Good news about amulets TB Shabbat 57

Today we begin the sixth chapter of massechet Shabbat with daf TB Shabbat 57. We learned in the very first chapter of our messechet that a person isn’t permitted to move something from one domain to another nor carry something four amot in the public domain. Obviously wearing clothes in these domains is not only permitted but required for the sake of modesty and they don’t constitute carrying. Generally speaking, ornaments are considered like clothing. Nevertheless some were large enough to be considered a burden and the rabbis forbade wearing them on Shabbat. Another consideration why the sages prohibited certain types of ornaments was accidentally carrying it the four amot in the public domain. For example, if the ornament fell off or the person took it off to show it to another person and accidentally walked four amot. The chapter begins discussing women’s ornaments and then later in the chapter men’s ornaments will be discussed.

The mishnah lists different kinds of ornaments a woman may not go out with. The Gemara needs to define, describe, and explain why they are prohibited. One object is a totefet and another is a sarvitin.

“What is a totefet? Rav Yosef said: A packet of spices to ward off the evil eye. Abaye said to him: And let the legal status of this packet be like that of an effective amulet, whose effectiveness is proven, and it should be permitted, as an effective amulet may be moved on Shabbat.

“Rather, Rav Yehuda said in the name of Abaye: A totefet is an appuzainu, an ornament worn on the forehead. This opinion was also taught in a baraita: A woman may go out with a gilded hairnet worn to hold the hair in place, and with the totefet, and with the sarvitin that are fastened to the hairnet, since a woman would not remove her head covering to show her friend those ornaments. And they said: Which is a totefet and which is sarvitin? Rabbi Abbahu said: Totefet is that which goes around her forehead from ear to ear. Sarvitin are those attached to the net that reach down to her cheeks. Rav Huna said: Poor women make these ornaments from different types of colored materials. Wealthy women make them of silver and of gold.” (Sefaria.com Translation)

As far as I know the totefet has fallen out of fashion and women don’t wear them any more. However, I am happy to report that especially during this coronavirus epidemic you may wear an amulet (even one with precious stones attached) on Shabbat to ward off sickness and the evil eye. (Shulchan Aruch, Orech Hayyim, 350:15)  If you have one that really works, let me know and I shall share it with the world.