Shabbat Elevator Controversy

October 12, 2009 · Filed Under Baum's Blog 

I’ve been slightly fascinated for the last few weeks with the recent Shabbat elevator controversy.  For those who may be unfamiliar with the concept, let me explain.  For traditional Jews, it would be a violation of the Sabbath to push an elevator button on Friday night or Saturday.  To circumvent this, there are Shabbat elevators – which are set to automatically stop at every floor.  That way, you are not actually doing the work of pushing the button – and you can feel good about not having violated the Sabbath.

However, I recently read (in Wikipedia, of all places) that “when a person descends an elevator, the person’s weight helps move the elevator in the downward direction, so the person is considered physically to cause the elevator to move down. Accordingly, some authorities permit ascending in an elevator but prohibit descending.”  These rabbis coming up with specific rules like these clearly have a lot of time on their hands.

In fact, on September 19, some rabbis issued a ruling banning Shabbat elevators.  According to the New York Times, this has caused a great deal of confusion.

Confusing?  I think so.  Silly?  I think so.  I want to know if (when making these kinds of decisions) they consider the elderly or handicapped people for whom taking the stairs is not an option.

Also, it seems to me that the concept of a Shabbat elevator is bizarre in the first place.  Having to create a system where you find legal fictions in order to determine your behavior does not seem particularly meaningful to me.  To go a step further, I am quite certain that not pushing a button on Shabbat would do nothing to enhance my Shabbat experience.

While I find the quibbling over whether to keep Shabbat elevators or not interesting, I must say that the concept of having a Shabbat elevator in the first place is not particularly meaningful for me.

 

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Comments

13 Responses to “Shabbat Elevator Controversy”

  1. Tzvi Says:
    October 12th, 2009 at 7:46 pm

    I can’t imagine why this would fascinate you. As a Halachic Jew, it fascinates me because there are
    a) practical ramifications and
    b) a display of interaction between modern technology and ancient halachot.
    Obviously, if I would think that not pushing a button on Shabbat is silly, then I would think making a motor work harder for me is silly as well. But fascinating?

  2. Rabbi Baum Says:
    October 12th, 2009 at 7:51 pm

    Tzvi – as someone who has studied halacha (Jewish law, for those reading this who are unfamiliar with this word) – I do find past and present halachic decisions fascinating. While I am not a halachic Jew and the decisions don’t have an impact on my life in the same way that they may impact others, I find the process itself interesting and informative. Thanks for the comment.

  3. Marty Says:
    October 12th, 2009 at 8:53 pm

    Let me start off by saying that I do not mean to offend or demean anyone with these comments.

    I understand the importance of halacha and ritual observance in religion. All religions have their own statutes that they adhere to to make them feel more connected to the sublime. Some have behaviors that might seem extreme to some, but the opposite is true as well. Some have no traditions or rituals beyond attending services on a weekly basis.

    Regardless of which extreme or variation in between, my feeling is that the point of religion is to put man in touch with something greater than themselves. Whether they call that God, Allah, or whatever, it is that personal relationship with the Divine that I find fulfilling. For me it is the entire point. If being cognizant to not push a button on Shabbat causes one to feel a more personal connection with that greater than them, by all means do that which brings you a closer connection.

    But I fear with all these little nuances, we lose touch of what our reason for religion is and shift thought to “is this acceptable?” The purpose is in gathering as a community to experience God through that interaction.

    My Jewish experience is admittedly weak. My understanding of melacha from a historical perspective (prohibition of work on Shabbat) is to avoid those tasks which were used in the construction of the Temple. However, they are never clearly defined in the Torah. But I am fairly certain that there were no elevators in use at the time of construction of either Temple. It would seem to me that the focus should be on including the entire community and not excluding some because they have no other way to remain part of the community due to physical infirmity which would require pushing an elevator button or pushing a wheelchair. In the end, I truly believe that God would understand.

    As another illustration that might be more appropriate to this week’s parshat: A Rabbi once explained to me that the first sin of the Torah was not Chavah eating of the forbidden fruit. It was of Adam modifying the commandment of God. God’s command was to not eat of the tree; however, when he passed the information along, he amended it by saying “don’t eat of the tree or even touch it lest you will surely die.”

    If Adam’s sin was in modifying God’s command, how is it justified that we “build a fence around the Torah” by making all of these extraneous prohibitions and amendments to the commands as put forward in the Torah? Would we not be guilty of the same sin?

  4. Cynthia Tyler Says:
    October 12th, 2009 at 10:28 pm

    Why do elevators even have to become part of the
    discussion? Why can’t we leave it at don’t hitch
    up the oxen and plow nothin’ on Saturday…

    Let’s be sensible – and do what we can to respect the ill, the infirm, even the unfit and downright lazy, and if it takes an elevator to get them to
    shul, Hashem’s blessings be on the machines and
    their creators.
    Is pushing buttons even on the list of 39 things you can’t do?

  5. David Schwartz Says:
    October 12th, 2009 at 10:47 pm

    fascinating!

    Why would God insist on rules like this? It seems the choices are “Shabbat Elevator,” “No Elevator” or “Shabbat Elevator up only.”

    How do any of these choices contribute to life? How do any of these provide a service to God?

    I know the traditional answer. “we will DO and then we will understand.” This kind of answer satisfies no one.

  6. Bill Friedlander Says:
    October 13th, 2009 at 1:59 am

    If it were prayer or song we were discussing I believe we could make a good case that either – both, in fact – add to quality and feeling of sharing with friends and family who are with us at services.

    However, when we get to Halachic law we are in a realm that has no hope of adding to the quality or feeling of the Shabbat. Not turning a switch, using an appliance, riding a car do not add to the quality of the experience of Shabbat. Rather they supply the observer of such laws the satisfaction of following customs that have been passed down over two millenia. They, indeed, make the follower feel he (she) is a better Jew. And that’s fine with me.

    When, however, I am in a hotel in Jerusalem and have to walk ten floors on Shabbat because the elevator is closed to all, then other customs are being imposed on me. It’s selfish and thoughtless (and will certainly help keep conversions down.)

    The solution for the Jerusalem hotel owner is to make sure the stairs are open and available to those who want to walk them and that the elevators are running for the rest of us so we can save our energy for listening and watching “Our Jewish Community”

  7. Joel Katz Says:
    October 13th, 2009 at 5:12 am

    For those readers wanting to stay up-to-date on this issue and all issues of religion and state in Israel, may I suggest visiting Religion and State in Israel.

    The updates are weekly – you can sign up for email or RSS feed updates.

    If you want daily updates, follow @religion_state on Twitter.

  8. tmana Says:
    October 13th, 2009 at 9:45 am

    In terms of “up, down, infirm, or handicapped”, I think a lot of the issue is one of who is included in the community, who is excluded from it, and why — and “who is Jewish” is not part of the question.

    Biblical texts restrict those who have physical handicaps from proximity to the Ark, and in some cases, the community. (One would presume that — in addition to Hertz’s commentary about outsider practices of body modification, especially applied to the genitals — this would separate out those whose infirmities might be either contagious or inheritable, removing the “bad genes” from the community in a generation.)

    In that sense, restrictions that would prevent someone who is lame from being able to get to the synagogue would seem to spring from the same purpose.

    In another sense, I can understand Rabbi Baum’s fascination that some would go to this level of discourse around what would seem to be a minor point of practice. On the one hand, this relates back to the idea of the overbearing, punitive, paternalistic G-d that many of us were presented in Sunday School/Talmud Torah — if we don’t do exactly what He says, we’ll be cursed, but then, if He is the Father and we are His children… don’t children always test the boundaries to see what they can get away with? On the other hand, some folk are honestly excited (in multiple dimensions) by serious debate over what would seem trivialities (BTW, *how many* angels are dancing on that #17 brass silk pin? Did you account for Maxwell’s demons trying to change that number?)

  9. Marty Says:
    October 13th, 2009 at 8:41 pm

    Separating out those who have infirmities and removing “bad genes” from the community seems anathema. Haven’t other cultures done this in the past to the detriment of the human race? Doesn’t that violate the concept that there is that of God in every person?

    Even God visited Abraham when he was sick (Gen 18:1)

  10. Pat Chambers Says:
    October 17th, 2009 at 12:17 am

    It has been fascinating to me since I first studied Judaism years ago to learn how many things are considered “forbidden” on Shabbat. Besides elevators, as mentioned by Rabbi Baum, I’ve known Jews who do not use their computers on Shabbat. I tried this for a couple of weeks, but just could not keep to it, partly because of many of my Jewish “connections” (most recently OJC) are online ones.

    I was raised as a Christian, and remember certain things that were traditionally “forbidden” at times. For instance, even though I attended public school through ninth grade, fish was served on Friday in deference to Roman Catholics. Being an observant Episcopalian, tradition meant also not eating meat on Fridays. Even after Roman Catholicism changed its view to allow meat to be eaten on Fridays (except in the liturgical season of Lent) my family, like many Episcopalians, continued to eat fish or some other meatless meal.

    As a young adult, I departed from this tradition once I left home for college.

    There are many traditional rules of Judaism to which I cannot relate because of my own background, they are just not part of my heritage. Even some of the traditional foods found in Jewish celebrations or observances are still a bit foreign to me, though I’ve been a convert to Judaism for a decade now.

    I know what I am sharing is a departure from the main topic of the “Shabbat Elevator Controversy” but again, I write this reply to show how someone who has not followed Jewish tradition for most of their life can find such a topic mystifying, given the modern world in which we live with technological advances. If the “Shabbat Elevator” issue is strictly adhered to by all the Jewish community, wouldn’t that also mean that what we are participating online via Our Jewish Community also be a violation of Shabbat?

  11. Bill Cademy Says:
    October 18th, 2009 at 12:28 pm

    Well, to put in my two cents, I think this whole “what is/isn’t permitted on the Sabbath” boils down to an issue facing judges in our courts every day — “do we support the letter of the law or the spirit of the law?” I believe that, when it comes to Shabbat, too much attention is paid to the letter of the law — can I push this button, turn this knob, etc. — versus the actual spirit of the law — is Shabbat supposed to be a day of rest and contemplation?

    It seems to me that the law has not kept up with modern technology. We now have ways of doing less physical work, such as taking an elevator instead of stairs. Shouldn’t we take the choice which allows us more rest, and more time for contemplation? If I have to make the effort to push one button instead of the effort of climbing ten stories of stairs, it seems to me that taking the elevator is more in lines with the spirit of Shabbat! Same for using a computer, or lighting a stove!

    The reason I sought out Humanistic Judaism is because it seems to me to be the one branch of Judaism that has most kept up with changing times! As such, I have no qualms about using modern conveniences on Shabbat, as they enable me to do less work than otherwise!

  12. CGilbert Says:
    November 5th, 2009 at 8:45 am

    Besides the fact that people actually spend time pondering and discussing this (which, I personally believe, is a profound waste of time, but to each his/her own), and the discrimination against the old, the very young, and the infirm of banning elevator usage for 5 minutes, let’s just discuss definitions and look at “pushing a button” and “walking up the stairs” in the context of these definitions:

    work  /wɜrk/ –noun 1. exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; labor; toil.

    rest1  /rɛst/
    2. refreshing ease or inactivity after exertion or labor: to allow an hour for rest.

    What am I missing?

  13. Bill Durkin Says:
    June 8th, 2011 at 7:39 pm

    I realize I am a bit late to the table with this opinion. I am not Jewish but I do understand the idea behind the controversy is that observant Jews are not to do anything causing, or contributing to the use of energy on the Sabbath. As an elevator mechanic for more than 20 years, I can assure you that in most cases riding an elevator that works automatically does NOT contribute to energy use. In fact the opposite is true. This is why: Assume the elevator has a capacity of 4000 pounds. The counterweight will weigh exactly the weight of the elevator cab PLUS 40% of the capacity. In other words, the counterweight would be 1600 pounds heavier than the car. Unless there was more than 1600 pounds in the elevator, the ride up is FREE in that GRAVITY causes the car to ascend due to the overbalance. No power is actually consumed. Power IS consumed while the elevator is DESCENDING because the power is needed to raise the weight. Riding the elevator down actually reduces the overbalance and thus causes LESS energy to be consumed. In no way does riding the elevator cause a consumption of energy unless the load in the cab exceeds 40% of the car’s capacity, and then only in the UP direction. This is true for every traction (cabled) elevator in the United States. So, in short, walk the stairs for exercise but don’t avoid elevators to save energy. Riding them saves energy, both the building’s and your own.

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