Rabbi Yehuda Finchas
Sarah and Ikey enjoy walking to their parents’ home on Shabbat afternoons. It’s a long walk and Sarah has sensitive skin. She therefore asked me whether during the summer months she may apply sunscreen lotion to prevent sunburn. Ikey, on the other hand, tans well in the sun. He asked me if he may apply cream for his eczema.
Healing and Smoothing
There are two potential halachic issues with applying medical creams or sunscreen lotion on Shabbat. Firstly, it is rabbinically prohibited to take medication or to engage in healing on Shabbat, unless one is bedridden.
Secondly, there is a Torah prohibition of memachek – smoothing animal hides. Memachek is the av melacha – one of the 39 melachot derived from activities that were required in the setting up and maintenance of the Mishkan – and it is forbidden on Shabbat. It is the act of smoothing hard substances like animal hides, that cannot be molded into a shape.
Memareyach – smoothing or molding – is the tolada, subsidiary melacha, and refers to smoothing softer substances that can be molded into a shape (such as wax) and retain their original firm consistency even after they have been smoothed. A rabbinic prohibition of memareyach extends this to include semi-solid substances that lose their original firm consistency during smoothing (e.g., creams).
Regarding the prohibition of medicine, suntan lotion does not fall within the scope of this prohibition. Only medicines that seek to cure or heal an existing ailment are forbidden, not those that work to prevent an ailment such as sunburn. For this reason, Hacham Ovadia, zt”l, permits using toothpaste on Shabbat. Toothpaste does not heal the teeth and gums; it prevents the development of decay (Yabia Omer, OC 4:29:16). On the other hand, using medicated cream for eczema does fall under the prohibition of healing on Shabbat.
The second prohibition of memareyach, smoothing substances on Shabbat, is more problematic. Hacham Ovadia (Hazon Ovadya, Shabbat Vol. 3, p. 403) rules that thick textured creams are included in this category. The same applies to sun lotion with a thick, creamy consistency.
However, this does not mean that Sarah must subject herself to sunburn. According to Hacham Ovadia (ibid. Vol. 3, p. 384), the rabbinic prohibition of memareyach does not apply when cream is fully absorbed into the skin during smoothing (based on Magen Avraham O.C. 316:24). The rationale for this is that something that disappears as it is smoothed is not considered “smoothed.”
Based on this, the Rishon Lezion Hacham Yitzhak Yosef, permits using hand sanitizer on Shabbat (Ein Yitzhak #241). Therefore, if Sarah ensures that the sunscreen lotion is fully absorbed into the skin and no residue is left behind, she will not commit memareyach. This would similarly apply to a medical cream. In other words, there is no prohibition of memareyach if the cream is fully absorbed into the skin. However, since it is used for a healing purpose, there would still be an issue of healing on Shabbat, so it would only be permitted for someone who is bedridden, which would rule out the treatment of eczema (Hazon Ovadya, ibid).
Note however, that this leniency is subject to dispute. Hacham Benzion Abba Shaul forbids smoothing creams even when they are absorbed in the process. In times of illness with pain, he only permits the topical application of cream to a wound if one refrains from performing a smearing or smoothing action (Ohr Lezion 2:36:6. Regarding toothpaste see Yabia Omer, OC 4:29:2 as to why there is no problem of memareyach and Ohr Lezion 2:35:6 who is concerned with memareyach).
Practical Answers
To satisfy all opinions, Sarah can use a spray-on or liquid sun protection. These are comparable to liquid soap, which Hacham Ovadia (ibid. Vol. 4, p. 162) permits using on Shabbat since smearing and smoothing do not apply to liquid substances (see OC 328:22).
Regarding tanning on Shabbat, Hacham Ovadia (Hazon Ovadia, Shabbat Vol. 5, p. 21) rules that one may sit outdoors on Shabbat even if one’s skin will be tanned so long as one does not intentionally sits outside in order to tan.
So, as long as Ikey does not intend to tan by walking to this parents, he need not be concerned about improving his tan. Hacham Ovadia adds that regardless of the problem of intentionally tanning on Shabbat, one should not spend a long time outdoors being hot and uncomfortable. Shabbat is a day of taanug – enjoyment and holiness. It should, therefore, be set aside for loftier engagements.
Rabbi Yehuda Finchas is a worldwide expert, lecturer, and author on Medical Halacha. He heads the Torat Habayit Medical Halacha Institute. His latest book is “Brain Death in Halacha and the Tower of Babel Syndrome.” To contact Rabbi Finchas, email rabbi@torathabayit.com.