Scenario:
Daniel was getting ready to close a multimillion dollar deal in the coming days. He traveled to Beijing to sign the contract, but the customer had to excuse himself as an emergency came up. The customers assistant informed him that something happened to his boss' grandmother and that he needed a few days before they can meet to close the deal. It was Thursday and Daniels flight was in an hour, but he knew that if he left now he could potentially lose the deal of a lifetime. On the flipside, he knew a delay meant he would have to spend Shabbat in Beijing. He decided to check into a nearby hotel. Luckily, his wife packed him extra clothes and even some frozen mazza cause we all know SY's can't survive without mazza on Shabbat. After unpacking he decided to take a walk around the hotel. As he went from area to area, he noticed how everything was automatic. Walking into a room caused the lights and AC to automatically turn on. The toilets flushed on their own and the sinks went on and off all by themselves, no turning of the knob required. And then, it hit him; everything runs on electric! What is he going to do about Shabbat?
Halachic Questions:
- What is the Halacha regarding the following items on Shabbat
- Going on elevators
- Using a toilet with automatic flush
- Using a sink with automatic on/off button
- Walking through a door with a sensor
- Using a swipe card to get into a room
(יד) הֶֽחָכָם֙ עֵינָ֣יו בְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹ וְהַכְּסִ֖יל בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ הוֹלֵ֑ךְ...
(14)The wise man has eyes in its beginning, but the fool goes in the darkness...
החכם עיניו בראשו . בתחלת הדבר מסתכל מה יהא בסופו:
Whenever we speak about present day issues that present themselves in Halacha, the dictum of Shlomo Hamelech is very apropos. The point of the above verse is to teach us that we should always prepare ahead of time and make sure that the environment we are putting ourself into is appropriate for an Orthodox Jew. If we are going on vacation or need to go away for a business trip, we should make sure ahead of time that there is kosher food available; that there is a shul nearby; that issues with regards to electricity are taken care, like taking a room on the 3rd floor instead of the 15th (in order to avoid the elevator question) or asking if the hotel has real keys (as opposed to swipe cards) or asking if there are manual exits available (instead of using the main automatic door entrance). Doing a little research ahead of time can you help avoid most if not all questions that may come up with regards to Shabbat and electricity.
That being said, if you are caught in a situation, like the scenario mentioned above, we want to make sure you know what to do. So let's learn!
Note:
It is important to note that regarding the use of electricity on Shabbat, there is a difference between turning on something electric (a fan) to turning on a light (your dining room light fixtures). The former involves completing an electrical circuit while the latter involves heating up an element until it glows and produces light. According to almost all poskim, turning on a light is an Issur Deoraita (prohibition from the Torah) while completing a circuit is an Issur Derabanan (Rabbinic prohibition) It is important to keep these ideas in mind when figuring out solutions to our halachic questions.
Points to ponder:
- Obviously using electricity on Shabbat is a violation and therefore cannot be done directly. The question now is whether there are other ways to get around the prohibition.
- Would you be allowed to ask a non-Jew to perform the act?
מתני׳ נכרי שבא לכבות אין אומרים לו כבה ואל תכבה מפני שאין שביתתו עליהן
Mishna: A gentile who comes to extinguish a flame, we do not say to him, "extinguish" or "do not extinguish" because his "resting" is not our obligation
It is not the duty of Israelites to see that he rests on the Sabbath unless he is his slave
Rashi presents two reasons why amira l'nochri (telling a non-Jew to perform an action for a Jew) is prohibited. First, Rashi in Avodah Zarah 15a states that the prohibition against amira l'nochri is based on the prohibition against v'daber davar (Yeshaya 58:13), the prohibition against speaking about prohibited activities on Shabbat. If one is prohibited to mention these activities, it is certainly prohibited to ask someone else to perform these activities. Second, Rashi, Shabbat 153a states that the prohibition against amira l'nochri is based on the concept of sh'lichut (agency). By employing a non-Jew to perform an activity on Shabbat, the non-Jew is considered an agent of the Jew and it is considered (on a rabbinic level) as if the Jew is performing the activity himself.
The Rambam, Hilchot Shabbat 6:1, writes that the prohibition against amira l'nochri is based on a concern that the Jew who asks the non-Jew to perform the prohibited activity may treat Shabbat lightly and eventually perform the prohibited activity himself.
Points to ponder:
- So I can't directly tell a non jew to perform an act that would be assur for me. But can I benefit from an action he did for me without me asking him?
מתני׳ נכרי שהדליק את הנר משתמש לאורו ישראל ואם בשביל ישראל אסור מילא מים להשקות בהמתו משקה אחריו ישראל ואם בשביל ישראל אסור עשה נכרי כבש לירד בו יורד אחריו ישראל ואם בשביל ישראל אסור
MISHNAH. IF A GENTILE LIGHTS A LAMP, AN ISRAELITE MAY MAKE USE OF ITS LIGHT; BUT IF [HE DOES IT] FOR THE SAKE OF THE ISRAELITE, IT IS FORBIDDEN. IF HE DRAWS WATER8 TO GIVE HIS OWN ANIMAL, TO DRINK, AN ISRAELITE MAY WATER [HIS] AFTER HIM; BUT IF [HE DRAWS IT] FOR THE ISRAELITES SAKE, IT IS FORBIDDEN. IF A GENTILE MAKES A STAIRWAY TO DESCEND BY IT,9 AN ISRAELITE MAY DESCEND AFTER HIM; BUT IF ON THE ISRAELITES ACCOUNT, IT IS FORBIDDEN.
So if he does things for himself, אדעתה דפשיה, I can benefit from it. Think hard about this one!
(ה) דָּבָר שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְלָאכָה, וְאֵינוֹ אָסוּר לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּשַׁבָּת אֶלָּא מִשּׁוּם שְׁבוּת, מֻתָּר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לוֹמַר לְעַכּוּ''ם לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ בְּשַׁבָּת; וְהוּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה שָׁם מִקְצָת חֹלִי, אוֹ יִהְיֶה צָרִיךְ לַדָּבָר צֹרֶךְ הַרְבֵּה, אוֹ מִפְּנֵי מִצְוָה; כֵּיצַד: אוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעַכּוּ''ם בְּשַׁבָּת לַעֲלוֹת בָּאִילָן לְהָבִיא שׁוֹפָר לִתְקֹעַ תְּקִיעַת מִצְוָה; אוֹ לְהָבִיא מַיִם דֶּרֶךְ חָצֵר שֶׁלֹּא עֵרְבוֹ, לִרְחֹץ בּוֹ הַמִּצְטַעֵר; וְיֵשׁ אוֹסְרִין. הַגָּה: וּלְקַמָּן סי' תקפ''ו פָּסַק לְהַתִּיר, וְעַיֵּן לְעֵיל סי' רע''ו (ס''ב) דְּיֵשׁ מְקִלִּין אֲפִלּוּ בִּמְלָאכָה דְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, (וְע''ש ס''ג).
So if there is a sick person involved or it's a "great need" or to perform a Mitzvah you can ask a non-jew to perform a Rabbinic violation (Make sure its Rabbinic!) So do our problems fit any of these categories?
(א) מִשּׁוּם כְּבוֹד הַבְּרִיּוֹת הִתִּירוּ לְטַלְטֵל אֲבָנִים לְקַנֵּחַ, וַאֲפִלּוּ לְהַעֲלוֹתָם לַגַּג עִמּוֹ דְּהָוֵי טִרְחָא יְתֵרָה, מֻתָּר. וּמִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מָקוֹם מְיֻחָד לְבֵית הַכִּסֵא, יָכוֹל לְהַכְנִיס עִמּוֹ אֲבָנִים לְקַנֵּחַ מְלֹא הַיָּד; וְאִם אֵין לוֹ מָקוֹם קָבוּעַ, מַכְנִיס עִמּוֹ כְּשִׁעוּר בּוּכְנָא קְטַנָּה; וְאִם נִכָּר בָּאֶבֶן שֶׁקִּנְּחוּ בּוֹ, מֻתָּר לְהַכְנִיסוֹ אֲפִלּוּ הוּא גָּדוֹל הַרְבֵּה, אוֹ אֲפִלּוּ הֵם הַרְבֵּה מִמְּלֹא הַיָּד, מֻתָּר לִטֹּל כֻּלָּן דְּכֵיוָן שֶׁקִּנְּחוּ בָּהֶן הוּכְנוּ לְכָךְ. הַגָּה: יֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דַּוְקָא בְּחָצֵר מֻתָּר לְטַלְטֵל אֲבָנִים (רַשִׁ''י סוֹף פֶּרֶק הַמּוֹצִיא יַיִן וְרַ' יְרוּחָם ני''ב חי''ו ור''ן). וְיֵשׁ אוֹמְרִים דַּאֲפִלּוּ מִכַּרְמְלִית לִרְשׁוּת הָיָּחִיד נָמֵי שָׁרֵי, דְּהָא נָמֵי אֵינוֹ רַק אִסּוּר דְּרַבָּנָן, וּמִשּׁוּם כְּבוֹד הַבְּרִיּוֹת הִתִּירוּהוּ. (תּוֹסָפוֹת פֶּרֶק לוּלָב הַגָּזוּל וְהַגָּהוֹת מָרְדְּכַי פֶּרֶק הַזּוֹרֵק).
Does this answer the toilet sensor question?
(כב) תֵּבָה שֶׁאָחַז בָּהּ הָאוּר, יָכוֹל לִפְרֹס עוֹר שֶׁל גְּדִי מִצִּדָּהּ הָאַחַת שֶׁלֹּא תִּשָּׂרֵף; וְעוֹשִׂים מְחִצָּה בְּכָל הַכֵּלִים לְהַפְסִיק בֵּין הַדְּלֵקָה, אֲפִלּוּ כְּלֵי חֶרֶס חֲדָשִׁים מְלֵאִים מַיִם שֶׁוַּדַּאי יִתְבַּקְּעוּ כְּשֶׁתַּגִּיעַ לָהֶם הַדְּלֵקָה, דִּגְרַם כִּבּוּי מֻתָּר. הַגָּה: בִּמְקוֹם פְּסֵידָא (מָרְדְּכַי פֶּרֶק כ''כ).
A "Grama" or indirect action is a concept in halacha where something was caused by something else but whose outcome is not guaranteed. If my tablecloth catches on fire, I cannot pour water directly on the fire (assuming there is no physical danger) because of the issur of Mechabeh, but I am allowed to pour water in front of the fire so that when the flame reaches the wet cloth, it will go out. Since the outcome is not guaranteed, it is mutar.
This is the reason why we are allowed to open a fridge on Shabbat even though you are letting in warm air and may cause the motor to turn on. Since you don't know if the amount of air you are letting in will trigger the sensor, you are allowed to open the fridge without worrying about it.
Could this apply to the automatic AC you have in your room?
There are other concepts in halacha whose sources are too intricate to go through in such a short amount of time, therefore we are providing a short explanation of the following four concepts.
- Melacha she'einah tzricha legufah (an action not needed for its result). This occurs when one does a prohibited action on Shabbat not intending to commit the action prohibited by halacha. For example, pouring water on a field to dispose of the water, rather than to irrigate the field. Since your purpose was just to get rid of water, even though you did an action (a melacha) it wasn't in order to gain from that action (she'eina tzericha legufah.) This is normally a rabbinic violation.
- Pesik resha (undesired but inevitable outcome). This occurs when a permitted act will inevitably and directly lead to a prohibited outcome. As an example, the Talmud stated that if one cuts off the head of a chicken on Shabbat to play with the head, even though one does not care if the chicken lives or dies, a biblical violation has occurred since the action will inevitably lead to killing an animal (a biblical prohibition on Shabbat).
- Davar she'eino mitkaven (unintended act). This is identical to a pesik resha except that the second act might not occur, and is thus permitted. An example is dragging a chair across a dirt floor. There is a biblical prohibition to plow a field, but since dragging a chair will not for sure lead to creating indentations in the ground, it is therefore permitted.
- Pesik resha delo nichah lei (undesired outcome with no benefit). This is a pesik resha where the outcome, even though it must occur, will provide no benefit to the person causing it.
Think about the problems we possed and how those things actually work. Do any of these concepts help you in figuring out creative solutions to the problems listed above?