Can someone move a working fan on shabbos or yom tov away or towards oneself? Or to change its direction because its blowing on the candles, and move it back as the candles are burned out?
Answer:
There is no problem in moving a working fan on Shabbos.
For electrical items that can be used on Shabbos, such as a fan or electric blanket, some maintain that they are considered a keli shemelachto le’issur, and some see them as being keli shemelachto heiter (see Piskei Teshuvos, 108:4).
However we classify them, it is permitted to move the fan towards oneself, because this is considered letzorech gufo, or away from the candles, which is considered letzorech mekomo. Therefore, it is permitted to do so on Shabbos.
