Can I fold laundry on Shabbos?

 

Folding garments improve the garment, and therefore it is forbidden to fold clothes on Shabbos.

One may fold old garments, not on the original fold line. Some are stringent with this too.

If the folding prepares the garment for weekday use it also shouldn’t be done on Shabbos. However, if the folding is done as part of organizing the home, i.e. there is no room for the garments and they are taking up space, and for whatever reason one couldn’t do this before Shabbos, one may fold them on Shabbos, not on the original fold lines.

 

Sources:

אדה”ז או”ח סי’ ש”ב סעי’ ח וסעי’ ט. משנ”ב שם סקי”ח. קצות השלחן קי”ז, ב (ובבדה”ש סק”ז). שמירת שבת כהלכתה פרק טו אות מט (אבל ראה מה שמביא בהערה קס”ד בשם הגרשז”א).

 

 

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