[Avodah] Fitbit on Shabbos

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

RAM entered the discussion with:
> There seems to be an idea that Hilchos Shabbos ignores invisible actions,
> but in my experience this idea is very new.

And appears to be trying to leave with:
> 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?

(I agree that we lack clarity here, but I am not sure why RAM thinks
it's a problem with the language rather than the ideas themselves.)

Well, except that this notion that halakhah doesn't concern itself with
phenomenona that people cannot experience unaided (in any situation)
isn't limited to a discussion of electricity or even of Shabbos.

The idea that canges internal to a chip in a fitbit wouldn't be an
issue for hilkhos Shabbos (until there is some macroscopic effect of
those changes) is by parallel to discussions of the permissibility of
drinking water that contains creatures about the same size as a trace
(thinkg "wire") on a chip.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             The greatest discovery of all time is that
micha at aishdas.org        a person can change their future
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