[Avodah] electricity on shabbat

[Micha Berger]

On Fri, Jan 08, 2010 at 02:21:50PM +0200, Eli Turkel wrote:
: Prof Zev Lev has an article in techumum 4:58 on the use of elevators
: on shabbat. The article is a defense on the use of automatic elevators in
: disagreement with  R. Halperin.
...
: In a quick reading I didn't see that either Rabbi Halperin or Prof.
: Zev were worried about sparks but I shall search further.

There issue is the incrementel effect -- is there a measurable
difference between using the elevator or not? It's unlike actively
flipping a switch.

If you argue that there is no measurable different in current, then
*regardless* of why the current is a problem, there would be no issur.

IOW, the motor sparks n times per rotation either way. If you agree
with the Beis Yitzchaq that sparking is a cause for an issur, then the
difference between using the elevator or not doesn't change the sparking
in any significant way.

(And if the problem is something else, eg maqeh bepatish, molid zerem,
etc... that too wasn't caused in any halachically significant way
either.)

Here were my assertions (meaning: I think I'm repeating myself, so let
me just sum up and leave the conversation):

1- My understanding of how things operate at home wiring voltages confirms
the metzi'us the Beis Yitzchaq assumes. There will nearly always be a
small but visible spark we just hide it inside casing (and near a ground
line when possible). And not like later posqim who seem to assume there
is no spark in a switch or a motor.

But not in battery devices.

2- don't think the CI's boneh was about battery devices; only those that
plug into an ohel.

3- Computing devices are both routinely adjusted and routinely used
to play music. (People select musical ringtones on their phones,
no? Similarly collections of MP3s are standandard computer fare.) One
factor or the other could easily place them under the gezeirah against
using kelei zemer.

4- Watches, refrigerators, etc... are a pretty well established maqeh
bepatish issue when turning on. In the ideal they are always running,
so to restart it after stoppage is repair. This was already pasqened
before these devices were invented, in the case of winding a stopped
watch. The electronic nature of the repair isn't the issue.

5- The impact of using a device -- an elevator, walking in front of a
video camera, etc... -- involves a whole set of tzedaqim lehaqeil that
actually flipping the switch does not.

These come in two flavors:
a- is it pesiq reishei, gerama, or eino niskavein, and is it nikha lei?
   This has nothing to do with the electricity end of the question, and
   therefore can be discussed without discussing the machloqes about why
   electricity is a problem.

b- use involves measuring differences rather than all or nothing. (See
   above.) The smaller change means one often isn't doing anything that
   has mamashus.

6- Last, to me what is more interesting is what it says about halachic
process that there was such broad concensus le'esor and so little
consensus over why.

RRW suggested that this showed that electricity was a matter of societal
taqanah.

I would instead suggest that it illustrates the role of "daas Torah",
thinking from the gestalt, using "gefeel" or however it should be
labeled -- in producing pesaq. There was an instinctive "this couldn't
fit Shabbos" which those who have a more reliable insinct about such
things all felt in common. What they couldn't converge on is the formal
justification.

I hope to find time to reread RSZA, as I think this is actually his
conclusion, after showing the problems with every one of the usual
mappings of electricity to various melakhos.

:-)BBii!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             The waste of time is the most extravagant
micha at aishdas.org        of all expense.
http://www.aishdas.org                           -Theophrastus
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