Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 301:92-99

Sugya Map

• Issue: The status of keli she-melachto le-issur (an object whose primary use is forbidden, e.g., a hammer) when utilized for a permitted purpose (e.g., using a hammer to crack nuts).
• Nafka Mina: Whether the heftza remains muktzah if the permitted use is irregular vs. regular.
• Primary Sources: Shabbat 122b; Shulchan Aruch OC 308:3; Arukh HaShulchan 301:92-99.

Text Snapshot

• Arukh HaShulchan 301:93: "וכלים שאין מלאכתן לאיסור ולא להיתר... מותר לטלטלן לכל צורך."
• Nuance: The Arukh HaShulchan highlights tzorech gufo (need for the object's body) vs. tzorech mekomo (need for the space). Note the dikduk on "לכל צורך"—he effectively collapses the distinction between categories when the heftza is essentially neutral.

Readings

• Rambam (Hilkhot Shabbat 25:4): Strict categorization; if the object is melachto le-issur, it is restricted unless for tzorech gufo or tzorech mekomo.
• Arukh HaShulchan (loc. cit.): He adopts a functionalist approach, arguing that modern usage patterns shift the kavyat (definition) of the vessel. If the issur is not the exclusive definition, the stringency fades.

Friction

• Kushya: If keli she-melachto le-issur is defined by its primary intent, why does the Arukh HaShulchan permit broad usage based on tzorech? Doesn't the heftza retain its shem (status) regardless of current utility?
• Terutz: The Arukh HaShulchan assumes da'at (intent) is fluid. If the user’s utility is heter, the shem of the object is temporarily re-categorized by the ma'aseh (act).

Intertext

• SA OC 308:3: "קדירה... מותר לטלטלה לצורך גופו."
• Mishnah Berurah 308:12: Emphasizes that "tzorech gufo" requires the heter to be significant.

Psak/Practice

• Meta-psak: In contemporary settings, items like scissors or heavy tools remain muktzah unless specifically designated for a heter use. Do not rely on the Arukh HaShulchan’s leniency for casual "I might need it" scenarios.

Takeaway

Functionality determines muktzah status: if you don’t have a clear heter purpose at the moment of handling, the issur label of the tool persists.