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e had a very hurried Friday and somehow the mixer was never put away. It looks ugly on the counter and takes up space that I need. May I move it?

If you’re expecting guests and you would be embarrassed by the clutter you may pick up the mixer and put it away. If you won’t be embarrassed by the mess but need to use the space where the mixer sits it’s questionable whether or not you may move the mixer and you should do so only under extenuating circumstances. (The poskim debate whether a mixer is a kli shemelachto l’issur which may be moved when its space is needed or if it is a stricter type of muktzeh that may not be moved even when its space is needed.)

My baby was pulling on my necklace and he snapped it in half. Does it become muktzeh? If it’s in his hands can I lift him and nudge his hand so he drops it somewhere safe?

Since a necklace that’s snapped in half is no longer usable it becomes muktzeh and it may not be moved for any reason. You may not pick up a baby who’s holding on to the broken necklace since that’s considered as if you’re moving the muktzeh but you may nudge the baby’s hand so that he drops the necklace somewhere safe.

In my rush to clear the room I stuffed a few small electronics into my sock drawer planning on removing them before Shabbos. But I never got to it. Then I needed tights — but they were all in the drawer. May I open it on Shabbos?

You may open the drawer on Shabbos and remove the tights you need to wear. The halachah remains the same even if you were planning to leave the small electronics in the drawer for the entire Shabbos.

I was at a friend’s house and she lifted a book only realizing once she picked it up that there was a pen stuck inside it. She told me that since she’s already holding it she’s allowed to move the muktzeh item and then walked to another room and left the pen there. Is there such a heter?

There are several poskim who hold that a pen or any other kli shemelachto l’issur (item used to perform a forbidden activity) that was picked up by mistake doesn’t need to be dropped immediately but may be quickly carried to another destination where it will not be in the way. While other poskim disagree with this leniency when necessary one may rely on the lenient view.

My three-year-old has a large truck with numerous buttons that when pressed play music and trigger flashing lights. There’s a switch to turn off that capability. Is the truck muktzeh if I turn off the switch? And if I forget can I pick it up if I make sure not to press any of the buttons?

The type of truck you are describing isn’t muktzeh since you can play with it without pressing the buttons. If however the toy plays music flashes lights or makes noise immediately upon being picked up it’s muktzeh and it is forbidden for you to pick it up for any reason. (Your three-year-old who has not yet reached the age of chinuch may play with his truck as he normally does. You aren’t obligated to turn off the switch that allows the toy to play music or flash lights.)

Our fan has a long cord. May I move it from one end of the room to the other?

If you’re moving the fan because you want it to cool another part of the room or because you need to use the space that the fan is occupying it’s permitted according to all opinions. Some poskim go even further and permit moving a fan for any reason.

Since we’re empty-nesters I light my candles on the Shabbos table. Recently my husband brought home several unexpected guests. The candles were taking up the space I needed to set for them. Is there any way to move the candles?

If the guests came on Friday night when the candles are still lit your only option is to find a non-Jew and ask him to lift the candles and place them elsewhere. If the guests came on Shabbos morning you may move the extinguished candles (and the tray) with your elbow or foot.

I was taking a walk on Shabbos afternoon and when I slipped my hand in my pocket I found myself holding a $100 bill that I put in the pocket earlier in the week when I went out to do errands. What should I do with it?

According to most poskim you need to immediately drop the $100 bill from your hand and let it fall to the ground. (A minority view permits you to continue holding it until you reach a safe place.) Once it’s on the ground you may kick the money with your foot (or nudge it with your elbow or blow it with your mouth) until it reaches a safe place. Obviously this is only permitted if the area is enclosed with a proper eiruv.