Q&A: Disconnecting a call on the Sabbath in order to save on costs
Disconnecting a call on the Sabbath in order to save on costs
Question
Hello Rabbi,
Recently an article was published, and it made me wonder whether it would be permitted to disconnect a call on the Sabbath that was placed because of a life-threatening situation, when now the person who made it wants to save on airtime costs. I thought that if we do not allow him to disconnect the call, it is possible that in the future he may refrain from making such a call in a life-threatening situation out of concern that it will cost him a lot of money.
Best regards,
Answer
Yes, I heard about that too. I don’t really understand why there are costs here, since usually this is a flat-rate plan. In any case, in my opinion this is not a reason to permit it, because this is not a doctor or a soldier—where even for them, according to most opinions, returning was permitted only via a non-Jew. If such a rare case happens, let them call and pay whatever is necessary. Or they should get a flat-rate plan. There is a solution even without committing prohibitions. Yet another reason not to use a “non-kosher” phone.
Discussion on Answer
What they permitted was only in a place where there is a future concern that people will not save lives. That does not exist here. The question here is only whether they permitted violating a prohibition in order to save expenses. In my opinion, no—although it is possible that a running car would arouse suspicion and panic, and for that reason it would be permitted to turn it off.
Isn’t there no need to disconnect, since they’ll call you back anyway?
Why is there no future concern that people will not save others? In my opinion there definitely is. True, in a clear-cut situation (a heart attack), any normal person will go to the ER in any case. But in a borderline case, many people will make the calculation: maybe it’s better to wait until after the Sabbath and go to the ER, rather than leave a car running. Not to mention the possibility of getting stuck in the hospital for the entire Sabbath if they decide to discharge him. That decision can endanger lives.
What about someone who drove on the Sabbath because of a life-threatening situation—can he turn off the car engine when he reaches his destination? Can he lock his car? Here too there is a concern that the car will be damaged or stolen if those actions are not done.