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Electricity on Shabbat: Difference between revisions

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===Motion Sensor Lights===
===Motion Sensor Lights===
# Some poskim permit walking in an area where a motion sensor will turn on a light provided that one does not intend to turn on the light if there’s no other way to walk. <Ref>
# Some poskim permit walking in an area where a motion sensor will turn on a light provided that one does not intend to turn on the light if there’s no other way to walk. <Ref>
* Sheivet HaLevi 9:69 permits walking in an area where there is a motion sensor that will activate a light, such as those attached to the outside of buildings. He explains that davar she’eino mitkaven refers only to when one does an action that may cause an unintended melacha. If, however, one is walking normally and makes no motion in order for a melacha to occur, it is not even a psik reisha as long as one’s intent isn’t to turn on the light. Orchot [[Shabbat]] (p. 79) quotes Rav Elyashiv and Rav Nissim Karlitz who say that since one doesn’t have a direct connection to the melacha and doesn’t care about the light, it’s not called melechet machshevet. The [[Shabbos]] Home (p. 489) agrees.
* Sheivet HaLevi 9:69 permits walking in an area where there is a motion sensor that will activate a light, such as those attached to the outside of buildings. He explains that davar she’eino mitkaven refers only to when one does an action that may cause an unintended melacha. If, however, one is walking normally and makes no motion in order for a melacha to occur, it is not even a psik reisha as long as one’s intent isn’t to turn on the light.</ref> Some poskim only permit walking in front of an automatic light if one doesn't benefit from the light such as if it is possible to walk without that light.<Ref>Orchot [[Shabbat]] (p. 79) quotes Rav Elyashiv and Rav Nissim Karlitz who say that since one doesn’t have a direct connection to the melacha and doesn’t care about the light, it’s not called melechet machshevet. The [[Shabbos]] Home (p. 489) agrees.
* Rabbi Mordechai Willig ([http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/742317/Rabbi_Mordechai_I_Willig/Halacha_Engages_Modernity_-_Part_8_-_Electrical_Appliances_(Part_1) “Halacha Engages Modernity Part 8,”] min 50-60) challenges this line of reasoning because it should be considered a psik reisha d’nicha lei and turning on a light might be deoraitta. Furthermore, The 39 Melachos (p. 1215) says that if one can’t avoid walking in a place that will turn on a light because of a motion sensor and the streets are dark so that one will benefit from the light turning on, one shouldn’t leave his house! He does permit one to walk past such a motion sensor if he closes his eyes at the time when the light will turn on because in such a case then it is not considered niche lei, even if one will open one's eyes right afterwards.
* Rabbi Mordechai Willig ([http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/742317/Rabbi_Mordechai_I_Willig/Halacha_Engages_Modernity_-_Part_8_-_Electrical_Appliances_(Part_1) “Halacha Engages Modernity Part 8,”] min 50-60) challenges this line of reasoning because it should be considered a psik reisha d’nicha lei and turning on a light might be deoraitta. Furthermore, The 39 Melachos (p. 1215) says that if one can’t avoid walking in a place that will turn on a light because of a motion sensor and the streets are dark so that one will benefit from the light turning on, one shouldn’t leave his house! He does permit one to walk past such a motion sensor if he closes his eyes at the time when the light will turn on because in such a case then it is not considered niche lei, even if one will open one's eyes right afterwards.
* On the other hand, Rabbi Hershel Schachter ([http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/764993/Rabbi_Hershel_Schachter/Electricity_on_Shabbos “Electricity on Shabbos,”] min 62-8) explains that if one is doing an action that is physically disconnected from where the melacha is occurring, it isn’t considered a psik reisha. Thus, Rav Schachter says that there’s what to rely on to permit walking in an area where there is a surveillance camera or a motion sensor which will turn on a light as long as one doesn’t have intent to be videoed or turn on the light. </ref>  
* On the other hand, Rabbi Hershel Schachter ([http://www.yutorah.org/lectures/lecture.cfm/764993/Rabbi_Hershel_Schachter/Electricity_on_Shabbos “Electricity on Shabbos,”] min 62-8) explains that if one is doing an action that is physically disconnected from where the melacha is occurring, it isn’t considered a psik reisha. Thus, Rav Schachter says that there’s what to rely on to permit walking in an area where there is a surveillance camera or a motion sensor which will turn on a light as long as one doesn’t have intent to be videoed or turn on the light.
* Rav Yitzchak Yosef ([https://www.torahanytime.com/#/lectures?v=76145 Motzei Shabbat Mishpatim 5779 min 18]) explained that the opinion of the Shevet Halevi is based on the Rashba Shabbat 106a which is rejected by Shulchan Aruch. He said that his father forbade walking in front of an automatic light if it is necessary to walk such as in a stairwell.</ref>  
# If one is already in the room that has a motion sensor and the lights are on and as long as one is inside the lights stay on one may stay in the room.<ref>Minchat Asher 1:31:5</ref>
# If one is already in the room that has a motion sensor and the lights are on and as long as one is inside the lights stay on one may stay in the room.<ref>Minchat Asher 1:31:5</ref>
# If one is already in a room that has a motion sensor and if one leaves the room the lights will go off one may leave the room.
===Hearing Aids and Microphones===
===Hearing Aids and Microphones===
# Someone who's hard of hearing may use a hearing aid which was turned on before [[Shabbat]]. It's proper to attached a piece of scotch tape on the button so one doesn't come to turn it off on [[Shabbat]]. <ref>Menuchat Ahava 24:11, Sh"t Yabia Omer 1:19(19), Minchat Yitzchak 2:17-8, 3:41, Minchat Shlomo 1:9, Tzitz Eliezer 6:6, Shemirat [[Shabbat]] Kihilchita 34:28. Rav Shlomo Zalman in his teshuva Minchat Shlomo 1:9 is dealing with microphones and concludes that a change in a voltage of a current isn't molid but still using a microphone is forbidden since it is audible and is a violation of Avsha Milta, degrading Shabbat. However, regarding hearing aids the Shaarim Metzuyim Bhalacha v. 2 p. 137 80:39:5 cites a letter from Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach that it is permitted to turn up a hearing aid on Shabbat and as there's no issue of muktzeh with a hearing aid that is already on. Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchata 34:28 confirms this. Chelkat Yakov 119 forbids using a hearing aid on Shabbat because he holds that connecting the circuit is Biblical as it created sparks (according to the science of that time which is no longer the case) and he leaves it unresolved if it is permitted to use if was already functioning before Shabbat.</ref>
# Someone who's hard of hearing may use a hearing aid which was turned on before [[Shabbat]]. It's proper to attached a piece of scotch tape on the button so one doesn't come to turn it off on [[Shabbat]]. <ref>Menuchat Ahava 24:11, Sh"t Yabia Omer 1:19(19), Minchat Yitzchak 2:17-8, 3:41, Minchat Shlomo 1:9, Tzitz Eliezer 6:6, Shemirat [[Shabbat]] Kihilchita 34:28. Rav Shlomo Zalman in his teshuva Minchat Shlomo 1:9 is dealing with microphones and concludes that a change in a voltage of a current isn't molid but still using a microphone is forbidden since it is audible and is a violation of Avsha Milta, degrading Shabbat. However, regarding hearing aids the Shaarim Metzuyim Bhalacha v. 2 p. 137 80:39:5 cites a letter from Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach that it is permitted to turn up a hearing aid on Shabbat and as there's no issue of muktzeh with a hearing aid that is already on. Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchata 34:28 confirms this. Chelkat Yakov 119 forbids using a hearing aid on Shabbat because he holds that connecting the circuit is Biblical as it created sparks (according to the science of that time which is no longer the case) and he leaves it unresolved if it is permitted to use if was already functioning before Shabbat.</ref>