עברית
Halachot and Customs
Is it Permissible to Assemble Lego or Puzzles on Shabbat?
Question
Hello, esteemed Rabbi. Occasionally on Shabbat, when my daughter is with me (I am divorced), I like to spend quality time playing with her by building Lego and assembling puzzles. I recall reading in "Yalkut Yosef" that there are games that are not forbidden. I would appreciate knowing what the halacha says.
Answer
Shalom and blessings.
A child is allowed to play with Lego, but you are not permitted to play with Lego.
Here are the words of the Rabbi, the author of Yalkut Yosef: In accordance with the rulings of Maran the Shulchan Aruch, it is forbidden for adults to play with a ball on Shabbat and Yom Tov, and it is forbidden to carry it even for his own need or place. The ruling applies even to a ball made intentionally for play. Nonetheless, it is permissible to allow a child [even one who has reached the education stage] to play with toys and a ball on Shabbat, as Maran might not have spoken about the ball in the time we have factories producing toys. [Yalkut Yosef, Laws of Educating Children, page 150; Yalkut Yosef, Shabbat, volume 2, page 127. And even if he hands the toy, although it seems he is violating the prohibition of muktzeh according to Maran, nevertheless, it can be considered permissible according to the reasoning of the Rema, and also according to those who say that in our time, with the existence of toy factories, according to Maran, their status is not like muktzeh, therefore it is proper to be lenient in this case. And what we wrote there about combining the opinions of the Rashba and the Ran is for clarity. And with this it is appropriate that the adult takes the toy in hand to give it to the child. And consider well. And see the next section].
Another note: Other toys, such as building blocks and Lego, or dolls and small cars, are also prohibited for adults to handle, according to those who received instructions from Maran. Nevertheless, it is permissible to allow one’s young children who have not yet reached the age of mitzvot to play on Shabbat with building blocks and Lego, connecting them to create structures or towers and then dismantling them on Shabbat. And it is permissible for an adult to give a child toys designated for small children that are not considered muktzeh. [Yalkut Yosef, Laws of Educating Children, page 150; Yalkut Yosef, Shabbat, volume 2, page 129, and page 560. And see She'arit Yosef, volume 3, page 103, and Hilchot Olam, volume 4, page 240]. Additionally, toys for small children that make noise while moving, but are not musical, can be permitted for a child to play with, without an adult assisting him in his play. It is also permissible to pull the spring of children's toys such as trains and cars. An adult should not compare this to a watch, which is forbidden to repair, as a watch that has stopped cannot be considered a tool, and its repair reactivates it, whereas children's toys can still be played with even if they are not actively working. However, toys powered by batteries should not be handled by an adult on Shabbat. [Hilchot Olam, volume 4, page 240].
Best wishes,
Benjamin Shmueli
