The Old Broom and the Wet Schach Conundrum

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

So now that the National Weather Service is predicting a lull – in the rain, the question arises as to whether or not you can take a broom and shake off the excess rain that is trapped around the Schach on Shabbos tonight after it stops raining.

A Chashuv Talmid Chochom and Posaik wanted to claim that it is forbidden for two reasons:  1] It is Muktzah and not considered moving Muktzeh indirectly – tiltul min hatzad, but rather it is considered yada arichta – an extension of his hand and therefore forbidden – and 2] It is shechita or borer.

I would like to humbly take issue with him in regard to both topics.  There is a Taz cited by the Mishna Brurah in OC 308:115 that moving Muktzah with a knife is considered tiltul min hatzad and permitted.  True, the Rav Shulchan Aruch (OC 308:60) holds that it is yada arichta and thus forbidden, but in this case especially, we should follow the Mishna Brurah.  For our Lubavitch friends, perhaps they should get a goy and ask him to do it.

Regarding the second issue of sechita, what is happening is the removal of the water around the bamboo slats – not the water in it.  There is a Teshuva from the Sridei Aish that getting rid  of the water around plastic bristles is not considered Sechita.  One should certainly rely on this Teshuvah regarding fulfilling the D’oraisa of eating in the Sukkah tonight.

The Posaik countered that the water absorbs into the bamboo and it may be different than plastic.  However, the water that absorbs into the bamboo is not being taken out by the broom – it is the water surrounding the bamboo.

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