Muktza (Hebrew: מוקצה; also transliterated as Muktzah, Muktsah, Muktsa, Muktzeh, Muqṣah etc.) is a Hebrew word that means "separated", or "set aside." The generally accepted view regarding these items is that they may be touched though not moved during Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath) or Yom Tov[1][2] (Jewish Holiday), some extend this prohibition to the actual handling of these items. Halakha defines various categories of objects or substances which are "set aside" on the Jewish Sabbath, as well as various permissible instances of moving these various Muktza items. For example, one may not handle money, rocks, twigs, etc. on Shabbat, as these items are "Muktza."
The consensus among the halachik authorities is that muktza is an issur d'rabbanan, or a rabbinic prohibition, rather than a d'oreisa , or biblical prohibition.
The laws of Muktza can be divided into two distinct subjects:
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Muktza is essentially a restriction on objects that were not 'prepared' before the Sabbath. The absence of preparedness in this sense means that the vast majority of people would not expect to use this particular item or substance on Shabbat.
There are six main categories of muktza[3], each one with different halakhic ramifications:
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