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87. It is forbidden to create a musical sound on Shabbos, whether through
an instrument or one's limbs (with the exception of one's mouth). It is
even forbidden to snap one's fingers, or to tap them on a board [or table]
to make a sound, or to rattle nuts or ring a bell to quiet a child. One may
not clap or dance (1). In honor of the Torah, however, it is permissible
to clap and dance. Similarly, one need not rebuke a person who does so to
quiet a child, since there are opinions that permit this.
FOOTNOTES:
(1) The Sages prohibited playing a musical instrument or doing any action
with one's body, that one usually would do while musical instruments are
being played. The reason for this prohibition is so that one doesn't end up
inadvertently fixing a musical instrument on Shabbos (like replacing a
broken string). The Rema 339:3 presents two reasons which might explain why
many people, even in his times (17th Century), did actually dance and clap
on Shabbos and Yom Tov :
a) The Halachic authorities didn't rebuke those who were dancing and
clapping, because they felt that people wouldn't listen to them in this
matter. Therefore, they applied the Talmudic principle which states that,
in certain circumstances, it is better to allow people to violate the law
unintentionally, rather than rebuking them, and creating a situation in
which the law is being violated with prior knowledge and intent ("Mootav
Sheyihiyu Shogegim, Veloh Meziddim").
b) Perhaps nowadays, since the general population are not experts in making
musical instruments, there is no reason to be concerned that one might come
to fix a musical instrument, and therefore, this Rabbinical prohibition
wouldn't apply (it is important to note that the question of leniency only
applies to dancing and clapping, but not to actual instruments or
improvised instruments like rattling nuts - see Mishna Berura 339:10).
The Aruch Hashulchan 339:8-9 writes that reason (b) doesn't make sense to
him, because activities such as changing a string or tuning an instrument
are common knowledge among musicians, and are activities that constitute a
violation of the laws of Shabbos. Therefore, he explains that the reason
many people permit dancing and clapping nowadays, is that the rabbinical
prohibition only ever applied to the type of clapping and dancing that was
specifically coordinated to fit in rhythmic harmony with the structure of
the song being played by the instruments. Shuffling around in a circle or
clapping randomly along with a song, according to this reasoning, was never
prohibited. He ends off by writing "a number times we've seen important
rabbis clapping their hands [on Shabbos] at times of joy."
The Mishna Berura 339:10 writes that one should not ignore the custom (not
to dance and clap) in circumstances where a Mitzvah is not involved.
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