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We have completed siman 4, which discussed stuffing and restuffing a pillow. Today, we will discuss an application of this siman, which is blowing air into beachballs or air mattresses, or blowing balloons and so on.
If the item has never yet been blown up, it is more of an issue–as we learned regarding the pillow–because that makes it into a kli. However, some poskim are meikil if it is the type of item made to inflate and deflate regularly, because then adding air is not considered finishing the kli, but part of the way it is used. Thus, for example, these poskim would hold that a beachball which will normally be kept deflated in order to store it is muttar to inflate for the first time on Shabbos.
If it was already inflated once before, and one wishes to re-inflate it, the Mishnah Berurah points out that the heter of restuffing a pillow is only when the original material is reinserted into the pillow. Since this material was previously in the pillow, it is not considered a tikkun to return it there. However, if different materials are inserted, it is assur.
If so, regarding air, the air which will be reinserted into the ball is different material and it should be assur. On the other hand, one can argue that all air is of the same “unit”, so to say, as it is all part of the atmosphere. Rav Shlomo Zalman looks at air from the latter approach, and is matir. Rav Elyashiv was not comfortable with this approach.
There is one approach which differentiates between an item in which the air is meant to remain for a period of time, in which one should be machmir. However, something meant to be used for a short amount of time and then deflated can be reinflated on Shabbos. Examples would include children’s toys.
Obviously, an electric pump cannot be used. Regarding using a hand pump, some poskim are concerned for uvda d’chol, but other poskim are meikil. One should ask their rov.
In regards to blowing up balloons, there is an additional concern. We learned that there is a gezeira shema yitfor in certain situations, and similarly, Chazal enacted a gezeira shema yikshor, that one may come to make a knot. Seeing that it is natural to make a knot in a balloon after blowing it up, and that knot is a kesher shel kayama (because it remains even if the balloon pops and is discarded), this is a gezeira on a kesher deoraysa, so one should not blow up a balloon on Shabbos. However, if one intends to blow it up and have it fly around the room, there is no concern shema yikshor, and one would be allowed to do so. However, one would then have to grapple with the question of whether it needs to have been blown up previously, and, even if it was blown up previously, whether one can inflate it even though it is not the same air.
Summary
- Regarding items that are meant to be deflated and reinflated, if the item was never blown up before, most poskim hold it is assur to inflate it. If it was inflated before, there are different opinions, and one should ask their rov.
- Regarding blowing up a balloon, if one plans to tie it off, it is assur to blow it up even if one will not tie it. If one plans to use it without tying, there are different opinions and one should ask their rov.
- Some poskim allow the use of a hand pump. One should ask their rov.
