Is It A Sin To Brush Your Teeth With A Regular Toothbrush And Toothpaste On The Sabbath?
Someone told me I need a non-absorbing toothbrush and liquid toothpaste since it is against the Mishnah to soak or spread something on the sabbath. However, I want to know if it is in the Bible. Thanks.
Comment by Steven ?????
Orthodox Jewish Perspective:
Most Melachot are NOT explicitly mentioned in the Written Torah. And since toothbrushes were not yet invented in the time of the Mishnah of Gemara, they’re not mentioned there, either. Therefore, the decision as to whether brushing teeth on shabbat is prohibited or allowed fell to modern-day poskim, and like with many issues of Halakha, it’s a Machloket.
There are several possible prohibitions with regard to brushing teeth on Shabbat. They are: ????=scraping, ????=drawing blood (if your gums bleed), ????=creating something new (toothpaste into foam), ????=smoothing, ????=squeezing, and finally ??=removing an object from it’s natural container (plaque from your teeth.)
Rav Moshe Feinstein holds that using normal toothpaste is prohibited for the above reasons, but using liquid toothpaste would be OK. However, R’ JB Solovetchik does not think brushing one’s teeth violates the above Melachot, and permits it, even using normal toothpaste.
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There’s a company that’s attempting to make money off this issue, and they sell a “kosher for shabbat” toothbrush. I don’t think it was approved by any dentists, but you can find it here: http://www.kosherimage.com/toothcare2.ht…
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MESSIANIC JEWS ARE NOT JEWS! DON’T LISTEN TO THEM!
To respond to his claim that Shabbat is on the wrong day: Shabbat is not tied to the calender, and esp not to a Christian calender (Jews have their own calender, which if you were really jewish you would’ve known). Shabbat is simply the seventh day of the week. The law states that if a Jew found himself on a deserted island, and did not remember what day of the week it was, he should simply count seven days, and observe the seventh day as Shabbat.
EDIT: I’m not redefining Judaism, I’m simply following 3500 years of tradition. And nearly all messianic Jews do NOT have Jewish mothers, nor have the converted to Judasim.
Comment by DS M
With someone who pays as much attention to details as you, I would think there were 2 larger questions to ask before this one.
1. Given that there was a 10 day adjustment needed on the Gregorian calendar, was the Sabbath in sync with the Gregorian calendar before the adjustment and is now out sync with Saturday? Or was Sabbath not Saturday and the Gregorian calendar adjusted to make Saturday the Sabbath? Logic would say the first one is correct if there was a concern.
The larger problem is to conclude that the real Sabbath is on a different day where you totally violate the Sabbath.
2. The second question is that the law isn’t found in Torah / Tanakh. This means that, like running an elevator which wasn’t invented yet, the question is what does God’s prophet say.
According to the Torah and Tanakh, a prophet is the only one who can speak for God. Rabbis never claim to be lead by the Spirit of God like the prophets and would discredit anyone who said they had what the Rabbi doesn’t.
But the simple truth is that Rabbi have never been given the authority to speak on behalf of God like the prophets did. No where does a prophet foretell of an end of the prophet and the start of the age of the Rabbi. In fact, as long as a place is set at the Passover table, it is impossible to conclude that the age of the Prophet has ended with one more expected to return.
In addition, no where in the 1000 year recorded application of the written Torah is there a mention of an oral Torah. This is major evidence that Moses never received the oral Torah from God that many over look. And none of the times when a scroll was read was it ever followed up with the oral Torah interpretation of what was just read.
Therefore, it is very likely that you won’t have to be concerned about these small details if you get the bigger ones sorted out.
Hope this helps
Edit
Wicked witch, you know that you are religious as you have your own set of beliefs (religion). So start by outlawing your own religion and the ban against thinking will be lifted.
Steve, I understand your inability to adequately address the differences between Rabbinic Judaism and Judaism described in the picture. But who gave you the right to redefine Judaism? If::
1. Your mother is Jewish
2. You convert to Judaism
you are Jewish. Or find ONE Jewish scripture where anyone was Jewish stopped being Jewish. You can’t.
But you can read the words of Elijah where he states the whole nation of Israel participated in Baal worship blowing any hope of your belief being part of the original Judiasm into being ridiculous given that many the nation of Israel who worshipped Baal on several occasions never were called names like apostate or required to take classes to regain the title of Jew.
Comment by Seeker
I had a quick look at the Mishnah, and didn’t get the same message about soaking that you had. Maybe an orthodox Jew will answer.
But as regards brushing of teeth:
Amos 4:6 says,”And I also have given you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD.”
So, if the LORD has “given you cleanness of teeth”, why do you need a toothbrush and toothpaste?
I suppose you could interpret gathering sticks in Numbers 15:32-35 as any kind of work whatsoever, including brushing teeth, in which case you’d be executed. It says “And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. And they that found him gathering sticks brought him unto Moses and Aaron, and unto all the congregation. And they put him in ward, because it was not declared what should be done to him.And the LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp.”
Comment by XY GTHO
Oddly enough, I was reading about that “absorption” business a few months ago.
One site I investigated had well over three paragraphs discussing what was considered work in regards to soaking up liquid and what was not.
I always find this a bit confusing. Are people looking for how far they can push a particular practice without running afoul of the law or are they genuinely concerned that they stay within the limits?
If the main purpose of Sabbath is to spend time in communion with God and family, it pains me to see so much energy expended in the minutiae defining what can/cannot be done during the day, rather than just living it.
Comment by Curioso
No,this is not in the Bible. Brush if you must.
However, there are many sects with extra-Biblical rules. You may have additional “laws” to follow if you are a member of one of these sects, Your best answer will come from your own spiritual leaders; rabbis, ministers, priests, etc.
Ultimately, you must make your own decisions. Pray for God’s guidance and follow the dictates of a group that best answers your spiritual needs. Find a different group if you are unwilling to submit to your present groups authority.
Comment by Hogie
What is a sin for you here is your trying to keep the sabbath. Paul states that whatever is not of faith is sin, and he also wrote that the law is not of faith.
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Comment by Adam
If it was so important not to clean your teeth in a certain way on the sabbath, im sure you would know about it by now, this seems so petty i highly doubt it would amount to anything.
Comment by J
Well if you’re going to go that far…isn’t brushing your teeth considered work?
And a dental hygenist once told me that plain old water works just fine for brushing your teeth, if you want to play it safe.
Comment by RubiD59
i don’t know about that, but it would be a sin to others if you didn’t, especially if you had to talk to them face to face.
Comment by All Star
If it’s a sin to spread something on the Sabbath, does that mean I can’t have my peanut butter jelly sandwich for breakfast on Saturdays any more? *gasp*
Comment by loki
sin is whatever you want it to be.
If your church tells you something is a sin and you disagree…just find a new church.
There are thousands to choose from ..all different and all alike too
Comment by Sking
Since I wear dentures, I reckon I win the “holy sweepstakes” on this question!
Comment by Question Everything
That this question is even asked overwhelmingly proves the inherent silliness of religious dogma.
Comment by batgirl2
As toothbrushes had not yet been invented when The Bible was written, this is not in The Bible.
Surely you jest.
Comment by Wicked Witch™ of the West
Oh for goodness sake!
This is why religion should be outlawed!
You people worry over the STUPIDEST crap.
Comment by Kc
Why would your god care about the minutia of your everyday life?
Comment by Oddly, Fate.
That’s something new.
O_O
Comment by Digital_
NO! brush your teeth
Comment by jlouisr7
No its not in the bible….that was the law…you dont have to follow the law……..
Comment by Tia Is
wHDLKJShdkj Christians brush their teeth?!?!