Electric car on Saturday
To Rabbi Shalom,
Is there a problem with an electric car on Shabbat just because of the electricity or is there some kind of problem with lighting a fire?
Is the prohibition from the rabbis or from the Torah? (If at all. In my private life, I do not believe that electricity is forbidden on Shabbat at all, and I usually turn on a light and a fan. I also see it as a Shabbat pleasure.)
Is there any other prohibition regarding an electric car, other than the belief (most of the halakhic world) that electricity is prohibited on Shabbat?
With many thanks and appreciation,
Ofir
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By the way, turning on a light (at least with incandescent bulbs) involves a prohibition against lighting, even for those who allow electricity (at least among the rabbis).
I would like to consult with someone who understands the problems that exist on Shabbat, even beyond electricity. I did not come to get your opinion in advance. It is clear that the pleasure of Shabbat does not permit the doing of work. I am merely arguing that there is no work that prohibits electricity, and therefore it is the pleasure of Shabbat. After all, electricity did not exist at the time of the Gemara, and I do not think that electricity should be prohibited because it produces an odor, is destructive, or incendiary. Both from my familiarity with the halacha, and from the fact that the Orthodox rabbis have each denied the other's reasons for prohibition in this matter, and from factions in the Conservative tradition that have permitted the use of electricity since its discovery.
The question of whether it is a Shabbat pleasure or not is not related to the question of whether it is forbidden. Therefore, I omit the word “therefore”. The question is whether it is permitted or not, and it really doesn't matter if it is a Shabbat pleasure (as mentioned, even cooking for pleasure is a Shabbat pleasure).
I don't know how an electric car works, so I don't know how to answer your question. As stated, in my opinion, it is forbidden to use electricity on Shabbat, and I understand that it is very likely a Torah prohibition.
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