[Avodah] RHS on shabbat - electricity

[Micha Berger via Avodah]

On Tue, Jul 12, 2016 at 12:40:37PM +0300, Eli Turkel via Avodah wrote:
: RHS felt that electricity in general is prohibited on shabbat only
: derabbanan based on a rabbinic metaken maneh. Hence, he did not see a major
: problem is using a toilet that has an automatic flush or even an automatic
: door. Flushing a toilet or opening a door is allowed. The electricity is
: not doing anything that could not be done manually.

... assuming that causing light without heat is not havarah. Eg the
indicator LEDs one often finds on automatic devices, like that toilet
or door.

On Wed, Jul 13, 2016 at 09:59:29AM +0300, Eli Turkel via Avodah wrote:
: American (among others) law requires that all dishwashers operate only
: when the door is closed. This is mainly to prevent injuries by someone
: sticking his hand into the machine while it is operating. It also prevents
: water from exiting while the machine is operating.
: 
: A mechanic could override this mechanism and allow the machine to
: operate while the door is open but would be violating secular law and
: dina demalchusa.
: 
:  From a halachic viewpoint the problem is that closing the door would
: allow the machine to turn on later via a shabbos clock...

Well, assuming the US isn't being crazy, chamira sakanta mei'isua anyway.

(Not to mention dina demalkhusa also being assur, although not in
the same league as avoiding piquach nefesh or shemiras Shabbos.)

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Life isn't about finding yourself
micha at aishdas.org        Life is about creating yourself.
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