[Avodah] Fitbit on Shabbos

[Akiva Miller via Avodah]

R' Micha Berger's posts are very well thought-out. I've reached the limits
of my knowledge on this topic.

I often rant about the importance of clear language, and this is a great
example. How can we possibly test the boundaries of electricity on Shabbos,
when we aren't even sure of what the issur is?

RMB wrote:

> ... RSZA, who seems to be saying electricity is assur because we
> all decided it was assur, and thereby created an issur derbbanan
> even without a Sanhedrin.

Yes indeedy. Which brings us back to a topic from a few months ago, where
we asked whether a posek learns the sources and reaches his conclusion, or
whether he paskens from what his own Da'as Torah leads him to believe and
then checks it with the sources. In the current case, I would suggest that
because electricity is a new thing (apologies to Koheles), the poskim have
had no choice but to go by their feelings.

And if so, the same would apply to this particular application of Meleches
Elektri: Each posek will decide for himself whether (on Shabbos) we need to
avoid Fitbits and security cameras and other devices that we *know* are
working, but *appear* to be as inert as a rock. And if those psakim are
issued with little or no explanation beyond "it's obvious!", I really can't
complain.

Akiva Miller
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aishdas.org/pipermail/avodah-aishdas.org/attachments/20160406/dbc6ee27/attachment-0008.html>