Electricity on Shabbat

In Orthodox Judaism, using electrical devices on Shabbat is completely forbidden, as many believe that turning on an incandescent light bulb violates the Biblical prohibition against igniting a fire.

[1][2][3] The Conservative movement's Committee on Jewish Law and Standards has stated that while refraining from operating lights and electrical appliances is considered a pious behavior, it is not mandatory.

The overwhelming majority of Orthodox halakhic authorities maintain that turning on an incandescent light on Shabbat violates a Biblical prohibition on "igniting" a fire (Hebrew: הבערה, hav'arah), because the filament becomes glowing hot like a coal.

[7] Another approach is that of Raavad, who would classify incandescent light as a third creative activity: "completing a product" (Hebrew: מכה בפטיש, makkeh bapatish: literally, "striking the final hammer blow").

[11] Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach prohibits raising (or lowering) the level of an electric heater with an adjustable dial, since numerous small heating elements are turned on (or off) in the process.

[4] In any case, molid would seemingly apply only creating an electric circuit, not to extinguishing an existing current (or modifying its strength).

[20] The Chazon Ish argued, in addition, that closing a circuit to render a device operational might violate the Biblical prohibition of makeh bapatish (striking the final hammer blow, i.e.. completing a product).

Rabbis Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Yaakov Breisch, and Nevins strongly disagree because makeh bapatish refers to a fundamentally permanent act that requires great effort, and turning on an electrical appliance is fundamentally temporary because it will be turned off, and requires a minimal amount of effort.

He also argues that unintentionally creating a circuit (as often occurs when electronic devices operate in a person's vicinity) is completely permitted, as it does not have the level of significance needed to qualify as makeh bapatish.

[24][25] Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman recounted that while staying at a Jewish seminary for a conference, he was approached by some young rabbis who asked him whether electricity was fire.

"[26] Turning on an appliance may indirectly cause the power plant to consume more fuel, and as so violates mavir, the augmenting of a fire.

There is no prohibition of Fine-tuning or molid... (However, I [Rabbi Auerbach] am afraid that the masses will err and turn on incandescent lights on Sabbath, and thus I do not permit electricity absent great need...) ...

Most refrigerators and freezers automatically turn the motor on to operate the cooling pump whenever the thermostat detects a temperature that is too high to keep the food cold.

[34] According to Jon Fasman, "about half of all ovens and refrigerators on the market (including those made by GE, Whirlpool, and KitchenAid) now have a Sabbath mode.

[38] Rabbi Shmuel Wosner was stricter, arguing that since text on the screen can last for a significant amount of time (i.e. an hour), it is considered "permanent" writing which is forbidden.

[17][41] Another issue is recording information on a computer (e.g. saving a file, or sending a text message which will be stored on a server or on the recipient's phone).

[20] In addition, R' Shlomo Zalman Auerbach argued that recording may violate a separate Biblical prohibition of "building", since one is creating the capability for the computer to show you this information later on.

Those in the majority, who forbid the microphone, have various concerns, including the conduction of electricity that is affected by the human voice, and the attention that is drawn from the sound coming from the speakers.

According to many Conservative authorities, this use of electricity is not prohibited, and it may even be permitted to drive a car powered by an internal combustion engine in certain circumstances.

[56] However, it is prohibited to knowingly walk past a motion sensor which switches on a light on Shabbat if the street or place is dark and because the turning on of the light substantively benefits the person, and it is a pesik reisha denicha leih (Aramaic: פסיק רישא דניחא ליה, loose translation: "an inevitable resultant action that does benefit the one who indirectly caused that action").

Observant Jews are advised to avoid walking past a motion sensor that they know is there and will switch on a light, or close their eyes when doing so.

However, an exception to this rule may be the production of a noise which disturbs the peaceful environment of Shabbat, as shown by a debate in the Talmud over whether a Jew may add wheat on Friday to a water mill that will run automatically on Shabbat, because the addition of wheat to the mill will cause a loud noise.

Joseph Caro in the Shulchan Aruch permits this action, but Moses Isserles (the Ramo) prohibits it absent great need.

[69][67] Nowadays they are commonly used to manage lights in private homes, to operate dishwashers and milk cows in Shabbat-observant kibbutzim and moshavim, and for various purposes in public facilities such as hospitals and hotels.

Several different cases must be considered: The KosherLamp, sold since 2004, is a lamp in which the electricity runs continually, but which contains a sliding cover so that the light can be exposed or blocked as desired.

In 2015, the KosherSwitch wall switch was introduced amid controversy,[72] as a means of controlling electricity on-demand in a manner that is permissible according to several Orthodox authorities.

The primary motive to permit generating electricity is pikuach nefesh (Hebrew: פיקוח נפש, "saving lives").

Electricity generated on Shabbat is needed for the day-to-day operations of hospitals, first aid centers, outpatients who require medical care in their homes, and climate control for people who need it, a refrigerator for a baby or the elderly who must eat refrigerated food, and possibly street lights which help prevent road accidents.

The argument based on pikuach nefesh would allow a Jew to work at the power plant on Shabbat to generate electricity.

[79] Another possible reason for leniency is the fact that some Jewish power plant workers are unaware their work is considered Shabbat violation.