[Avodah] microphones on shabbat

[Harry Maryles]

Eli Turkel <eliturkel at gmail.com> wrote:
  <<<<<<<<In his most recent weekly shiur, Rav Asher Zelig Weiss expressed
himself about electricity in almost exactly the same terms as RMB does
here: the prohibition was determined first, and then the poskim looked
around for a category to fit it into.>>>>>>>

It is clear that this is the opinion of RSZA about electricity. He
disagrees with CI
about boneh and with others about nolad. He doesn't seem to have any real
reason to prohibit electricity (without light/heat) on shabbat nevertheless he
certainly never allowed one to turn on electricity on shabbat.  --------------------------------------------
   
  Shaarim Mitzuyanim B’Halacha cites (brings down) R Y.E. Henkin,ZTL,  who was given a Kuntres (notes) by RSZA. It stated that electricity is in no way considered Havaras Aish (burning of fire) if not involved in light bulb with a burning filament. So turning on a motor or a microphone, for example would not be Assur based on the Issur of Havara V’Kibui. 
   
  Not only that but even sparks that may be generated by a motor  are not considred Aish since they have no substance to them and in any case it is a Davar She’Eino Miskavin and the is no Psik Reisha. Such sparks are no worse than static sparks that are generated by certain activity on Shabbos. 
   
  So on a D’Oraisa (biblical) level there is absolutely no violation for using electricity on Shabbos. He does however lean to the possibility of elctirity as being Molad, which is a D’Rabbonon (rabbinical edict) because of the Tikun v’Chibur HaZerem, which I understand to mean the completing of an electrical circuit which “enables” the appliance to function. 
   
  RSZA also mentions another reason for Assuring the use of electricity, the idea of a Shvus. He says that Matring it would lead people to mistakenly turn lights on and off on Shabbos which would be a violation of  one of the 39 Milachos on Shabbos for which one is Chaive Misah, Kares, or a Korban Chatas ( or at least Malkus according to one opinion in the Gemarah). 
   
  The fact that the filament is made out of metal and the Gemarah sates that there is no Havara in dousing a hot metal coal does not apply to a burnig filament. If a metal coal were actually burning, it would be considered a violation of Kibui to douse it.
   
  The Chazan Ish considers the use of electricity as violating the melacha of Boneh, (building) which is one of the 39 Melachos and therefore a violation on a biblical level. And one cannot apply the principle of “Ain Binyan B’Keleim” (the prohibition against building on Shabbos does not apply to “vessels”) because that only applies when they are detached from the ground which electricity is not. It is considered attached to the ground. So turning on an electrical appliance is Boneh and shutting it off is Stirah. I’m not exactly sure of the reasoning behind the CI.
   
  RSZA was a Torah U’Madanik in the sense that he studied very carefully the science of any issue he Paskin’d on them. This is not to minimize the Psak of the CI to whom RSZA always conceded to in matters of Psak IIUC. But it does give RSZA’s Psak substantial weight in my eyes.
   
  But since neither Matir’d electricity in any case, it is a moot issue.
   
  HM




Want Emes and Emunah in your life? 

Try this: http://haemtza.blogspot.com/
 
---------------------------------
We won't tell. Get more on shows you hate to love
(and love to hate): Yahoo! TV's Guilty Pleasures list.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aishdas.org/pipermail/avodah-aishdas.org/attachments/20070319/0a5e8cf0/attachment-0001.htm>