#263: Baby Wipes

1. Some poskim forbid using baby wipes on Shabbat due to sechitah and dosh – one inevitably squeezes the wipes and benefits from the extracted liquid (Orchot Shabbat 13:46; Minchat Yitzchak 10:25). According to these opinions, one must instead spray the dirty area of the body with water and then use a tissue to clean.

2. Other poskim permit the use of baby wipes on Shabbat for multiple reasons, including that in many baby wipes today, the moisture is not fully absorbed in the wipe itself but is found on the surface of the wipe; thus, no sechitah actually takes place. However, one should not squeeze the wipes intentionally in case any absorbed moisture is squeezed out (Minchat Asher 1:14; Shemirat Shabbat K'hilchatah 13:37; R. Yosef Zvi Rimon, “Shabbat”). Some poskim write that even if the allowance to use baby wipes is not entirely clear cut, those that use them have a basis on which to rely (Yalkut Yosef 302:31). We will discuss the halachot of using towels and paper towels to wipe up spills in detail at a later date[EO4] .

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Dedicated by Fran Broder as a zechus for the hostages to be released safely to their families and may everlasting peace come to Eretz Yisrael in the merit of learning Hilchos Shabbos.