Removing garbage from the shabbos table

Question: After the Shabbos meal is one allowed to bring the garbage bin to the table to clean the table? What is the din with of the garbage bag afterwards?

L’halacha: an empty garbage bin on Shabbos, may be moved for cleaning purposes, and is allowed to be put back in place. If the garbage had only muktza items in it on the unset of Shabbos, the bin should be kick with ones foot. A smelly garbage bag may be moved out of one’s house, as long as there is an Earuv. It’s best to peel fruits, remove pits or shells which are inedible directly into the garbage bin, and not on the table.

Discussion: The Shulchan Aruch[1] states peels, shells, bones which are neither human nor animal foods, are muktza. Therefore, items such as egg shells[2], nut shells, and the like are muktza. Similarly, fruit pits which are inedible are muktza. Therefore items such as peach, avocado, olive, cherry pits and the like are muktza.

Foods which are not edible for humans however are edible to animals (e.g. cats, dogs, chickens), are not muktza[3].  This applies to any peel, shell, bones and the like that humans wouldn’t eat ever. However foods which are unfit for human consumption only on Shabbos e.g. a raw, expensive steak, which the owner would not give such food to his animal, is muktza[4].

This applies only to food edible for animals that are commonly found in the city or town, are not muktza[5], Even if the person does not own such an animal. However pets in one’s possession, whether commonly found or not, are not muktza[6].

This type of Muktza, is called Muktza Machmas Gufo (inherently Muktza). This is one the more severe types of Muktza, in that generally it can’t be moved at all[7]. However there is an exception to this role, based on the concept called גרף של רעי[8].

The Chachmim permitted the movement of Muktza in cases involving כבוד הבריות human dignity. One is thus permitted to move repulsive or foul smelling Muktza, from ones house.

This exemption is only in already existing situation. One may not however create or originate an exempting situation in order to later move the Muktza[9]. Therefore when eating foods containing pits, or when peeling eggs, it is preferable to expel the pits, remove the shells, into the garbage, rather than into one’s hand[10].

Yet this needs further analysis, for once the pits, shells etc, are placed in the garbage, the garbage itself becomes muktza.

The halacha is the muktza placed on a base, e.g. table, box, dish etc, the base becomes muktza as well, this is called a Bosis l’davr Issur[11]. Therefore a garbage bin that contains inedible items is muktza.

There is a difference when the inedible items were placed, in to the garbage. The Halacha is, a base becomes a Bosis, when the muktza was placed there, before the unset of Shabbos and was not removed during the entire time period called בין השמשות ,in which case even after the muktza item is removed the base remains muktza[12]. If however the items were only placed there after בין השמשות, the base is not muktza[13]. (However according to some is it muktza, but as soon as the muktza is removed the base is permitted to be moved[14]).

Furthermore any base which also contains edible food or non-muktza items on it is permitted to be moved. This is called bosis l’daver Issur V’hetr[15].

Therefore a garbage bin, which has only non- moveable muktza on the unset of Shabbos would be muktza the entire Shabbos. And one is not allowed to move it at all, even after the garbage bag was removed (by mistake, see later).

If however the garbage was empty when Shabbos came in or it contained both moveable and non-moveable muktza items, the garbage could be moved. The same applies to the garbage bag as well.

There is however exceptions, one is allowed to kick with their foot, the garbage bin. This is called טלטול [16]בגופו. Also in a case that the garbage is foul smelling or otherwise repulsive, (especially when there are guessed), it may be removed under the exemption of [17]גרף של רעי.

The question arises, is it permitted to intentionally place inedible items, in a garbage bin on Shabbos[18]?

The Halacha states, one is not permitted to place a bucket under a water leak, if the water is unusable. The reason is, four it’s like breaking the bucket[19]. This is called מבטל כלי מהיכנו. The concept is one is not allowed to takes a usable item, and place it in place or situation that would make it unusable for the rest of Shabbos[20].

Based on this, by placing inedible items in a garbage bin, it makes the bin unusable for anything else. This is the case even when one intends to remove the garbage afterwards[21]. If so, it should be forbidden to put these items in an empty garbage bin.

The poskim[22] explain that מבטל כלי מהיכנו, is only when the keli is not meant for that limited purpose, however since the entire purpose of a garbage bin, is to put these items in them, this does not constitute מבטל כלי מהיכנו.

L’halacha: an empty garbage bin on Shabbos, may be moved for cleaning purposes, and is allowed to be put back in place. If the garbage had only muktza items in it on the unset of Shabbos, the bin should be kick with ones foot. A smelly garbage bag may be moved out of one’s house, as long as there is an Earuv. It’s best to peel fruits, remove pits or shells which are inedible directly into the garbage bin, and not on the table.

Daily inspiration: 


Shabbos means rest. Rest is a relative term, in our physical existence; rest takes on a very physical meaning, appreciating more of our finite existence. In our spiritual essence, rest is obtaining closeness to infinity, by removing all the physical distractions.   

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[1] שוע"ר סי' ש"ח סעי' ס-ס"א
[2]  משנ"ב סי' ש"ח סקי"ג ולהעיר משוע"ר סי' ש"ט:י
[3] שוע"ר שם סעי' ט
[4] שם ופרמ"ג סי' ש"ח במ"ז סקכ"ה
[5] שוע"ר שם סעי' ס"ה
[6] שם
[7] שוע"ר שם סעי' ח
[8] שם סעי' ע"ב משנ"ב ס"ק קל"א
[9] שם סעי' ע"ה
[10] קוצה"ש סי' קי"א ס"ק י"ח עי' שוע"ר סעי' ס"ז והגהות חת"ס סי' ש"ח במג"א ס"ק נ"א, ועי' ס' טלטולי שבת. ושו"ת אז נדברו ח"ט סי' ל"ג ושו"ת מנח"י ח"ה סי' קכ"ה.
[11] שוע"ר סי' ש"ט:ד
[12] שם וסעי' ח וסי' ש"י:ד
[13] כנ"ל שיטת רבינו בסי' רע"ז ס"ו וכן מפורש בסי' ש"ח:ס, ועי' מג"א סי' ש"ח סק"נ
[14] ט"ז סי' ש"י סק"ח פרמ"ג א"א סו"ס רע"ט משנ"ב סי' ש"י ס"ק ל"ז ועי' תהלה לדוד סי' ש"ח סקל"ג
[15] שוע"ר סי' ש"ט:ד וש"י:ט"ז
[16] שוע"ר סי' שי"א:מ"ו וסי' ש"ח: ט"ו ורע"ו:י
[17] שוע"ר סי' ש"ח:ע"ב ושש"כ פכ"ב סעי' מ"ד
[18]לכאו' אין כאן שאלה מצד אין עושין גרף של רעי לכתחילה, כיון יש לומר שאין כוונתו לפנות הפח בשבת עי' שוע"ר סי' ש"ח:ע"ה ותהלה לדוד שם סק"מ, ועוד שכבר נעשה על השולחן.
[19]שוע"ר סי' של"ח:ט
[20] עי' ביצה לו, ור"ן שם
[21] כן נר' שיטת רבינו בסי' רס"ו קו"א י"א (אמנם עי' סי' רס"ה:ה ומשנ"ב שם)
[22] כן כתב במשנ"ב סי' ש"ה סק ס"ט ובשש"כ שם בהע' קט"ו (וי"ל אי זה שיטת רבינו)