Question: Is it permitted to transport from one domain to another on Yom Tov?
Discussion: Transporting (hotza’ah, sometimes referred to as “carrying”) is one of the thirty-nine avos melachos that are prohibited on Shabbos. This includes transporting from a reshus hayachid (private domain) to a reshus harabbim (public domain) or vice versa, as well as transporting over a distance of at least four amos within a reshus harabbim. Rabbinically, it is prohibited to transport even from a private home to a common courtyard, or vice versa, unless an eiruv chatzeiros has been set up.
There is a common misconception that transporting is completely permitted on Yom Tov. The truth is, however, that transporting on Yom Tov is subject to certain limitations, as will be explained below.
To better understand the specifics of this halachah, we need to distinguish between three different types of transporting:
Transporting for no purpose
Transporting for a positive Yom Tov purpose
Transporting for the purpose of preventing a loss
1. Transporting for no purpose
It is prohibited to transport an object that serves no Yom Tov need at all, such as carrying around a tissue that is no longer usable, or a button, or a piece of paper which is not needed on Yom Tov. If the transporting takes place in a public domain (reshus harabbim), some say it is Biblically prohibited.100
On Shabbos, it is rabbinically prohibited to transport from one person’s private domain to a jointly owned private domain unless an eiruv chatzeiros has been set up. According to halachah, the same applies on Yom Tov with regard to transporting for no purpose.101
Therefore, as a practical example, before taking the baby for a stroll in the baby carriage on Yom Tov where there is no eiruv, one should check that only items that are needed [or likely to be needed102] during the walk are in the carriage.103 Similarly, before leaving the house for a walk on Yom Tov, and there is no eiruv, one should leave behind any items which will not be needed during the walk.104
2. Transporting for a positive Yom Tov purpose
Transporting on Yom Tov is permitted for the sake of a positive Yom Tov need.105 For example, it is permitted to take a baby outside for a stroll, or to transport a Sefer Torah for the purpose of reading it (or another sefer for the purpose of studying it), or to transport a lulav on Sukkos or a shofar on Rosh Hashanah,106 or to transport any object which will be used to fulfill any mitzvah (or even a hiddur mitzvah107). It is also permitted to transport an item in order to present it to someone as a gift, even if it will not be used on Yom Tov, since one has pleasure simply from giving a gift on Yom Tov.108 All of these are considered positive, constructive purposes, and are permitted on Yom Tov.109
It is important to remember that a “positive Yom Tov purpose” includes only what is needed for that day, until sunset. It is prohibited to transport an object which is needed only for the next day, even if the next day is also Yom Tov. It is therefore prohibited to carry home a tallis or a machzor so as to use it in a different shul the next day.
However, if one would refrain from bringing these items to shul because they might get lost or stolen, then bringing them home is considered part of the melachah required in order to bring it to shul in the first place and thus would be permitted.110
If the next day is Shabbos and a proper eiruv tavshilin has been set, it is permitted to transport on Yom Tov for a Shabbos need.111
3. Transporting for the purpose of preventing a loss
There is a debate among the Poskim concerning a third type of transporting – one which cannot be classified as having a “positive, constructive purpose” but, at the same time, cannot be described as serving no purpose at all. An example would be carrying around the key to a safe containing money (or other non-Yom Tov needs), since the owner does not feel secure hiding the key in the house. Rema (518:1) rules in accordance with Smak and Rabbeinu Yerucham that this is considered a positive Yom Tov need since one would otherwise be anxious, thus diminishing his enjoyment of Yom Tov. Others112 maintain that, since the purpose of carrying the key is primarily to prevent a loss, it is not a Yom Tov need and, therefore, is prohibited.113 Mishnah Berurah (518, note 6) rules stringently; several other Poskim rule leniently.114
According to all Poskim, however, a house key may be carried,115 since a house almost always contains food, clothing, and other Yom Tov needs. [In the unusual case that one’s home does not contain anything needed for Yom Tov, the halachah would be comparable to the aforementioned case of transporting the key to a safe.]
There is a limitation on this, however: If another option is available, then a house key may not be carried. For example, if the house can be locked and then reopened without carrying a key, all Poskim would agree that it is prohibited to carry the key. Transporting a key under such circumstances would be considered transporting for “no purpose,” which is strictly prohibited.116 Thus:
A homeowner whose house has a combination lock may not carry a house key on Yom Tov.
If someone is in the house who is readily available to open the door, and this person is expected to still be there later, a key may not be carried.
Some Poskim maintain that if there are other, unneeded keys on the key ring, they must be removed from the ring before Yom Tov117 if one intends to carry the house key outside.118
100 Sha’ar Hatziyun 518, note 6.
101 Rema 518:1; Mishnah Berurah 528, note 1. For this reason, a community that has an eiruv should ensure that it is functional for Yom Tov, as well. However, since there is an opinion that no eiruv is required on Yom Tov, it is recommended that a berachah not be recited when making an eiruv chatzeiros only for Yom Tov. Instead, it would be best that, when an eiruv chatzeiros is made for Shabbos with a berachah, Yom Tov should be included as well (Mishnah Berurah ad loc.). [Someone who is visiting Eretz Yisrael – and thus, is observing two days of Yom Tov – should not rely on the local eiruv on the second day of Yom Tov. Due to a number of factors, it is likely that the eiruv does not remain valid at that time.]
102 See Mishnah Berurah 518, note 10.
103 Many Poskim are of the opinion that once a person is transporting for a legitimate purpose, he may add as many items as he wants, even if some of those items are not necessary for a legitimate Yom Tov purpose. This is based on the halachah of ribbui bishiurim – when one is preparing food on Yom Tov, even though a melachah is involved, one is allowed to add to the amount of food and prepare more than necessary. (Cf. Ohr Sameiach, Shabbos 18:1. See also footnote s below regarding whether this halachah of ribbui bishiurim allows one to prepare additional types of food, or only a larger amount of the same type of food.) However, this would not apply to placing unnecessary items in an otherwise empty stroller. Transporting the baby is not prohibited by Torah law, because “chai nosei es atzmo.” Transporting the stroller, as well, is not prohibited by Torah law, since the stroller is subordinate to the child. Therefore, since transporting the child and stroller does not constitute hotza’ah at a Biblical level, the concept of ribbui beshiurim does not apply. However, if one has placed necessary items in the stroller (such as a sweater), then other items may be added as well, even if they do not serve a legitimate Yom Tov purpose.
104 Minchas Yom Tov 98:126.
105 Some Poskim maintain that medications may not be transported, since that is not considered a universal need (shaveh lechol nefesh). While other Poskim are lenient, it is best to employ a shinui when transporting medications on Yom Tov (Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasah 33, footnotes 99-100, citing R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach).
106 The halachah follows the majority of Poskim who permit transporting a lulav or a shofar for women who wish to shake the lulav or hear the shofar, even though women are not obligated to fulfill these mitzvos (Shulchan Aruch Harav 589:2; Igros Moshe, Orach Chaim III:94; Az Nidberu XIII:41). A minority of Poskim prohibit transporting [in a reshus harabbim] for this purpose (Sha’arei Teshuvah 589:1, citing Sha’agas Aryeh 106).
107 See Yom Tov Kehilchaso, Miluim 19, who offers numerous proofs that this, too, is considered a legitimate purpose for performing melachah on Yom Tov.
108 Mishnah Berurah 516, notes 12 and 14.
109 This is permitted even if one could just as easily have transported the object before Yom Tov (Mishnah Berurah 498, note 10).
110 Mishnah Berurah 518, note 6.
111 Shevet HaLevi IV:51:2.
112 Rosh, Re’ah, and Tur cited in Sha’ar Hatziyun 518, note 8.
113 Taz and Shulchan Aruch Harav 518:1.
114 Aruch Hashulchan 518:6; Minchas Yom Tov 98:125. Chayei Adam 96:1 rules that a ba’al nefesh (a conscientious person) should be stringent.
115 Mishnah Berurah 518, note 5. According to R’ Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, this is permitted only for food, or other Yom Tov needs, for that same day. Someone who is leaving his home and will return only that night (or the next day) may not rely on this (Ashrei Haish 3:33).
116 Shulchan Aruch Harav 518:1.
117 In certain instances, removing the unwanted key would be prohibited due to the melachah of boreir (sorting). Although boreir is sometimes permitted on Yom Tov, Yom Tov Kehilchaso (8, footnote 95) maintains that in this instance it would be considered machshirin, and therefore not permitted.
118 Igros Moshe (V:35) rules stringently on this question, whereas other Poskim are more lenient and permit carrying the entire ring of keys when necessary (see Minchas Yitzchak VIII:30; Ashrei Haish III:33; Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasah 19, footnote 14; Teshuvos Vehanhagos I:348; Machazeh Eliyahu I:35). Note that car keys and fobs have the status of a kli shemelachto le’issur (Shulchan Shlomo 308:25; Ashrei Ha’ish ibid., 29), and, depending on the case, may also be muktzeh machamas chesron kis. They should therefore be removed before Yom Tov if one will be using the key ring. If they were not removed before Yom Tov, a Rav should be consulted as to whether it is permitted to move the key ring.