– Q. Hello Rav, My wife bought "poultry scissors" that she keeps in the kitchen. She uses them to cut raw chicken. On occasion, they will also get used by her or other family members for other uses.
They were left on the Shabbat table and we debated what status of muktzeh they might be. Generally scissors would be a kli Sh'melacha L'issur, but one sefer I found specifically said "poultry scissors are not muktzeh at all". One guest found that interesting because if they are especially designed and more or less set aside for cutting raw chicken (which I believe we generally hold is muktzeh today), then they should be a kli Sh'melacha L'issur at least.
1) what is the muktzeh status of poultry scissors dedicated to cutting raw chicken.
2) in our case, where they are also used for other purposes sometimes, would that change their muktzeh status?
3) Assuming they are mukzeh and they are on the far end of our Shabbat table, can I move them on Friday night for the Friday night meal even though I don't need that part of the table at all until Shabbat lunch?
A. Indeed as you wrote "poultry scissors" that in principle are in practice used as designated by their name for cutting meat or any food, even when it is ready to be eaten, should not be Muktza on Shabbat.
However, if as you also mentioned, they are used primarily for prohibited work, then on Shabbat, they are indeed Muktza. In that case they still could be used, as you also pointed, but only for and when they are needed for permitted work, such as cutting ready to eat meat or a similar food. Yet, it is preferable to use a regular food knife.
See next question.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Hirshman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller and Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu Shlit’a
Important Numbers
