Regarding swimming on Shabbat
To Rabbi Michael Shalom
Nowadays, many people, some of whom are very Jewish, run long distances on Shabbat. If this is not an act of worship, is there no reason to allow swimming on Shabbat? If there is a reason to allow it, what are the restrictive conditions? If, for example, the pool operators on Shabbat are not Jews
Running for pleasure is permitted on Shabbat. Although I am very skeptical of such runs on the part of those who practice Shabbat. Although I have always debated this concept, since anything that is not done on Shabbat is Shabbat, and if it is done on Shabbat, it ceases to be so. It is a circular concept. The question of what is appropriate to do on Shabbat and on weekdays is a question for which I do not know of any good criteria.
Perhaps this is similar to what was said in the name of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman about customs - the first person to break a custom is a trespasser, but when everyone has broken it, then it is no longer called a custom.
Leave a Reply
Please login or Register to submit your answer
