Walking in Wet Socks
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Question
I read in a halachic book that on Shabbat it is permitted to walk in wet socks.
I did not understand this ruling, and therefore I have these four questions:
1] On Shabbat, generally people wear very clean socks.
But for someone who did not have time to get organized in honor of Shabbat, and therefore his socks are not so clean,
and/or for someone who has health problems with his feet, because of which his socks get dirty quickly,
and in addition these socks became wet from clean water,
for example because he was out in the rain, or was near a water leak from a boiler,
to the extent that if one touches these socks, the hand will become wet enough to wet another object,
why is he not forbidden to walk in these socks because of the prohibition of libun/laundry?
For when stepping on the wet socks,
it is reasonable that water will be squeezed out from the wet areas of the socks
along with dirt from these wet socks.
And even if the person does not intend to whiten/wash, this is a psik reisha de‑niha lei (an action with an inevitable and desired outcome).
And if you say that this is a melachah done in an unusual manner, since this is not the normal way to wring out socks,
and it is less convenient to wring them this way compared to regular wringing,
nevertheless, the act of squeezing a wet garment is a derivative of the melachah of libun/laundry, which is forbidden by the Torah,
and therefore, despite the change, a rabbinic prohibition still remains?
Is this rabbinic prohibition set aside because of suffering or human dignity?
If it is very cold, perhaps due to the concern of causing illness the rabbinic prohibition is also set aside?
2] It is true that if the socks are wet only in some areas,
then when stepping on them, water may be squeezed out from the wet areas of the socks
along with dirt from these wet socks
and enter into areas of the socks that were previously dry.
Thus, if dirt came out from place 1, it entered place 2 in the same sock,
and therefore the sock as a whole remains dirty to the same degree.
But a particular area of the socks does indeed become cleaner thanks to this squeezing,
and that would be a violation of the prohibition of libun/laundry,
even if another area of the same sock became dirtier through this act?
3] There is a type of shoe in which part is made of fabric and a different part is made of plastic.
Therefore, while walking, water from the wet socks can be squeezed out of the socks
along with dirt from these wet socks
and enter into dry fabric areas of the shoes.
Thus he transgresses the prohibition of libun/laundry.
And if the socks are clean, but the fabric in the shoe is dirty,
then why is this not forbidden because of the rule “soaking it is already considered laundering,”
and/or because that area of the shoe might also be squeezed while walking?
4] There is a type of shoe that is only partially waterproof,
and therefore, while walking, water from the wet socks can be squeezed out
along with dirt from the wet socks
and flow inside the shoe and then out of the shoe.
Thus he transgresses the prohibition of libun/laundry?
Thank you.
I did not understand this ruling, and therefore I have these four questions:
1] On Shabbat, generally people wear very clean socks.
But for someone who did not have time to get organized in honor of Shabbat, and therefore his socks are not so clean,
and/or for someone who has health problems with his feet, because of which his socks get dirty quickly,
and in addition these socks became wet from clean water,
for example because he was out in the rain, or was near a water leak from a boiler,
to the extent that if one touches these socks, the hand will become wet enough to wet another object,
why is he not forbidden to walk in these socks because of the prohibition of libun/laundry?
For when stepping on the wet socks,
it is reasonable that water will be squeezed out from the wet areas of the socks
along with dirt from these wet socks.
And even if the person does not intend to whiten/wash, this is a psik reisha de‑niha lei (an action with an inevitable and desired outcome).
And if you say that this is a melachah done in an unusual manner, since this is not the normal way to wring out socks,
and it is less convenient to wring them this way compared to regular wringing,
nevertheless, the act of squeezing a wet garment is a derivative of the melachah of libun/laundry, which is forbidden by the Torah,
and therefore, despite the change, a rabbinic prohibition still remains?
Is this rabbinic prohibition set aside because of suffering or human dignity?
If it is very cold, perhaps due to the concern of causing illness the rabbinic prohibition is also set aside?
2] It is true that if the socks are wet only in some areas,
then when stepping on them, water may be squeezed out from the wet areas of the socks
along with dirt from these wet socks
and enter into areas of the socks that were previously dry.
Thus, if dirt came out from place 1, it entered place 2 in the same sock,
and therefore the sock as a whole remains dirty to the same degree.
But a particular area of the socks does indeed become cleaner thanks to this squeezing,
and that would be a violation of the prohibition of libun/laundry,
even if another area of the same sock became dirtier through this act?
3] There is a type of shoe in which part is made of fabric and a different part is made of plastic.
Therefore, while walking, water from the wet socks can be squeezed out of the socks
along with dirt from these wet socks
and enter into dry fabric areas of the shoes.
Thus he transgresses the prohibition of libun/laundry.
And if the socks are clean, but the fabric in the shoe is dirty,
then why is this not forbidden because of the rule “soaking it is already considered laundering,”
and/or because that area of the shoe might also be squeezed while walking?
4] There is a type of shoe that is only partially waterproof,
and therefore, while walking, water from the wet socks can be squeezed out
along with dirt from the wet socks
and flow inside the shoe and then out of the shoe.
Thus he transgresses the prohibition of libun/laundry?
Thank you.
Answer
Shalom and blessings.
The squeezing that occurs through walking is not considered a manner of laundering, but on the contrary, a manner of soiling, in whatever way and form the socks may be squeezed.
As a result of walking, the socks become dirtier than they are "cleaned" by this squeezing. After wearing socks, even on a dry and clean foot, a person throws them into the laundry and does not use them as clean socks.
In addition, the socks remain dirty even after the small amount of squeezing that may occur.
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