[Avodah] CARRYING ON YOM TOV: IS IT ALWAYS PERMITTED?

[Zev Sero via Avodah]

On 21/10/16 07:35, Professor L. Levine via Avodah wrote:
> *QUESTION:* Since it is forbidden to carry on Shabbos, some people
> install combination locks on their doors so that they can lock and
> unlock their homes without carrying a key. On Yom Tov, however, when it
> is permitted to carry under certain circumstances, many people carry
> their house-keys and do not use their combination locks. Is carrying a
> house-key permitted on Yom Tov when one has a combination lock?
>
> *DISCUSSION:* It is forbidden according to all views and could be a
> violation of Torah Law.
> [...]
> But even when all poskim agree that carrying a house key is a genuine
> Yom Tov need, carrying a key is permitted only when no other option
> is available. If the house can be locked and then reopened without
> carrying a key, all poskim would agree that it is prohibited to carry
> the key. Carrying under such circumstances falls into the category of
> carrying for "no purpose", which is strictly forbidden(15).

This seems to me completely wrong and without any source. (Footnote 15, 
even after applying the obvious correction, does not support this claim 
at all.   I believe that the writer never bothered looking his alleged 
sources up, or he would not have given the same incorrect chapter number 
*eight times*.)

Just because one *has* a combination lock doesn't mean one must use it. 
If one doesn't use it during the week it's obviously because there is 
some reason not to, and that same reason would apply with equal force on 
yomtov.  But even if there were no reason at all not to use it, I see no 
reason why one may not make this choice simply on a whim; and once one 
has made this choice, carrying the key serves a purpose and is therefore 
permitted.

According to the writer's reasoning, if one has a shul in the same 
building, but chooses -- even completely on a whim -- to daven somewhere 
else, one would not be allowed to carry a talis or siddur!  Also, 
according to the writer's reasoning, one should never be allowed to 
carry a siddur to shul if they have equivalent siddurim there!  Both of 
these are obvious nonsense, and should be enough to dismiss the writer's 
position.

-- 
Zev Sero                Wishing everyone a good aquittal
zev at sero.name