Making an appointment when they may travel on Saturday
Hello Rabbi, sorry I’m asking by email and not on the website, it’s just a bit urgent and I assume you’ll see the email before the website.
Am I allowed to schedule a meeting with friends (who are atheists) on Shabbat when it is highly likely that one of them will drive to get to the meeting?
It should be noted that they are Datlshim and the purpose of the meeting is a kind of ‘debate’ on the issue of proofs for God.
Regards.
In my opinion, yes, for several reasons: 1. You don’t tell them to travel. 2. Atheists’ offenses are not offenses (as I argued in my article about the secularist being caught in an offense). 3. It’s in their best interest, and they’re traveling anyway. It’s better for them to travel to a place like this than just traveling.
Thank you. One of them lives far away so his only way to get there is by car, which apparently invalidates permit 1 (when I invite him, it's like explicitly telling him to come by car). Are the other two enough?
If you want to be completely relaxed, invite him to sit with you. If he refuses and wants to go himself, that's his decision. But as I said, I don't think it's necessary.
And if the debate is successful and he repents? Maybe he'll come back in the car 🙂
Leave a Reply
Please login or Register to submit your answer
