Ripping Suit Pocket Stitching on Shabbos

Question

When I was abroad, I purchased a new suit and did not put it on until right before Pesach. The pockets of the suit were sewn shut, and although I meant to cut the stitching before Yom Tov, I was so busy that I forgot. I thought about doing it on Yom Tov, and in the end I was machmir, but I would like to know if there is any room to be meikel and remove it on Shabbos or Yom Tov.

Thank you.Yanky H.

Rav Zafrani 

I believe that you acted properly by leaving the pocket closed, but since it is a complicated question, I will explain.

The melachos of tofer (sewing) and kosher (knotting) are similar in that the goal of both is to connect two items. However, there is a fundamental difference between these melachos: Tofer joins the items into a single unit, while kosher simply binds them together without merging them into one entity. It is for this reason that the Chazon Ish (Orach Chaim, page 257, siman 240) and Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe, Orach Chaim 2:84) both hold that using safety pins on Shabbos is not considered tofer, as a safety pin clearly does not fuse two objects into one.

Regarding the melacha of kosher, halacha recognizes the concept of a kesher eino shel kayama, a knot not intended to last. Such knots may be tied and untied on Shabbos.

The Rishonim discuss whether the concept of eino shel kayama applies to tofer as well. Some maintain that once two items have been effectively joined through sewing, it makes no difference whether the stitches were intended to be temporary; it remains prohibited to remove them on Shabbos. Others disagree and permit undoing such stitches.

The Rama (317:2) cites both opinions and seems to rule stringently, forbidding the removal of stitching even when it is eino shel kayama. However, the poskim note that in certain urgent or specific cases, temporary stitching may be removed (see Tehilah L’Dovid and Shulchan Shlomo, siman 317).

With this background, we can analyze your case to determine whether the stitching meets the criteria of tefirah eino shel kayama, which may be permitted to open. The Rama mentions the example of shoes that are tied together for sale as a pair. In that case, it is obvious that the shoes remain distinct items. According to some poskim (e.g., Levush 317), since these stitches are intended to be undone once purchased, it is permissible to remove them on Shabbos.

Your situation differs in two ways. First, when a suit pocket is sewn shut, it is not immediately apparent that the pocket and the suit are two separate components. The sewing creates the appearance that the pocket is fully integrated into the garment, which weakens the argument for it being eino shel kayama.

More importantly, there is an even stronger reason to prohibit opening such stitching. I have heard from many people that they intentionally leave their suit pockets sewn shut. Some say that they don’t use them, while others believe that it looks more fashionable, and some argue that it helps preserve the shape and longevity of the suit. Regardless of the rationale, the common understanding is that these pockets are not necessarily intended to be opened. That makes them not eino shel kayama, and therefore it would unquestionably be forbidden to open them on Shabbos, even if you personally intended to use them.