Spare Shirt Buttons on Shabbos
Q. It is common for manufacturers to stitch spare buttons onto the bottom of dress shirts. Even though they are firmly affixed to the shirt, I have heard that they could present a question of carrying on Shabbos. Is this true?
Some Background
Wearing any item of clothing in its usual manner will never be considered an act of carrying. But what about extra things or items attached to our clothing?
Something that serves as an adornment to one’s clothing may be worn on Shabbos, as long as it is attached to the garment in some form[1]. This would include decorative frills and trimmings.
Things that are not adornments, but serve a useful purpose to the garment, may also be worn on Shabbos. This would include tie-clips, suspenders and cufflinks. Another example would be the inserts that are used to keep the point of a collar in shape.
But what about something which does not serve the garment in any manner and is also not an adornment? Does simply attaching such an object to the garment make it permissible to be worn outside on Shabbos?
Something Insignificant
The Shulchan Aruch[2] rules that one may stitch a handkerchief onto their clothing and thereby transport it on Shabbos. The handkerchief does not adorn or serve a use for the garment that it is attached to. So why is this permissible?
The Mishna Berura[3] qualifies that attaching such an item to a garment would only suffice if it is common to be attached in that manner. If it is not usually worn in this way, attaching it would not help and it would still be considered carrying.
However, the Alter Rebbe[4] rules that even if it is not the usual practise, the handkerchief may be worn in such a manner because it becomes Batel to the garment. Since it is not significant in its own right, it is treated as an extension of the garment to which it is attached.
The proviso is that it must be something which is not considered valuable in comparison to the garment. If it does have its own significant value, it will not become Batel. Even though it is firmly attached to the garment, it is considered as though it was being carried itself.
Based on the above explanations, one could argue that spare buttons should pose no problem at all. Even though they are not an adornment to the shirt and in their current position serve no purpose to the shirt, they are usually worn in this manner and they do not have any real value in comparison to the shirt. Therefore, it should be permissible both according to the Alter Rebbe and the Mishna Berura.
If they were expensive buttons, for example if they were made of silver, they would not be considered Batel to the garment and it would be considered carrying if they were worn outside.
But you are Planning to use them
Another background source that is relevant to this discussion is a Halacha concerning Tzitzis on Shabbos[5]. If the Tzitzis are kosher, there is no problem of carrying the strings, even though they are not part of the garment that is worn to cover the body. Even though they are significant (Choshuv) in their own right, they are considered an adornment to the garment.
If the Tzitzis strings were Biblically invalid, one is liable for carrying if one wears the garment in a Reshus Harabim on Shabbos. Once they are no longer kosher, the Tzitzis are not considered an adornment to the garment. Even though they are attached to the garment, since one intends to repair the strings (Daato Lehashlim), they remain significant (Choshuv) and cannot become Batel to the garment.
The Chayei Adam[6] would place spare buttons in the same category as Tzitzis strings. The fact that one intends on using them in the future, gives them Chashivus and they will not be Batel.
Both Tehillah Ledovid[7] and the Aruch Hashulchan[8] reject this comparison. The Chashivus of the strings is not merely because one plans on repairing them. Rather, since one intends to fix the Tzitzis strings, they retain the Chashivus of a Mitzvah and are therefore not Batel. No comparison can be made from Tzitzis to spare buttons which are mundane items and do not have the Chashivus of a Mitzvah.
It appears that this is also the view of the Alter Rebbe, who rules[9] that broken straps or fasteners or any other thing attached to a garment that snaps, may be left attached to the garment, as long as they are insignificant. It appears that this ruling applies even if one is planning on repairing the straps.
The Contemporary Poskim
Amongst the contemporary Poskim, Be’er Moshe[10] adopts the stringent approach of the Chayei Adam and would forbid wearing even simple buttons that are stitched to the bottom of a shirt. According to this view, if one did not remove the buttons before Shabbos, some suggest that they should resolve to discard the buttons after Shabbos, which renders them completely insignificant as there is no intention to ever use them. Others[11] question this solution. Since it is not something that would usually be done by the majority of people, we say that his intention is Batel to the majority.
However, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein[12] and Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach[13] permit the spare buttons to be worn, since this is the usual manner and because they are Batel to the garment. This would not apply to fancy or expensive buttons[14]. This opinion appears to be fitting with the rulings of the Alter Rebbe, that the fact that one intends to use them is not of consequence.
If the buttons are decorative in their current position, such as on the bottom of fashion shirts which are made to be worn untucked with these buttons displaying, it would be permissible according to all opinions as they are considered a decoration for the garment.
Dry-cleaning Tags
It is common practise for drycleaners to affix tags to the inside of a shirt. If one did not remove them before Shabbos, they present a similar issue to that of spare buttons.
Since these tags are certainly not Choshuv at all and will be discarded (as was intended when they were put on), they are Batel to the garment and one may wear the shirt on Shabbos.
______________________________
[1] See Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa chapter 18
[2] Ram”o Orach Chaim 301:23
[3] Orach Chaim 301:84
[4] Orach Chaim 301:23
[5] 301:38
[6] Chayei Adam 56. See also Mishna Berura 301:150
[7] 301:32
[8] 301:107. See also Badei Hashulchan 115:36 who brings the opinion of the Chayei Adam and then rejects it.
[9] Orach Chaim 301:49
[10] 3:67
[11] Teshuvos Vehanhagos 1:240
[12] As quoted in Teshuvos Rivevos Efraim 4:87
[13] As quoted in Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa. Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach offers a slightly different reason to permit the buttons. The spare buttons serve their purpose – to be spares - by being in their current position. Therefore one wants them to remain there as reserves.
[14] Az Nidberu 2:40
Some Background
Wearing any item of clothing in its usual manner will never be considered an act of carrying. But what about extra things or items attached to our clothing?
Something that serves as an adornment to one’s clothing may be worn on Shabbos, as long as it is attached to the garment in some form[1]. This would include decorative frills and trimmings.
Things that are not adornments, but serve a useful purpose to the garment, may also be worn on Shabbos. This would include tie-clips, suspenders and cufflinks. Another example would be the inserts that are used to keep the point of a collar in shape.
But what about something which does not serve the garment in any manner and is also not an adornment? Does simply attaching such an object to the garment make it permissible to be worn outside on Shabbos?
Something Insignificant
The Shulchan Aruch[2] rules that one may stitch a handkerchief onto their clothing and thereby transport it on Shabbos. The handkerchief does not adorn or serve a use for the garment that it is attached to. So why is this permissible?
The Mishna Berura[3] qualifies that attaching such an item to a garment would only suffice if it is common to be attached in that manner. If it is not usually worn in this way, attaching it would not help and it would still be considered carrying.
However, the Alter Rebbe[4] rules that even if it is not the usual practise, the handkerchief may be worn in such a manner because it becomes Batel to the garment. Since it is not significant in its own right, it is treated as an extension of the garment to which it is attached.
The proviso is that it must be something which is not considered valuable in comparison to the garment. If it does have its own significant value, it will not become Batel. Even though it is firmly attached to the garment, it is considered as though it was being carried itself.
Based on the above explanations, one could argue that spare buttons should pose no problem at all. Even though they are not an adornment to the shirt and in their current position serve no purpose to the shirt, they are usually worn in this manner and they do not have any real value in comparison to the shirt. Therefore, it should be permissible both according to the Alter Rebbe and the Mishna Berura.
If they were expensive buttons, for example if they were made of silver, they would not be considered Batel to the garment and it would be considered carrying if they were worn outside.
But you are Planning to use them
Another background source that is relevant to this discussion is a Halacha concerning Tzitzis on Shabbos[5]. If the Tzitzis are kosher, there is no problem of carrying the strings, even though they are not part of the garment that is worn to cover the body. Even though they are significant (Choshuv) in their own right, they are considered an adornment to the garment.
If the Tzitzis strings were Biblically invalid, one is liable for carrying if one wears the garment in a Reshus Harabim on Shabbos. Once they are no longer kosher, the Tzitzis are not considered an adornment to the garment. Even though they are attached to the garment, since one intends to repair the strings (Daato Lehashlim), they remain significant (Choshuv) and cannot become Batel to the garment.
The Chayei Adam[6] would place spare buttons in the same category as Tzitzis strings. The fact that one intends on using them in the future, gives them Chashivus and they will not be Batel.
Both Tehillah Ledovid[7] and the Aruch Hashulchan[8] reject this comparison. The Chashivus of the strings is not merely because one plans on repairing them. Rather, since one intends to fix the Tzitzis strings, they retain the Chashivus of a Mitzvah and are therefore not Batel. No comparison can be made from Tzitzis to spare buttons which are mundane items and do not have the Chashivus of a Mitzvah.
It appears that this is also the view of the Alter Rebbe, who rules[9] that broken straps or fasteners or any other thing attached to a garment that snaps, may be left attached to the garment, as long as they are insignificant. It appears that this ruling applies even if one is planning on repairing the straps.
The Contemporary Poskim
Amongst the contemporary Poskim, Be’er Moshe[10] adopts the stringent approach of the Chayei Adam and would forbid wearing even simple buttons that are stitched to the bottom of a shirt. According to this view, if one did not remove the buttons before Shabbos, some suggest that they should resolve to discard the buttons after Shabbos, which renders them completely insignificant as there is no intention to ever use them. Others[11] question this solution. Since it is not something that would usually be done by the majority of people, we say that his intention is Batel to the majority.
However, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein[12] and Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach[13] permit the spare buttons to be worn, since this is the usual manner and because they are Batel to the garment. This would not apply to fancy or expensive buttons[14]. This opinion appears to be fitting with the rulings of the Alter Rebbe, that the fact that one intends to use them is not of consequence.
If the buttons are decorative in their current position, such as on the bottom of fashion shirts which are made to be worn untucked with these buttons displaying, it would be permissible according to all opinions as they are considered a decoration for the garment.
Dry-cleaning Tags
It is common practise for drycleaners to affix tags to the inside of a shirt. If one did not remove them before Shabbos, they present a similar issue to that of spare buttons.
Since these tags are certainly not Choshuv at all and will be discarded (as was intended when they were put on), they are Batel to the garment and one may wear the shirt on Shabbos.
______________________________
[1] See Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa chapter 18
[2] Ram”o Orach Chaim 301:23
[3] Orach Chaim 301:84
[4] Orach Chaim 301:23
[5] 301:38
[6] Chayei Adam 56. See also Mishna Berura 301:150
[7] 301:32
[8] 301:107. See also Badei Hashulchan 115:36 who brings the opinion of the Chayei Adam and then rejects it.
[9] Orach Chaim 301:49
[10] 3:67
[11] Teshuvos Vehanhagos 1:240
[12] As quoted in Teshuvos Rivevos Efraim 4:87
[13] As quoted in Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa. Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach offers a slightly different reason to permit the buttons. The spare buttons serve their purpose – to be spares - by being in their current position. Therefore one wants them to remain there as reserves.
[14] Az Nidberu 2:40