Question:
My understanding is that in regards to borer on Yom Tov, if one has a mixture of different items, then one may separate the bad from the good (if it’s easier to do that then to separate the good from the bad) for non-immediate use, as long as it’s being separated for that day of Yom Tov. Let’s say one has a room full of small toys that are mixed up, and one desires to have the floor clean. May one separate each of the toys to place them in their appropriate toy bin for each particular toy? Would the satisfaction of having a clean floor be considered a usage of something for that day, so that even though you are removing the bad (i.e. the toys) from the good (i.e. the floor) it would be allowed on Yom Tov?
Answer:
Hello,
Cleaning the floor is not considered borer even on Shabbos, (otherwise it would be forbidden to sweep the floor). The reason is because certain items, although they are close to one another, are still not[1] considered mixed. For example, a table with objects on it; a plate and the silverware; or a bag and its contents. It is the same with the floor and what is on it.
On the other hand, sorting the various toys from each other in order to place them in their respective containers, for use after Yom Tov is problematic, as it is sorting them out when it isn’t[2] for a Yom Tov use.
Have a gmar chasima tova
Sources:
[1] זכור ושמור בורר עמ’ 17, וכן איל משולש פ”ד אות ל”ט.
[2] שולחן ערוך אורח חיים הלכות יום טוב סימן תק”י סעיף ב “הבורר קטניות בי”ט בורר כדרכו בחיקו ובתמחוי, (אם רוצה לאכלו בו ביום) וע’ במשנה ברורה ס”ק ז “אם רוצה לאכלו בו ביום – לא אתי לאפוקי אם דעתו לאכול למחר דבזה פשיטא דאסור לעשות שום הכנה מיו”ט לחבירו”.
