Chapter 23
Housekeeping and Use of Domestic Facilities on Shabbath and Yom Tov.
HYGIENE
15.a. One may flush a toilet bowl on Shabbath or Yom Tov,
15.b. One may also clean off dirt adhering to its sides, using for the purpose a brush with synthetic bristles which are not close enough together to hold water.
16.a. It is forbidden to tear toilet paper on Shabbath or Yom Tov, whether one tears along the perforation or not.
16.b. 1) If there is no cut or already torn toilet paper and one has no other practicable substitute, one may use clean sheets of writing paper in its place, notwithstanding the fact that they are muktzeh, as stated in Chapter 20, paragraph 5.
2) It is permitted to take more writing paper into the bathroom (toilet) than one needs at the time, since what is left over could be of use later, either to oneself or to another person.
16.c. One should not use paper with writing or patterns on it as toilet paper on Shabbath or Yom Tov, unless one has neither cut or torn toilet paper, nor writing paper, which one could use instead
16.d. 1) In a case where none of the above possibilities are available, and one is in need of toilet paper, considerations of human dignity would justify a relaxation of the usual rule, but only if one tears the paper in a way which one would not normally employ
2) For example, one could hold the roll down with one elbow, while tearing the paper off with the wrist of the other arm.
3) If one has to tear toilet paper, as above, one should tear it off a roll, rather than tear one sheet into two parts, both of which one then uses.
4) When one has to tear toilet paper, as above, one should try not to tear along the perforation.
16.e. 1) Sealed cartons containing cut toilet paper should be torn open in such a way that they are no longer fit for use.
2) See also Chapter 9, paragraph 8.
