[Avodah] chopsticks

[Akiva Miller]

.

R" Saul Guberman asked:

> Is it permissible to break apart chopsticks on shabbat at the
> meal to eat your sushi?  Someone claimed it is makeh b'patish
> and just use a fork or stab with the chopsticks still
> together.  Others thought that tzorech ochel nefesh might
> allow them to be broken and used, as it is all disposable
> anyway.

Rabbi Doniel Neustadt raises a similar question at
https://torah.org/torah-portion/weekly-halacha-5772-beshalach/  I
would think that the situations are similar; even if they aren't
identical, looking up the sources may help to find the answer about
chopsticks.

> Question: Leben or yogurt cups sometimes come attached to each
> other and must be separated along a perforated line before
> they can be eaten individually. Is that permitted to be done
> on Shabbos?
>
> Discussion: Contemporary poskim debate whether or not it is
> permitted to separate attached yogurt or leben cups from each
> other. Some consider it a violation of Mechatech and Makeh
> b’patish[21] while others hold it is permitted altogether[22].
>
> 21. Rav Y.S. Elyashiv (Orchos Shabbos 12:12, Me’or ha-Shabbos,
> vol. 2, pg. 551).
>
> 22. Rav S.Z. Auerbach (Orchos Shabbos 12:18. note 31, Shulchan
> Shelomo 314:13-3).

Akiva Miller