15. There are authorities who permit the wearing of gloves into the public domain on Shabbos, and others who prohibit it (1). Greater leniency can be shown regarding wearing a muff which is made to warm both hands together (2).

FOOTNOTES:

(1) The stringent opinion is concerned that one may have to remove a glove while in the public domain, and end up carrying it. Nowadays, the custom is to be lenient and wear gloves in the public domain on Shabbos; according to some, the justification for following the lenient opinion is that, at present, our streets do not fulfill the criteria of a Biblical public domain, but rather a "carmelis," and therefore, even if one would accidently carrying the gloves, it would not be a violation of a Biblical prohibition. However, according to the Mishna Berura (301:141), a "ba'al nefesh," (one who has reached a certain spiritual level) should follow the stringent opinion and not wear gloves, unless they are sown or tied to one's sleeves before Shabbos (See also Shulchan Aruch 301:37).

(2) This is the opinion of the Taz, who reasons that even if a person removes one hand from the muff, the other hand will still be in place, and one will not end up carrying it. However, there are those who do not feel that one can be more lenient with a muff, and the Mishna Berura (302:139) rules that one should not differentiate between a muff and a gloves.

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