Based on Shiur & Translations by Rabbi Shlomo Zacharow
מתני׳ כל שחייבין עליו משום שבות ...בשבת חייבין עליו ביו"ט ואלו הן משום שבות לא עולין באילן ולא רוכבין על גבי בהמה ולא שטין על פני המים ולא מטפחין ולא מספקין ולא מרקדין
גמ׳
לא עולין באילן גזרה שמא יתלוש ולא רוכבין על גבי בהמה ... גזרה שמא יחתוך זמורה...
ולא מטפחין ולא מספקין ולא מרקדין: גזרה שמא יתקן כלי שיר:
Mishna:
Any (activity) from which one is obligated (to abstain) because of a Rabbinical injunction . . . on the Sabbath, one is (also) obligated (to abstain from it) on Yom Tov. These are . . . : One may not ascend a tree, nor ride upon an animal, nor swim in the water, nor clap (hands), nor slap (on one’s thigh), nor dance.
Gemarra:
We may not ascend a tree, (this is a) decree, lest one tear (something) off.
Nor ride upon an animal, (this is a) decree, lest one go beyond the Shabbat boundary. Learn from this that the Shabbat boundary is Biblical. Rather, it is a decree lest one cut off a branch.
Nor swim in water, (this is a) decree, let one construct a swimmer’s tube.
Nor clap (hands), nor slap (on one’s thigh), nor dance, (this is a) decree lest one will repair musical instruments.
Rather, it is a decree lest one cut off a branch: in order to hit (his animal), and this is reaping from the source of growth.
Lest one go beyond the Sabbath boundary: since one is not going by foot and doesn’t see the markers for the boundaries
Lest one go up and tear off: this is a transgression from the Torah, “Reaping,” removing (all or part of a plant) from its source of growth.
What is the scenario of "repairing a musical instrument"? What is the action that the rabbis were concerned might happen if we clapped & danced on Shabbat?
Are the reasons for these decrees still relevant today?
Must we abide by them if they are not?
תנן אין מטפחין ואין מספקין ואין מרקדין ...אלא הנח להם לישראל מוטב שיהיו שוגגין ואל יהיו מזידין
We have learnt: You may not clap the hands or slap the thighs or dance...
But let Israel [go their way]: it is better that they should err in ignorance than presumptuously;
We taught in a Mishnah: “One does not clap or dance.” Rashi explained “lest one will repair a musical instrument.” However for us, [clapping and dancing] are permitted; because specifically in their days, when they were experts in making musical instruments, it was appropriate to make this decree. But for us, who are not experts in making musical instruments, it is not appropriate to make this decree.
How does Tosafot understand tikkun kli?
Was there really a historical shift?
What is the implication for applying the rabbinic rulings today?
If one rejects this Tosafot, is there any halachic legitimacy to clapping & dancing on Shabbat? I.e., can we make any distinction between playing a guitar and dancing?
(ב) יֵשׁ מַתִּירִים לוֹמַר לְעַכּוּ''ם לְנַגֵּן בִּכְלֵי שִׁיר בְּחֻפּוֹת.
There are those who permit instructing a non-Jew to play a musical instrument at a wedding (on Shabbat).
On what basis would the Shulchan Aruch allow us to ask a non-Jew but not to do it ourselves?
When might a Jewish wedding occur on Shabbat?
(ג) אֵין מְטַפְּחִין לְהַכּוֹת כַּף אֶל כַּף, וְלֹא מְסַפְּקִין לְהַכּוֹת כַּף עַל יָרֵךְ, וְלֹא מְרַקְּדִין, גְּזֵרָה שֶׁמָּא יְתַקֵּן כְּלֵי שִׁיר. וַאֲפִלּוּ לְהַכּוֹת בְּאֶצְבַּע עַל הַקַּרְקַע, אוֹ עַל הַלּוּחַ, אוֹ אַחַת כְּנֶגֶד אַחַת כְּדֶרֶךְ הַמְשׁוֹרְרִים, אוֹ לְקַשְׁקֵשׁ בֶּאֱגוֹז לְתִינוֹק, אוֹ לְשַׂחֵק בּוֹ בְּזוּג כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשְׁתֹּק, כָּל זֶה וְכַיּוֹצֵא בּוֹ אָסוּר, גְּזֵרָה שֶׁמָּא יְתַקֵּן כְּלֵי שִׁיר; וּלְסַפֵּק כִּלְאַחַר יָד, מֻתָּר.
הַגָּה: וְהָא דִּמְסַפְּקִין וּמְרַקְּדִין הָאִדָּנָא וְלֹא מָחִינָן בְּהוּ מִשּׁוּם דְּמוּטָב שֶׁיִּהְיוּ שׁוֹגְגִין וְכו'. וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דְּבַזְּמַן הַזֶּה הַכֹּל שָׁרֵי, דְּאֵין אָנוּ בְּקִיאִין בַּעֲשִׂיַּת כְּלֵי שִׁיר וְלֵיכָּא לְמִגְזָר שֶׁמָּא יְתַקֵּן כְּלֵי שִׁיר דְּמִלְּתָא דְּלֹא שָׁכִיחַ הוּא וְאֶפְשָׁר שֶׁעַל זֶה נָהֲגוּ לְהָקֵל בַּכֹּל (תּוֹסָפוֹת סוֹף פֶּרֶק הַמֵּבִיא כַּדֵּי יַיִן).
(3) One should not clap one's hands together, nor clap a hand on one's thigh, nor dance - this is a decree instituted so that one will not come to fix a musical instrument. And even tapping one's fingers on the ground, or on a board, or snapping them together like singers do, or rattling nuts together for a baby, or playing with a pair of them, so that he will be quiet. All this and similar such things are forbidden from a decree, so that one will not come to fix an instrument. But clapping the back of one's hand is permitted.
Rema: But there are those who clap and dance nowadays, and we should not stop them. Because it is better that they do it unintentionally... And there are those who say that today all of this is permitted, because we are not experts in fixing instruments, and we cannot decree "lest one comes to fix an instrument" for it is a thing which happens so infrequently. So it is possible that because of this, the custom is to be lenient on all of this. (Tosafot, Perek HaMeivi Kadei Yayin)
According to the Shulchan Aruch, would playing an instrument be in a different category than clapping and dancing?
What is Isserles basing his lenient position on?
ערוך השולחן של”ט
. . . והדברים מתמיהים חדא, דקשירת נימי הכנור שכיחי טובא, וכן לגלגלה על היתדות, והיינו שמגלגלין היתד עד שתשוב הנימא להיות כנכון ובשני הדברים יש חיוב חטאת משום קשירה ומשום מתקן מנא . . .
Arukh HaShulhan 339
These words are very surprising, for tying violin strings is very common, likewise winding them on the pegs, in other words turning the peg in order to tune (the instrument), and for both of these things one must bring a sin offering because of tying and because of fixing a utensil.
Do you agree with the Aruch HaShulchan? Is Tosafot's position logically defensible?