Good morning. Is one allowed to use an electric blanket on Shabbat? It’s plugged into the wall. Of course, you know, there’s a blanket, and inside there are electric wires. So will one be allowed to use it on Shabbat? There are a number of issues to deal with to see if it’s mutar (allowed) or asur (prohibited). Number one: Is the blanket muktzeh (set aside)? First of all, the Igrot Moshe says that this blanket for sure is not muktzeh, not even a kli shemelachto le'issur (a utensil whose use is prohibited), because the item can be used for heter (permitted use). A person covers himself with it; it’s mutar. Therefore, it’s a kli shemelachto le'heter (a utensil whose use is permitted). That’s number one.
Now, the problem we must deal with is that we learned there’s a concept of muktzeh called basis, which means when you have something that is permissible, and on top of it is something that’s muktzeh, so it turns the entire item into muktzeh. For example, if you have a table and, on top of the table, you put muktzeh before Shabbat, the whole table becomes muktzeh. So over here also, we have the blanket, which is permissible, like we mentioned. However, we have the wires inside. And maybe we consider the blanket as a basis. It’s a basis to the wire, and therefore it should make the entire blanket muktzeh.
So the Igrot Moshe has a number of sevarot, a number of logical reasons why it should not be that way. Number one, he says that since the wires are sewed in and are completely connected with the blanket, it’s not two items. This means that, for muktzeh to make the bottom piece asur, they have to be separate things. But here it’s part and parcel of the blanket. So therefore, it can’t make the blanket basis because it’s part of it. That’s number one. He gives another sevara: since it’s connected to the wall, the wires that connect to the wall, he says many things that are connected to a wall can’t be considered to be on top of a basis, because their basis is the wall. Therefore, that’s another sevara he gives that is partially why they’re not basis. That’s how he ends off.
He says that even if we say it is a basis, the electrical wire is considered a kli shemelachto le'issur, and therefore, he says, the only time we see a concept of basis, where the muktzeh would make the bottom asur, is when the top is muktzeh mechamat gufo, something that’s totally unmovable, right? Like a rock, or like the Gemara says, a flame. A ner (candle) has a flame; the flame itself is considered muktzeh mechamat gufo, and it’s asur. But these wires, he calls them a kli shemelachto le'issur, and therefore, he says, they would not make the bottom asur regardless. Even if they would be muktzeh, and even if we say basis, there’s no problem because they’re not muktzeh mechamat gufo; they’re a kli shemelachto le'issur, which is movable, and therefore does not make the blanket muktzeh. So, bottom line, as far as muktzeh is concerned, it’s a kli (utensil).
Now he says, however, there is a concern that a person might change the setting between high and low. He says, of course, one should be careful to tie it or put a piece of tape over it to make sure not to move it up and down. Also, where it’s plugged in, one should put something there so that he doesn’t take it off. He should remind himself that it’s Shabbat. That’s to get out of that issue.
Then he also deals with another issue: What about while he’s sleeping? Hey, while he’s sleeping, it didn’t get unplugged. He says for sure that’s okay also because the person does not intend to do that, and therefore that’s not a problem. One should be careful not to do it. But if it happens, it’s not asur to use it because it might happen. It’s another problem that we don’t have to deal with.
Finally, he says, as far as the refuah (healing) is concerned, like we spoke yesterday. So yesterday, he says that since many people use this blanket not for refuah—even healthy people use this blanket—therefore, it’s not a refuah issue whatsoever. So again, bottom line, he comes out that it’s mutar to use it. You’re allowed to use it unless your blanket is on, on Shabbat, right? There’s no problem of muktzeh, there’s no problem of plugging it out of the wall, and there’s no refuah issue. Just as long as one reminds himself not to lower it or raise it and not to unplug it. Have a good day.