Q&A: Railway Work on the Sabbath
Railway Work on the Sabbath
Question
Hello Rabbi, once again the repair and maintenance work done on the railway on the Sabbath is making headlines. The assumption is that if it is not done on the Sabbath, it will be done on a weekday and cause enormous traffic jams and major damage to the economy. Can it be argued that since such huge traffic jams could also increase the possibility of cases involving danger to life, then these actions are permitted on the Sabbath from the outset? In general, should the discussion in such a case rely on the usual rules of danger to life?
Answer
I have just now finished a series of columns on operating the police and carrying out actions needed by the public on the Sabbath. See there. In the latest comments there, the question of railway work also came up.
Discussion on Answer
It is not only danger to life, or even a doubt about it, that justifies Sabbath desecration.
Financial loss affecting the public also justifies Sabbath desecration,
as explained in the Tosefta; see also Amud HaYemini, sec. 14.
Of course, this refers to the public’s money.
But for an individual’s money, even a large amount of money, one does not desecrate the Sabbath.
Correction: Amud HaYemini, sec. 17.
It is not only danger to life, or even a doubt about it, that justifies Sabbath desecration.
Even financial loss affecting the public justifies Sabbath desecration,
as explained in the Tosefta; see also Amud HaYemini, sec. 14.
Of course, this refers to the public’s money.
But for an individual’s money, even a large amount, one does not desecrate the Sabbath.