Encouraging secular residents in Jerusalem
The Jerusalem Municipality has a motivation to encourage secular people to move to Jerusalem. I hope so. Is it permissible to initiate activities that involve desecrating the Sabbath for this? I'm not talking about catering to existing residents, it seems simple to me, after all, it's their money and they shouldn't be forced to, of course.
What does it mean to be allowed? As far as I know, it is forbidden to desecrate Shabbat. Although I didn't read the newspapers this morning and perhaps God Almighty has updated the matter…
And allow open spaces on Shabbat? What's happening at the border? Is a religious mayor supposed to watch Jerusalem become an ultra-Orthodox city and do nothing?
To the question I was asked, I wrote that there is a halakhic prohibition against violating Shabbat. I did not write what to do in practice. This is not a halakhic question. If it is forbidden to initiate activities, it is also forbidden to do such activities for residents. This is the halakhic consideration. And if you apply considerations that go beyond halakhic, then this is not a halakhic question.
I'm considering other considerations. I think Jerusalem as an ultra-Orthodox city is something that needs to be prevented and could have serious consequences. But in the end I want to stay within the framework of Halacha and not do something that is forbidden. I didn't think it was permissible to desecrate Shabbat.
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