electricity
Apr. 23rd, 2002 01:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cellioThere are halachic issues with using electricity on Shabbat, but some Conservative authorities permit it. I have sometimes wondered about the reasoning to determine what is and is not permittted; is the Conservative rabbi who turns lights on and off on Shabbat acting within that halacha? Here's another small bit to add to the data pile.
From Rabbi Simcha Roth, Rabbincal Assembly in Israel (Masorti):
"... However, those Conservative authorities that permit the making and breaking of an electric circuit on Shabbat and YomTov did not and do not intend to permit the use of electricity for any purpose which is directly prohibited by Torah. Thus, accepting that halakhah follows Tanna Kamma, while they permit the making and breaking of a circuit they would not permit the electricity thus released from being used, say, to cook food on Shabbat."
(From RMSG April 22nd 2002 / Iyyar 10th 5762 [Pesachim 82])
I'll read the discussion of this mishna more thoroughly later; I was just skimming email and saw this go by. There doesn't seem to be more discussion of this particular point, but I could have missed it. (The mishna is nomially about how to cook the Pesach lamb, but as with all talmudic discussion, tangents abound.)
From Rabbi Simcha Roth, Rabbincal Assembly in Israel (Masorti):
"... However, those Conservative authorities that permit the making and breaking of an electric circuit on Shabbat and YomTov did not and do not intend to permit the use of electricity for any purpose which is directly prohibited by Torah. Thus, accepting that halakhah follows Tanna Kamma, while they permit the making and breaking of a circuit they would not permit the electricity thus released from being used, say, to cook food on Shabbat."
(From RMSG April 22nd 2002 / Iyyar 10th 5762 [Pesachim 82])
I'll read the discussion of this mishna more thoroughly later; I was just skimming email and saw this go by. There doesn't seem to be more discussion of this particular point, but I could have missed it. (The mishna is nomially about how to cook the Pesach lamb, but as with all talmudic discussion, tangents abound.)
(no subject)
Date: 2002-04-24 02:52 pm (UTC)And my understanding of Reform suggests that although observing those laws is not mandatory, study and understanding of the laws is mandatory. Whether or not you choose to follow the law after you've made an informed decision for yourself is an entirely different matter.
I would have serious issues putting my TV on a timer. I think it is in absolute opposition to ruach shabbat ("spirit of the sabbath").
A friend of mine had a grandfather (orthodox) who used to say "no, it's okay, I don't watch T.V., but I don't want to stop you boys from enjoying your Saturday morning cartoons. And if you happen to flip by the game, I won't complain...I don't want to ruin your fun." So he was essentially a Jewish Shabbos Goy for his "Orthodox" Grandfather.