Purim - 5782

Purim - 5782 Rabbi Hal Miller (Reminder: It is traditional that on Purim we read "Purim Torah". These are fashioned in the same way as regular divrei Torah, but are humorous, nonsensical, and often just plain silly. Any "rulings" of law herein are expressly disclaimed as being jokes, not serious.... Oh, and bear in mind you're supposed to be a little schicker when you read it. --HM) Those of you who have been following my writings over the past twenty-some years are aware of the "Halachos of" series I put out for Purim each year. This year, our discussion topic is the Halachos of

Vacuum Cleaners.

At first one might ask, why do we need halachos for a tool, other than, say, safety? But it should be

obvious from the need for laws about air travel, which stem from cars, which stem from trains, which

stem from oxcarts, that such laws have been in place since Talmudic days. What kind of halachos are

involved with vacuum cleaners?

There are four categories of laws, covering types we are allowed to use, types of usage, conditions

of usage, and how to maintain them.

Category I -- Types of Vacuums

We can all picture a "vacuum cleaner". We've seen them, most of us have used them, some of us

use them regularly. But they are not all the same. Watch the Doris Day/Rod Taylor movie, "The

Glass Bottom Boat".

The majority of vacuum units fall into either the classifications of canister or upright, and both are

acceptable for normal use. Other classes include broom, hand-held, built-in, and portable or car.

These other classes are somewhat application-specific and may not be suitable for uses outside

of their intended application. If so, they are not recommended for use outside of that application.

Tzoreich iyun (more study is required).

Many units come with 'attachments'. These vary from small plastic pieces designed to get into small

places, pieces that specialize in getting pet fur out of carpets, and pieces that are easier to use

on furniture, to pieces that specialize in doing damage to draperies. Most units offer the ability to split

out a flexible hose to reach places that the main unit cannot go, and to connect these attachments.

The built-in vacuum system requires such hoses, but bear in mind that long hoses will usually get

tangled and also will cut down on the suction power. Again, within the rules of each specialized use,

these are acceptable, but not outside of those uses.

Another type of vacuum unit is the self-tending, or robot class. Turning one on to vacuum on its own

can cause damage to furniture, can pick up things you don't want picked up and would ordinarily

get out of the way yourself, and can be a tripping hazard. Letting them run on Shabbos may well be

a violation of the laws of Shabbos as they are not like a timer on a lamp or the thermostat-controlled

HVAC system, but rather more like an independent power tool doing a job that is prohibited on

Shabbos. These units are problematic and not recommended. Again, like the words of Doris Day.

Category II -- Types of Usage Without a context, we think of types of usage in one simple class, that of collecting dirt, dust, and pet fur off the floor. This class of usage is certainly permitted in general. But there are both other classes, and some specific concerns even within this simple class. Carpeting comes in numerous types, throw-rug, low-pile, tall-pile, shag, multi-level, and many others. Using a vacuum on a throw-rug can often lead to catastrophic results, and should only be done with extreme care and a safety spotter by the electric wall plug. Working on multi-level or shag carpeting should only be done by children, and only when their parents are up for a laugh. However, vacuum use on the other types of carpet are usually acceptable. Some people use a vacuum cleaner on wood, tile or linoleum floors. Vacuum cleaners are not designed to be efficient on such floors, even though they do perform to varied degrees depending on what the manufacturer attempted to design in or what attachment is in use. Although acceptable this is not a recommended best-use, as it is inefficient, and may result in scratching of the flooring. It is considered fashionable in certain circles (or age groups) to dress in a 'ragged' look. You can actually buy new jeans that are pre-torn. Using a vacuum cleaner on draperies also often gives you the same look. However since these uses tend to do damage to the vacuum, as well as give highly uncertain and often damaging results to the clothes or curtains, this use is not recommended. Use around pets is a complicated area, and may require specialized rulings from your local rabbi. Many pets are petrified of the machine, and will run for the hills when you bring it out, which, although safe, may run afoul of laws about mistreating G-d's creations. There are, of course, individual pets (I had such a dog) who love getting vacuumed, and with the proper attachment and care, this is permitted. It certainly saves time, as you don't need to chase all around the house to pick up fur if you get it right from the dog. Category III -- Conditions of Usage Vacuum cleaners are not made to operate in all conditions. Most are made for indoor use only, and only in accessible, dry places. Most vacuum cleaners are equipped with a rubber bumper around the lower front of the unit, designed for two things: to cushion and prevent damage to items you may hit, and to break and fall off when you least expect it causing scratching to floor moulding and furniture, as well as get sucked up into the unit, causing it to bind and overheat. These should be avoided if possible. Other than specialized for the purpose units, regular vacuum cleaners are not recommended for use in or around swimming pools. Other than specialized for the purpose units, regular vacuum cleaners are not recommended for use around puddles of liquid of any type, even in the house. Other than specialized for the purpose units, regular vacuum cleaners are not recommended for opening blocked plumbing piping or drains. Vacuum cleaners are not recommended for large particles, string, rubber bands, or hairballs. Another condition of concern is noise. Vacuum cleaners are not quiet, despite what some of them like to advertise. If nobody is ill, sleeping or watching television, and the pets are outside, this may not be much of a problem. However, if you live in an apartment building, it is recommended that you check with neighbors prior to firing up this equivalent to a jet engine. This also applies to the noise made as you drag the thing around the house bashing it into furniture and walls, and as you scrape it across the floor back and forth. We are not permitted to disturb the quiet enjoyment of a home for others. Category IV -- Maintenance As with all mechanical devices (let alone horses, from where the expression stems), "rode hard and put away wet" is not recommended. Care is required with power cords and hoses. One should clean the entire unit, including attachments, when finished with the floors, so that it will be ready for the next use, and also to avoid dumping dust and dirt all over the place of storage. Periodically, the brush and roller system needs to be stripped of strings and hair to avoid binding and overheating the unit. One must constantly monitor the status of the bag or container. That dirt has to go somewhere, and in most vacuum cleaners, one of these is that destination. Once full, you get little to no additional suction, and often get more dirt coming out of the unit back onto the floor than you do coming off of the floor into the unit. Dumping, though, can be problematic. Not only can it be messy, including you and your clothing getting covered in dust, the floor around you getting dirty again, but there are laws about what can be dumped in most rubbish collection systems. Fortunately, most of what a vacuum picks up is permissible in the rubbish bin, but bear in mind that, like a dog who experiences the world by eating it (if it fits in my mouth it must be food), a vacuum will try to grab everything in range. Some vacuum cleaners are now equipped with a new amusement device. Amusement for those watching, not for those trying to clean the house. Automatic power cord retraction is intended to make easy the process of coiling up the cord when putting the unit away, or at least that's the theory. Bear in mind the difference between theory and practice -- in theory there is no difference, but ... In practice, these devices do one of two things: bind (either in or out) or trigger themselves when they feel like it, which results in the cord being ripped out of the wall and hitting things, or you, on its way back in. One should carefully consider this prior to purchasing a unit. If you have one of these devices, make sure to keep the cord clean before trying to return it to its storage point. Avoiding the cord problem entirely is potentially a good idea. Running the vacuum over the cord runs the risk of damage to the cord as well as the brush and roller assembly, possibly even resulting in an unsafe electrical situation. Twisted cords are a tripping hazard. To deal with this, some manufacturers now produce battery units. At first, this seems like a positive but there is also a negative. Batteries must be charged before use, so are not always available without a delay of a number of hours. Batteries have lifespan issues and 'memory' issues impacting charging. During a recharge, the unit must be plugged in somewhere, which for most of us means leaving out of its closet, in plain sight, four hours or more each time, typically just when you need to operate the unit. Recharging a battery comes with its own set of dangers, fumes, explosion, fire, and various other issues that are not for this study. Although permitted for use, battery-powered vacuum cleaners require a great deal of extra maintenance, not to mention a great increase in the purchase price.

Vacuum cleaners, like airplanes, are an example of the rule that the Torah is here on earth. The

Torah text and Talmud do not give us these laws directly, so rabbinic authorities are charged (without

battery type problems) with applying Torah law to new objects.

Remember the well-known motto: "Safety in cleaning".

Hal Millerhttp://halamiller.wix.com/author - There just isn't any pleasing some people. The trick is to stop trying. -- Robert Mitchum