Question: Is it permitted on Shabbos to take out a toddler wearing toddler reins in an area without an eruv?
Discussion: First of all, let us discuss the issurim of shevisas b’no and shevisas behemto:
Shevisas b’no – It is forbidden min hatorah to allow a child to perform melochos, if the melochos are being performed for the parent. This issur is referred to as “shevisas b’no”. The precedent for this is the from the Mishna (Shabbos 121a) which discusses that if there is a fire on Shabbos in one’s house, and his child comes on his own volition to extinguish the fire, the father must stop his son from extinguishing. Tosfos (ibid) writes that this applies even to a child who is under the age of chinuch. The Gemoro speaks out that the reason that the father must protest is because the child is doing the melocho for his father. The Mishna Berura (Sha’ar Hatziyun Siman 334 s.k. 54) writes that the father is obligated min hatorah to protest and stop his son performing melochos for his father.
Shevisas behemto – The Torah clearly proscribes one from letting his animals perform melochos on Shabbos (see Shemos 20:10 and Devorim 5:14). This prohibition is referred to as “shevisas behemto” and applies to all types of animals (see Mishna Berura in his introduction to Siman 305). The Mishna Berura explains that what is necessary for the animal’s safety is not considered “carrying”; rather it is an adornment and can be compared to an item of clothing that may be worn and is not considered carrying. Items that do not provide safety, or overly excessive safety precautions are defined as a burden and one is forbidden to allow the animal to carry these on Shabbos.]
Returning to a toddler wearing toddler reins on Shabbos, the precedent we have is from Orach Chayim Siman 305 se’if 1, where the Shulchan Aruch, discussing taking out animals on leads on Shabbos, rules that if the lead is necessary for the animal’s safety, it is permitted; however, if the lead is only an unnecessary extra precaution then one may not let the animal walk in an area with no eruv wearing the lead on Shabbos. As discussed above, the potential issur is the prohibition of shevisas behemto.
We can now extrapolate to our situation of a child wearing toddler reins, that where the reins are necessary for the child’s safety one may use it on Shabbos; however, where it is only an unnecessary extra precautionary measure, it may not be worn outside on Shabbos in an area where there is no eruv. The potential issur is the prohibition of shevisas b’no.
There are two additional considerations that also need to be mentioned:
• Even where it is permissible to take out an animal on a lead on Shabbos, the Shulchan Aruch (ibid se’if 16) rules that one must ensure that the loose end of the lead (being held) does not dangle a tefach from one’s hand. The same should apply to toddler reins.
• One must also ensure that the strap between the adult and toddler does not descend within a tefach of the ground (Shulchan Aruch ibid).
Conclusion: it is permitted to take out a toddler wearing toddler reins on Shabbos, if the reins are necessary for the child’s safety (and are not only an extra-precautionary measure). One must ensure that the loose end of the reins does not dangle a tefach from the adult’s hand; and one must also ensure that the strap between the adult and toddler does not descend into a tefach near the ground.