[Avodah] electronics redux

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, Jul 01, 2020 at 04:40:03PM +0000, Rich, Joel via Avodah wrote:
> I've posted a number of comments over the years relating to the delicate
> dance between poskim and their communities. IMHO (for a long while),
> as microelectronics become more embedded in society, the result will
> be micro-halachic justified allowances where shabbat is not compromised
> (even as the definition of compromised changes with time. (data points-
> r moshe-timeclocks, refrigerators...) Your thoughts?

I'm uncomfortable with your formulation, but I think I agree with
your point.

As microelectronics become more embedded in society, it's harder to
consider their use uvda dechol. So pesaqim ought change.

In RMF's case.... What changed over time was not whether a given fact was
uvda dechol. He assumed that use of a timer would pose mar'is ayin issues,
and that metzi'us changed. A close parallel, but not exactly the same.

And yes, it could well be the tzibbur who make that point known to
the posqim. (Especially today, when the gedolim we look to for pesaq
often are men who never left yeshiva life. As opposed to the previous
generations when we looked to the town's rav for pesaqim.)

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 You cannot propel yourself forward
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   by patting yourself on the back.
Author: Widen Your Tent                      -Anonymous
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