by Mina Gordon
He was by far the most popular personality in camp. No matter what scrape he managed to get into each Friday, he always somehow found a way to keep his cool, ready to greet the Shabbos on time, with a smile. What was his name? Big Gedaliah Goomber, of course!
For those unfamiliar with our intrepid hero, Big Gedaliah Goomber was the fictitious Jack-of-all-trades whose wacky Friday afternoon adventures were immortalized in the song “Ain’t Gonna Work on Saturday.”
I was reminded of that song when I read about the “Kosher Switch” which is being promoted as the greatest Shabbos-enhancing invention since the crock-pot. Whether or not the “Kosher Switch” fits the Halachic requirements is something that can only be determined by seasoned experts in Jewish Law.
There is another issue that I can see being breached here aside from halacha, the chinuch aspect.
Why was the song “Ain’t Gonna Work on Saturday so popular in camp? What made “Gedaliah Goomber” so beloved? It was because he was ready to sacrifice everything for Shabbos! No matter what he was in the middle of, no matter how inconvenient it was, he stopped whatever he was doing when Shabbos was about to arrive.
What will make the sanctity of Shabbos stick in our children’s minds? How do we instil in them the determination to keep Shabbos when it is difficult? When our children see us cherishing the ‘shamor’ as much as the ‘zachor’, the ‘don’ts of Shabbos as much as the ‘dos’; when they see us cheerfully coping with inconvenience because Shabbos is more important than our convenience; when they remember the time their father got stuck in traffic, abandoned the car because the sun was setting and walked home; or when the kids slept in the closet because they left the bedroom light on, then the message of the sanctity of Shabbos will be strongly implanted in their minds and hearts.
The following true story may give an indication of the Rebbe’s view.
In the 1940’s, my father-in-law, Rabbi Sholom Ber Gordon became Rabbi of a large shul in Newark, New Jersey. The president wanted to use a microphone so that all of the congregants could hear him read from the Torah. He claimed that there were Rabbis who ruled that this was permissible. Rabbi Gordon explained that it was not.
The shul committee decided to speak to the son-in-law of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn. They heard he was a university graduate and figured that he certainly would convince Rabbi Gordon to be a bit more flexible on this.
When they presented their opinion to the future Rebbe, he told them something like this: Of the people who discuss this matter, there are four types. There are those who have studied both halacha and how microphones work; there are those who know halacha, but have no knowledge of microphones; there are those who have studied the workings of the microphones but are ignorant of Jewish law; and finally there are those that offer their opinion although they are ignorant of both subjects.
He concluded by saying this: “I am a Rabbi, and have an understanding of Jewish law. I have also studied engineering, and know how a microphone works, and I can tell you without the slightest hesitation that a microphone may not be used on Shabbos. Anyone that says otherwise must belong to one of the other three categories!”
There are many modern inventions that enhance the Shabbos, at the same time preserving its sanctity. A crock-pot used properly according to halacha, reminds us that we do no cooking on Shabbos; when a timer shuts the lights, we know it is because we can’t manipulate electricity on Shabbos; the more recent Shabbos lamps are a constant reminder of this as well; and even the eruv in a small area is a sign that only until here may we carry.
Trust me, I enjoy the modern-day inventions that make Shabbos more convenient as much as anyone else. But when rabbanim who are knowledgeable in the area of electricity and hilchos Shabbos are finding trouble with this “Kosher Switch” invention, it reminds me that it is the ‘inconveniences’ that guard and enhance the holiness of Shabbos.
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ultimately through technology there has become two ways of thinking. those who think a technological gimmick allows them to do something which otherwise be against the Torah and those who realize that it is against the Torah so no gimmick is going to change this
I stated clearly that this was a non halachic point. I’m stating simply that once the ubiquitous may be used, you will lose the oasis of resting. I’ll leave halacha for those who are able, but for me, my wish is that the Shabbos switch not get us to facilitate all manner of weekday living, in other words all 39 melachos.
The discussion here seems a little strange. All the points here are either halachic or chasidish (the “nostalgic” issue). So, if you want to use this device, just ask your own Rav and Mashpia and follow what they advise you. This is what the halachah and the Rebbe requires from us.
I couldn’t agree more
Some of us are too nostalgic for the past in all its good and bad guises- we live in different times now (advanced technology), and those days are never to return.
The other items you mention are prohibited because of “V’daber dover” or “Uvden d’chol” so no – your shabbos rest would be in tact and well lit when needed. Have no fair – The same Torah that wants you to rest on Shabbos will not change, but to dismiss a heter out of sentimental reasons is generally not the way halochah works. (With exceptions.)
There is definately a point to a shabbosdik feeling, and giving our children the spirit of shabbos. And that is something to always keep in mind. But it seems that the shabbos switch is not necessarily contrary to that if it will be halachikaly permissible. Similar to an eiruv that is halachikaly allowed some communities thrive on it and some people dont use it for fear of transgression in places without. The point is to remember the sanctity of shabbos and keep it holy.
Just assume for a moment the this switch is 100% fine. The outcome is that each and every one of the 39 melachos that can be accomplished by electricity, can be made to happen during Shabbos by YOU and ME flicking this switch. This, in the world we presently live in, applies to almost all the 39 melachos. So be honest for a minute. Should such a switch be 100% kosher, your Shabbos rest will be out the window. Your Shabbos sensitivities will be out the window. You’ll have cooking, dishwashing, laundry, bank payments, pre-programmed email replies, pre-recorded phone calls,… Read more »
THERE ARE NO AUTHORATIVE CHABAD POSKIM THAT HAVE ALLOWED USE OF THIS SWITCH. TO MAKE A PUBLIC STATEMENT SAYING THAT ARE SOME HAVE ALLOWED IT CONVEYS A FALSE PERCEPTION.
if this goes trough, our children wont look at lights as “not shabosdik” just as they dont think that about shabbos key or eiruv or any other thing where we find ways
I have no problem using a timer. So I was wondering why am I so eager to adopt a new gadget that may or may not be halachacally problematic. Is it going have a major impact on influencing my Shabbat observance or will it eventually lead to my becoming lax about keeping Shabbat. The sad truth is that I know I will find other things permissible, too. For eg: I already find it hard to wait till Motzei Shabbat to bathe my kids and difficult to control myself from tearing towel paper to wipe up spills on Shabbat. So what… Read more »
“There is an obligation not to use electricity”…What does that mean? Your using electricity all Shabbos?! The only question is if creating a new circuit is a Melochah. or not.
Thank you for your heartfelt and beautifully expressed article. 🙂
very well said
Every time we go to crown heights, someone forgets you can’t carry on shabbos.
Mins, spot on. Great article.
Yiddishkeit doesn’t revolve around sentimentality. And justbecause the writer asks the question “how will we ensure our children with the values of shabbos”? Does not mean the answer is by not using technology… that is identical to the tzidukim who wouldn’t easy hot chole t on shabbos.
I hate to break the news: we have a long way to go if we are still relying in Gedalia Goomber Gimmicks in order to teach to our children the value of Shabbos.
Its “ve’atah teztaveh” 101. Vedai lemeivin.
Terrific job Mrs Gordon! Enjoyed every word and this indeed was how I was raised and hope with Hashem’s help to raise my family! Thank you!
mina love reading your work! always so well written!
What about the microphone developed by Zomet Institute? What is the problem with that?
If there are Rabbis who understand how the switch works,then what is the problem?Everyone is so worried about change and meanwhile it would be great to cut down on the use of electricity for 24 hrs and apparently this switch is ok by chabad(some)authorities.Children are not as mentally challenged as you think.An erev allows more women and children to go to shul.Stop thinking YOUR way is the only way to keep shabbos.No one wants to CV’ break shabbos laws but this switch would really help for many reasons.
There is no obligation to exert yourself when you build a sukkah or to dip in a cold Mikva. There is an obligation not to use electricity, and when one c”v uses this switch on shabbos he is conveying, albeit unintentionally that there is no problem with using electricity on shabbos.
The point of the article is that “irrespective” if it fits the Halachic requirements it should not be used. The premise is that she only wants to sanctify Shabbos in her “reminiscent” manner. I guess we should all walk on hot coal and broken glass with bad shoes…
Flipping a switch is clearly not “uvdin d’chol” The only shaila on the table is if its a melochoh or perhaps noled.
You have spoken very well, and right on the spot. I have always said the same about an eruv around a city or neighborhood, that besides from the fact that the alter rebbe doesn’t allow it and the fact that the rebbe always wrote against it, I was always afraid of the chinuch aspect, that children will grow up having no idea what it means not to carry on shabbos, and when they go to an area that doesn’t have an eruv, will still carry.
once again thanks for a beautiful article.
you articulated what I and many others feel about the switch. I also think it’s too similar to the actual act of switching on a light. The spirit is highly lacking…what will be next a kosher way to use the iPhone???
”or when the kids slept in the closet because they left the bedroom light on”
oh, my!!! I guess I didnt experience shabbes at its fullest…
The price of this switch has not been published, I am sure it wont be very cheap as some research has been done to design the technology and to fit into an existing American single module switch, have they designed any for other countries around the world ?
If you want to replace all your switches in your home you may as well put in a standard time switch to cover all the rooms per floor etc.
Mina, you did an excellent job. Thank you.
Inane, you sure chose an apropo heading for your comment.
The diffeeeerence between a heated mikva and the not-so-kosher switch, is that the first fits in with halacha and the switch does not.
There’s nothing wrong with using technology to help us beautify our Torah and Mitzva observance, but youcan’t build a mikdash by desecrating shabbos.
Your writing is always so clear and to the point
thank you!
sitting in a popup sukkah enables us to forget the hardships our grandparents undertook while traveling on sukkos- mouths dry as they didn’t drink any water outside the sukkah walls…
immersing in a heated mikvah on shabbos is a far cry from the mesiras nefesh the chassidim of yore had while dipping in icy ponds….
casually sipping shelf stable cow’s or frothy fresh almond milk is a modern luxury clearly denied to those early pioneering shluchim who trekked out to view chalav yisroel in action or went without it.
The premise of this article is backwards.
Mina Gordon does it again! Well written piece by a talented winner of the Chassidus Applied Essay Competition!
P.S. Perhaps if the Rabonim do approve it for medical situations it would be useful in Nursing homes, like the shabbos elevator.
Thank you! Inspiring read