Q&A: Saying “Shalom” in a Bathroom on Passover Eve
Saying “Shalom” in a Bathroom on Passover Eve
Question
I assume that in a bathroom that’s under renovation it’s permitted to say “shalom,” since at the moment it’s a room being renovated and not a bathroom.
Am I right?
And then, after the people at home realized that the most efficient thing was to put me in charge of washing the refrigerator parts, the oven parts, and the remaining Passover-prohibited utensils in the bathtub—because there nobody asks unnecessary questions about where, what, and how—
people keep going in there and talking.
Of course, these days the place is such a mess that it’s completely unusable for normal bathing, and it’s functioning instead as a kind of substitute sink, etc.
People go in and out, talk, move around there, and so on.
Is it permitted to say “shalom” there?
Answer
At first glance, it would seem not. Once it has been designated for that use, the room becomes a bathroom in and of itself. Just as you can’t permit it when no one is in there. Only a complete removal from its bathroom use helps in this regard.
But regarding the word “shalom,” in any case the matter is not entirely clear. There is a prohibition, but it is not one of the Divine names that may not be erased. And if a person’s name is Shalom, according to most opinions it is permitted to say his name there. If there is a great need, it may be possible to be lenient. I would not be lenient.