot be transgressed unless water is used. They understand the scenario in the Talmud to be one where the cloak was wet and shaking it out helps to wring out the water, which is part of laundering. Nevertheless, the Rama in Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 302:1 and Shulchan Aruch Harav Orach Chaim 302:3 writes that one should be stringent to follow the opinion of Rashi that melaben can be transgressed even if no liquid is involved.

11.

Shulchan Aruch Harav ibid. 302:18. The source for this dispensation is the Turei Zahav #6. Biur Halacha to Shulchan Aruch ibid questions the permissibility, since the garment is being cleaned by rubbing out the stain which would seem to be melaben. Badei Hashulchan 116:36 answers that Rashi only says that melaben is transgressed without even using water when that is the normal way to treat the dirty garment. For example, brushing a felt hat is the normal way of cleaning it and therefore melaben is transgressed by doing so, even though no water was used. Most clothing stains are cleaned using water. Therefore, scratching out a stain with one’s nail is permitted since this is not the normal way to treat the stain. The reason one may not rub out the stain with another part of the garment or use a brush is because it looks like one is actually laundering the garment, similar to the way one might scrub a stain with stain remover before washing it.

12.

Shulchan Aruch Harav Orach Chaim 301:56.

13.

Shulchan Aruch Harav Orach Chaim 302:23.

14.

Shulchan Aruch Harav Orach Chaim 320:23. A wet sponge is also forbidden because it is muktzeh. There are other potential issues that can come up when rinsing dishes including the use of hot water which may be a transgression of bishul.

By Mendy Wineberg

Originally from South Africa, Rabbi Mendy Wineberg is an administrator and teacher at Yeshivas Hashluchim, a Manhattan-based program dedicated to educating candidates for rabbinical ordination. He specializes in Jewish law and has been writing for Chabad.org for several years. Rabbi Wineberg lives with his family in Brooklyn, N.Y.