Question:
My salad bowl cracked in two on Shabbat. Is it muktzeh? Shulchan Aruch 308:6 says that if a bowl cracks and the pieces can cover a barrel, it is fit for something and not muktzeh. Would that apply to a bowl today?
Thank you.
Answer:
Hello,
The idea behind this halacha is that if the broken utensil still has what would be considered a normal use, it is still categorized as usable and not muktza. Nowadays, it is not the norm to use a broken bowl as a cover for anything. Therefore, for most people and in most situations, it would be considered muktza, as this is not a normal use.
Best wishes
Sources:
See M:B 308-48, 58, Shevet Halevi 5-40, Shalmei Yehuda 3-3
