Tablecloth and Ring Thrown on Shabbat
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Question
A disposable plastic tablecloth was thrown into the trash at the end of the meal with a diamond ring. The question is how and why it is permitted to retrieve the ring (there was an answer here in the past on a similar case, I studied Siman Sh"T and did not understand the answer). Thank you in advance.
Answer
Hello,
A used plastic tablecloth that was thrown away on Shabbat is generally not fit for any use and becomes 'broken vessels' which are muktzeh.
However, in this case, where the tablecloth still serves the ring by protecting it from mixing and getting lost with the rest of the trash, it seems that the tablecloth still performs a 'kind of work' and does not become muktzeh. Therefore, it is permitted to move the tablecloth as usual and retrieve the ring.
One must be careful of the prohibition of 'borer' if the ring is mixed with dirt or food.