Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 314:20-26

Sugya Map

• Issue: The boundary between Tofeh (Sewing) and Koshair (Tying) in the context of temporary knots/fastenings.
• Nafka Mina: Whether a metal hook/eyelet construction constitutes Tofeh or merely a form of Koshair (or neither).
• Primary Sources: Shabbat 74b, Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 314:1, Arukh HaShulchan, Orach Chaim 314:20-26.

Text Snapshot

• Arukh HaShulchan, 314:21: "וכן אותן הקרסים שעושין בבגדים... ודאי דאין בזה איסור תפירה."
• Leshon Nuance: R’ Epstein emphasizes the derech (manner) of the act. By categorizing hooks as "not sewing," he effectively deconstructs the melacha into intent-based functionalism rather than purely physical joining.

Readings

• Rambam (Hilchot Shabbat 10:11): Defines Tofeh as joining two pieces of fabric with a thread. The Chiddush is the requirement of "thread" (chut); without it, the melacha lacks the necessary tikkun.
• Arukh HaShulchan (314:22): His Chiddush is extending the leniency to modern mechanical fasteners by arguing they lack the permanence of "sewing." He views the hook as a minyan (accessory) rather than a ma’aseh (act).

Friction

• Kushya: If the hook holds the garment together, why isn't it Tofeh based on ma’aseh (the result of the connection)?
• Terutz: The Arukh HaShulchan posits that Tofeh requires a "permanent" or "semi-permanent" union. A hook is davar ha-mitpatel (a transient connection) that is inherently designed for immediate release. It isn't a tikkun to the fabric; the fabric remains independent of the hook.

Intertext

• Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 317:1: Compare with the laws of Koshair, where the threshold for "temporary" is strictly defined by the da'at (intent) of the user regarding time.

Psak/Practice

• Meta-Psak: Mechanical fasteners (hooks, snaps, zippers) that do not involve thread are mutar lechatchila. The Arukh HaShulchan shifts the halachic focus from the object to the tikkun—if no material is altered or permanently joined, the melacha is not triggered.

Takeaway

The prohibition of Tofeh is a restriction on the crafting of a garment, not the mere alignment of edges; if the mechanism is external and reversible, the melacha misses its target.