Q&A: Regarding benefiting from Sabbath desecration: is it permitted to hear from a non-Sabbath-observant person that the hostages were released
Regarding benefiting from Sabbath desecration: is it permitted to hear from a non-Sabbath-observant person that the hostages were released
Question
There is a discussion going on about whether it was okay this past Sabbath to hear from people who do not observe the Sabbath that the hostages had been released, and whether this counts as benefiting from Sabbath desecration. I would be glad to know the Rabbi’s view, and also sources that deal with the topic. (The closest question I could think of is whether it is permitted to ask a person who does not observe the Sabbath for the results of a sports game that took place on the Sabbath.) Thank you.
Answer
I don’t understand what the discussion is about. Obviously one may not desecrate the Sabbath in order to hear. And obviously once we have heard, it is permitted and appropriate to rejoice. So what exactly is the argument about?
Discussion on Answer
I don’t see any halakhic prohibition here. There is no object of prohibition here.
Is it permitted to benefit from the Sabbath desecration of those who do not observe the Sabbath, who saw on television that the hostages were released and tell you this on the Sabbath?