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Are bells muktzeh?

Does the presence of bells on a toy make it muktzeh?

Here are two types of bells in question:

Toy parking structure with an elevator that includes a bell

Baby toy consisting of a bell imprisoned in a rolling cage

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Could you edit into the question why you think they might be? (Also, the pictures are huge. Do you think including smaller ones instead would detract from your point?) – msh210 Jun 7 '12 at 20:58
Do you mean to ask if the bells are Muktzeh, or if the presence of the bells makes the toys Muktzeh (and Asur to handle) for adults and children above the age of Ḥinuch? – Seth J Jun 7 '12 at 21:09
@SethJ - I guess both. Are bells Muktzeh, and if they are, does their presence make the toy muktzeh? – zaq Jun 7 '12 at 21:51
I think these are 2 separate questions. The answer to the first one is yes (source pending). The answer to the second is it depends (source pending). But I think both have been asked already. Not sure, though, 100%. – Seth J Jun 7 '12 at 22:02
Have rattles been asked yet? – zaq Jun 8 '12 at 1:04
up vote 4 down vote accepted

This short article addresses the general problem of bells on Shabbath, and yes they are prohibited for adults to use.

However, this answer addresses toys that would otherwise be Muktzeh and explains that, if they are essentially children's toys, they are not Muktzeh for adults. I should add, though, that I've seen in the Sefer Shemirath Shabbath KeHilchathah (need to find source) that this assumes a child is likely to actually play with it. SS"K (16:2) also states that, although one may give a rattle to a baby, one may not shake it to make noise.

In a nutshell, yes, bells are Muktzeh, but bells in children's toys may not make the toys Muktzeh, depending on the likelihood that a child will actually play with the toy in question.

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