Q&A: Derivatives of Fire and of the Sun
Derivatives of Fire and of the Sun
Question
Shavua tov, Rabbi,
I wanted to ask your opinion regarding cooking on the Sabbath using electricity: is it considered cooking with fire or with derivatives of fire? Or is it something else?
In addition, is there any practical difference depending on how the electricity was generated? For example, if it was produced from the sun or from burning coal or gas?
Best regards,
Answer
It depends on the different reasons why cooking in the sun is permitted. If it is because this is not a normal way of cooking (Iglei Tal), then with electricity this is definitely a normal way of cooking. If it is because it did not exist in the Tabernacle (Noda B’Yehuda), then there is room to be lenient. And if it is because the results of the cooking are different (Iglei Tal), it seems to me that with electricity it is like fire. The most plausible approach is Rashi’s explanation, and therefore in my opinion it is forbidden. In my view, it does not matter how the electricity was generated.
Discussion on Answer
In the first parentheses it should say Rashi instead of Iglei Tal. Apparently a typing error.
Hello Rabbi, I wanted to get an explanation of what “derivatives of fire” means.
Something that was heated by fire.
What is Rashi’s explanation?