Q&A: Smartwatch on the Sabbath
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Smartwatch on the Sabbath
Question
Hello Rabbi, there is a smartwatch that always shows the time without requiring any action, but it has a few things that might be problematic. 1) When it detects a lack of movement for a long time, it pops up an alert. 2) It has a kind of sensor that detects pulse; the sensor operates at fixed intervals every few seconds regardless of whether the watch is being worn or not. Beyond that I don’t see anything else. Is it permitted to wear it on the Sabbath?
Answer
- If you don’t wear it, then it will keep alerting all the time about lack of movement. So when you wear it, you are only preventing some of those instances.
- Even if it operates constantly, the content it displays is activated by you, and in my humble opinion there is a problem here. True, one could permit it on the grounds that the pulse is not your action but an autonomic muscle, and that is not considered activating the watch. Logically I would be inclined to permit it, but I’m not convinced, and this requires checking. It’s worth searching online.
- See here: http://www.zomet.org.il/?CategoryID=398&ArticleID=1050
- And here: https://www.toraland.org.il/%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%91%D7%95%D7%91%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%91%D7%9E%D7%A2%D7%92%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%A9%D7%A0%D7%94/%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%90%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%A0%D7%95%D7%A1%D7%A4%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%A9%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%9F-%D7%97%D7%9B%D7%9D-%D7%91%D7%A9%D7%91%D7%AA/
Discussion on Answer
Moshe, are you introducing here a new decree on things with which one could desecrate the Sabbath? Interesting. In my opinion every food should require genizah on the basis that it can be cooked.
In my opinion, every wristwatch should require genizah on the Sabbath on the basis that a button on it might get pressed. Especially a smartwatch, which really ought to be turned off for the Sabbath.
In my opinion, one must not get stressed on the Sabbath, and if you’re late for prayer, go to another minyan or make it up…