Can one use a garbage drawer on Shabbos or is it Muktzeh?

 

Yes, one may, provided that the garbage contains at least some items which aren’t Muktzah, and which have more importance to you than the other Muktzah items. (For example: food items which are still edible, even if thrown out before Shabbos, or food items that where thrown out on Shabbos which are edible to animals common in one’s area.)

If the garbage only contains Muktzah items (as the case may usually be), one should only open the drawer while using a Shinui. (For example: Using one’s leg or the back of one’s hand).

P.S. It should be noted that there are those who are stringent and consider food items edible only to animals as Muktzah, since nowadays one doesn’t usually feed these food items to animals.

 

Sources:

בסיס לדבר האסור [והמותר]. ראה שש״כ פ׳ כ״ב אות מ*, שו״ע אדה״ז סי׳ ש״ח סעי׳ ס׳ וסעי׳ ס״ד – ס״ה, שש״כ פ׳ כ׳ אות כ״ז. פסק״ת סי׳ ש״ח אות מ״ב.

 

 

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