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Amirah LeNochri: Difference between revisions
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There is a prohibition to ask a non-Jew to do work for oneself on [[Shabbat]].<ref>One of the earliest sources of this prohibition is the Mishna ([[Shabbat]] 121a) that states that it is forbidden to ask a non-Jew to put out a fire on [[Shabbat]]. Rashi (150a s.v. Amirah) writes that this Mishna is the source for Amirah LeNochri. </ref> | There is a rabbinic<ref>The Gemara Gittin 8b (and several others) explicitly state that Amirah LeNochri is only a rabbinic prohibition. Additionally, the Ramban Shemot 12:16 writes that even though the Mechilta learns Amirah LeNochri from a pasuk, it is only an asmachta. Rav Hershel Schachter [in a shiur on yutorah.org] explained that Amirah LeNochri is a rabbinic prohibition that is patterned after (Ke'eyn Deoritta) the din deoritta of Amirah LeGer Toshav, of which the Tosfot Yevamot 47b s.v. Zu writes that asking a Ger Toshav to do a melacha on [[Shabbat]] for the benefit of a Jew is a biblical violation of [[Shabbat]].</ref> prohibition to ask a non-Jew to do work for oneself on [[Shabbat]].<ref>One of the earliest sources of this prohibition is the Mishna ([[Shabbat]] 121a) that states that it is forbidden to ask a non-Jew to put out a fire on [[Shabbat]]. Rashi (150a s.v. Amirah) writes that this Mishna is the source for Amirah LeNochri. </ref> | ||
<p class="indent">There are three reasons for the Rabbinic prohibition to instruct a non-Jew to perform work for a Jew on [[Shabbat]]: (1) asking a non-Jew to do work will cause a laxity in the observance of [[Shabbat]], (2) there’s a statement from the prophets which says “[[Daber Davar]]” meaning that one’s speech on [[Shabbat]] should be different from one’s speech on the weekdays, and (3) instructing a non-Jew is halachically considered a form of שליחות (agency) which attributes the actions of the messenger to the sender. <Ref>39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat; vol 1, pg 63-4) </ref></p> | <p class="indent">There are three reasons for the Rabbinic prohibition to instruct a non-Jew to perform work for a Jew on [[Shabbat]]: (1) asking a non-Jew to do work will cause a laxity in the observance of [[Shabbat]], (2) there’s a statement from the prophets which says “[[Daber Davar]]” meaning that one’s speech on [[Shabbat]] should be different from one’s speech on the weekdays, and (3) instructing a non-Jew is halachically considered a form of שליחות (agency) which attributes the actions of the messenger to the sender. <Ref>39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat; vol 1, pg 63-4) </ref></p> | ||
There’s two main sections of Amirah LeNochri, instructing a non-Jew and benefiting from the work of a non-Jew. <Ref>39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat; vol 1, pg 64), Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:1 </ref> See also [[Summary of Amirah LeNochri]]. | There’s two main sections of Amirah LeNochri, instructing a non-Jew and benefiting from the work of a non-Jew. <Ref>39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat; vol 1, pg 64), Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:1 </ref> See also [[Summary of Amirah LeNochri]]. | ||
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# It’s permissible to tell a non-Jew “I don’t have enough (ripped) toilet paper”. <Ref>Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:8 </ref> | # It’s permissible to tell a non-Jew “I don’t have enough (ripped) toilet paper”. <Ref>Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:8 </ref> | ||
# It’s permissible to tell a non-Jew “I can’t read the letter” to hint to open the [[mail]]. <Ref>Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:10 </ref> | # It’s permissible to tell a non-Jew “I can’t read the letter” to hint to open the [[mail]]. <Ref>Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:10 </ref> | ||
==On His Own Initiative== | ===On His Own Initiative=== | ||
# One may tell a non-Jew to do a permissible activity even if it’s clear that the non-Jew will do a prohibited activity while doing that task unless the non-Jew has in mind that the Jew will benefit directly from the prohibited activity. <Ref>Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:24 </ref> | # One may tell a non-Jew to do a permissible activity even if it’s clear that the non-Jew will do a prohibited activity while doing that task unless the non-Jew has in mind that the Jew will benefit directly from the prohibited activity. <Ref>Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:24 </ref> | ||
# It’s permissible to ask a non-Jew to wash dishes even if it’s clear that the non-Jew will use hot water to do so unless the non-Jew knows that the Jew will join in washing the dishes after the non-Jew turns on the hot water. <Ref>Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:24 </ref> | # It’s permissible to ask a non-Jew to wash dishes even if it’s clear that the non-Jew will use hot water to do so unless the non-Jew knows that the Jew will join in washing the dishes after the non-Jew turns on the hot water. <Ref>Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:24 </ref> | ||
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===If the non-Jew asks=== | ===If the non-Jew asks=== | ||
# If one hints to a non-Jew to do a certain action and the non-Jew asks in reply “do you want me to me such and such?”, one may not respond “Yes” because doing so is considered like a command, but rather one should answer “I would appreciate it such an action was done”. <Ref>39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat; vol 1, pg 70-1) </ref> | # If one hints to a non-Jew to do a certain action and the non-Jew asks in reply “do you want me to me such and such?”, one may not respond “Yes” because doing so is considered like a command, but rather one should answer “I would appreciate it such an action was done”. <Ref>39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat; vol 1, pg 70-1) </ref> | ||
==For a Sick Person== | ==Reasons to Permit Amirah LeNochri== | ||
===For a Sick Person=== | |||
# It’s permissible to ask a non-Jew to perform any Melacha, even one which is forbidden Deoritta (biblically), for a ill person (someone in the hospital, someone confined to a bed, someone who has a flu, severe toothache, severe earache, or migraine headaches).<ref>The Gemara [[Shabbat]] 129a states that it is permitted to ask a non-Jew to do melacha, even if it is deoritta, for a sick person. S"A 328:17 and Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:11 codify this as halacha. The 39 Melachos (vol. 1, p. 73-4) gives a few a examples for above halacha: hospital patient, someone confined to bed out of illness, someone with the flu, severe toothache, severe earache, and a migraine.</ref> | # It’s permissible to ask a non-Jew to perform any Melacha, even one which is forbidden Deoritta (biblically), for a ill person (someone in the hospital, someone confined to a bed, someone who has a flu, severe toothache, severe earache, or migraine headaches).<ref>The Gemara [[Shabbat]] 129a states that it is permitted to ask a non-Jew to do melacha, even if it is deoritta, for a sick person. S"A 328:17 and Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:11 codify this as halacha. The 39 Melachos (vol. 1, p. 73-4) gives a few a examples for above halacha: hospital patient, someone confined to bed out of illness, someone with the flu, severe toothache, severe earache, and a migraine.</ref> | ||
# Similarly, on a very cold day, it’s permissible to ask a non-Jew to turn on the heat as everyone is considered ill in the cold. <Ref>39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat; vol 1, pg 74) </ref> | # Similarly, on a very cold day, it’s permissible to ask a non-Jew to turn on the heat as everyone is considered ill in the cold. <Ref>39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat; vol 1, pg 74) </ref> | ||
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# If one set the air conditioning to stay on for [[Shabbat]] and then the weather or the settings changed so that it's now freezing and there's no other way to prevent the cold (such as opening a window) one may ask a non-Jew to turn off the air conditioning. <ref>Sh"t Igrot Moshe OC 3:42, Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:11, http://www.dailyhalacha.com/Display.asp?ClipID=591 </ref> | # If one set the air conditioning to stay on for [[Shabbat]] and then the weather or the settings changed so that it's now freezing and there's no other way to prevent the cold (such as opening a window) one may ask a non-Jew to turn off the air conditioning. <ref>Sh"t Igrot Moshe OC 3:42, Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:11, http://www.dailyhalacha.com/Display.asp?ClipID=591 </ref> | ||
# In places where there is a heat wave one may ask a non-Jew to turn on a fan or air conditioning for someone who is suffering from the extreme weather. <Ref>Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:11, Sh"t Minchat Yitzchak 3:23-4, http://www.dailyhalacha.com/Display.asp?ClipID=591 </ref> | # In places where there is a heat wave one may ask a non-Jew to turn on a fan or air conditioning for someone who is suffering from the extreme weather. <Ref>Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:11, Sh"t Minchat Yitzchak 3:23-4, http://www.dailyhalacha.com/Display.asp?ClipID=591 </ref> | ||
===For a Mitzvah=== | |||
# For the purpose of a mitzvah, it’s permissible to ask a non-Jew to perform a Melacha only if it is only forbidden MeDeRabbanan. <Ref>S"A 307:5, 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat; vol 1, pg 74-5) </ref> | |||
===For The Need of Many People=== | |||
# In order to prevent widespread transgression it’s permissible to ask a non-Jew to perform a Melacha Deoritta if that is necessary. For example, it is permissible to ask a non-Jew to fix the eruv if it fell on [[Shabbat]] so that many people don’t carry on [[Shabbat]] unintentionally. If the eruv string fell and the non-Jew can retie it with a bow, he should do so. If he can’t tie it with a bow, the non-Jew should tie it with a double knot <Ref>Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:23, 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat; vol 1, pg 75), Mishna Brurah 276:25. See also the Ramban ([[Shabbat]] 130b) regarding Gittin 8b. </ref> | |||
# In order to allow a many people to perform a mitzvah, some poskim permit asking a non-Jew to perform a Melacha Deoritta. <Ref>39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat; vol 1, pg 75) </ref> | |||
# It’s permissible to ask a non-Jew to remove an obstacle for many people even if it involves a Melacha Deoritta if the non-Jew can’t do it with only a Derabbanan. <Ref>Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:23 </ref> | |||
===To Save Sefarim=== | |||
# One may ask a non-Jew to do a forbidden activity on [[Shabbat]] in order to save Sifrei Kodesh, such as asking a non-Jew to extinguish a fire if there are Sefarim in the house. <Ref>Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:12 </ref> | |||
===For a Big Loss=== | |||
# If one is about to have a big loss it is permissible to hint (even a hint which uses a command) to a non-Jew to do any forbidden activity on [[Shabbat]] to prevent that loss. <Ref>Gemara [[Shabbat]] 121a, Rosh ([[Shabbat]] 16:10) quoting the Behag, S"A 307:19, S"A 334:26, Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:13 </ref> | |||
==Telling a Non-Jew on Shabbat to Work After Shabbat== | |||
# It’s forbidden to tell a non-Jew on [[Shabbat]] to do a prohibited activity after [[Shabbat]]. <ref> Mishna Brurah 307:9, Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:2 </ref> | |||
# It’s permissible to hint to a non-Jew on [[Shabbat]] to do work after [[Shabbat]] even using a hint that includes words of command. <Ref>S”A 307:7, Rama 307:22, Mishna Brurah 307:28, Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:3 </ref> | |||
# It’s permissible to tell a non-Jew on [[Shabbat]] “Why didn’t you pick me up in your car last Saturday night?” (using a hint with a command for work after [[Shabbat]]). <ref>Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:9 </ref> | |||
==Telling a non-Jew before or after Shabbat== | |||
# It’s forbidden to tell a non-Jew before or after [[Shabbat]] to do a prohibited activity on [[Shabbat]]. <ref>S”A 307:2, Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:2 </ref> | |||
# It’s permissible to hint before [[Shabbat]] or after [[Shabbat]] to a non-Jew to do work on [[Shabbat]] even using a hint that includes words of command. <Ref>S”A 307:2, Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:3 </ref> | |||
# Before [[Shabbat]] it’s permissible to tell a non-Jew “Why didn’t you open the [[mail]] last [[Shabbat]]?” (before [[Shabbat]] using a hint with a command for work). <ref>Shemirat [[Shabbat]] KeHilchata 30:10 </ref> | |||
==Asking a non-Jew to do a Derabbanan== | ==Asking a non-Jew to do a Derabbanan== | ||
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# Removing an obstacle or annoyance is not considered causing direct benefit and so it’s permissible to benefit from the action of a non-Jew who turned off a light or an alarm when one wanted to go to sleep. <Ref>39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat; vol 1, pg 66) </ref> Additionally it’s permissible to benefit from the act of a non-Jew who turns off the headlights to a car (which were left on). | # Removing an obstacle or annoyance is not considered causing direct benefit and so it’s permissible to benefit from the action of a non-Jew who turned off a light or an alarm when one wanted to go to sleep. <Ref>39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat; vol 1, pg 66) </ref> Additionally it’s permissible to benefit from the act of a non-Jew who turns off the headlights to a car (which were left on). | ||
# One may benefit from the action of a non-Jew which improved a situation but didn’t altogether make something unusable into something useable. For example, it’s permissible to benefit if a non-Jew tightens a already working but wobbly doorknob, chair, or table. <Ref>39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat; vol 1, pg 69) </ref> | # One may benefit from the action of a non-Jew which improved a situation but didn’t altogether make something unusable into something useable. For example, it’s permissible to benefit if a non-Jew tightens a already working but wobbly doorknob, chair, or table. <Ref>39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat; vol 1, pg 69) </ref> | ||
==Commanding animals to do work== | ==Commanding animals to do work== | ||
