- Q. Is one allowed to clean the entrance and path to it from the street to his house or the Shul during Shabbath if the snow fell then?
A. On question 4155 we wrote:
On question 4150 dealing with the large snowfall on a recent Shabbat, that practically had many locked down and unable in some cases even to open the home door to go to shul, you wrote that “Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that in case of real need, as when you cannot enter or exit, one may shovel what is essential.” I’m wondering if it is better to shovel with a ‘Shinui.’
Also is one permitted to use the heavy plastic gloves utilized for holding on to hot pots in the kitchen, to remove show from the door and entrance?
Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that it indeed better to shovel with a “Shinui” or change, as when doing work on Shabbos in an unusual way like using the shovel with the lower part turned around and just pushing the snow to the sides, when possible. The Rov Shlit’a also permitted using the usual large plastic kitchen gloves relying on the Sh’miras Shabbos Kehilchoso (16: note 110) quoting Rav S. Z. Auerbach Zt’l who rules that snow that fell on Shabbos is not Muktze.
Therefore, one is allowed to shovel a path during Shabbos when in need.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by, Horav Yaakov Hirschman Horav, Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit’a
Important Numbers
