![Haredim allant a la synagogue](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/Haredim_allant_a_la_synagogue.jpg)
According to
halacha
''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical comman ...
, the operation of a
motor vehicle constitutes multiple violations of the prohibited activities on
Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath). Though Jewish law is based on texts that were written long before the existence of the
automobile
A car or automobile is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of ''cars'' say that they run primarily on roads, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport people instead of goods.
The year 1886 is regarde ...
, when driving one performs various actions which the texts specifically prohibit.
For example, the vehicle's
ignition
Ignition may refer to:
Science and technology
* Firelighting, the human act of creating a fire for warmth, cooking and other uses
* Combustion, an exothermic chemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidant
* Fusion ignition, the point at which a ...
combusts fuel, which is considered to violate one of the
39 melachot
The 39 Melakhot ( he, ל״ט אבות מלאכה, '' lamed-tet avot melakhah'', "39 categories of work") are thirty-nine categories of activity which Jewish law identifies as prohibited by biblical law on Shabbat. Many of these activities are also ...
, as well as creating a spark, which is likewise in violation of a related rabbinic (or possibly biblical) prohibition ("igniting a fire"). Modern vehicles also have many other electrical components, such as lights, that are turned on and off during the course of a vehicle's operation, often without the driver's awareness. calls on Jews to limit their travel during Shabbat, and the law of
techum shabbat
In Jewish halacha, the techum shabbat (Hebrew: תחום שבת, "Shabbat limit"), or simply techum, is a limited physical area in which a Jew is permitted to walk on foot on Shabbat and Jewish holidays. In general, this area is calculated by measu ...
limits on the distance one may travel beyond the city/town where one is spending Shabbat, regardless of the method of transportation.
However, many non-Orthodox Jews have taken differing views on the matter, finding various reasons to permit and justify at least some driving on Shabbat, either solely for synagogue attendance or for other personal reasons as well. Ignoring Orthodox Jewish law, some feel that driving involves less effort than walking, while others feel that those who live too far from a synagogue would be cut off from religious life altogether if they do not drive to reach the synagogue, and the benefits outweigh full Shabbat observance. Other sources reject any defense of driving during Shabbat, arguing that to reject the prohibition would be a rejection of a God-given commandment.
According to both Orthodox and non-Orthodox Jews, driving on Shabbat is permitted (and required) when necessary to save a human life (
pikuach nefesh
''Pikuach nefesh'' ( he, פקוח נפש, lit=watching over a soul) is the principle in Halakha (Jewish law) that the preservation of human life overrides virtually any other religious rule of Judaism. In the event that a person is in critical dang ...
).
Views
Orthodox
Orthodoxy generally prohibits driving during Shabbat under all circumstances except for a life-threatening emergency.
Orthodox Jews have never challenged prohibitions against driving on Shabbat, but rather have striven to make any accommodations necessary to avoid this activity, including living within walking distance of a
synagogue and other places where they wish to visit regularly during Shabbat, walking long distances when the need arises, and staying at home throughout Shabbat when this is not possible. Those who are travelling away from their hometown will attempt to find a
hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a re ...
or other accommodations within a practical walk of their Shabbat needs.
While riding an animal, the primary ancient form of transportation, during Shabbat is rabbinically prohibited, the operation of an automobile is considered a direct violation of Torah law due to the burning of fuel, among other issues. Additionally, those who do drive frequently travel greater distances than those who walk, thereby leaving the boundaries of the local
eruv
An eruv (; he, עירוב, , also transliterated as eiruv or erub, plural: eruvin or eruvim) is a ritual halakhic enclosure made for the purpose of allowing activities which are normally prohibited on Shabbat (due to the prohibition of ''ho ...
and violating those Shabbat laws pertaining to traveling beyond the "boundary distance" (
techum shabbat
In Jewish halacha, the techum shabbat (Hebrew: תחום שבת, "Shabbat limit"), or simply techum, is a limited physical area in which a Jew is permitted to walk on foot on Shabbat and Jewish holidays. In general, this area is calculated by measu ...
) and transferring between a public and private domain (
hotza'ah).
Orthodox Jews do not view the use of the automobile in order to fulfill the
mitzvah of attending synagogue as acceptable. In Orthodox Judaism, committing a
sin
In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, s ...
in order to fulfill a mitzvah other than saving a human life (''
Pikuach Nefesh
''Pikuach nefesh'' ( he, פקוח נפש, lit=watching over a soul) is the principle in Halakha (Jewish law) that the preservation of human life overrides virtually any other religious rule of Judaism. In the event that a person is in critical dang ...
'') is not considered Halachically acceptable, and if one cannot reach a synagogue by walking, it is preferable to
pray
Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with an object of worship through deliberate communication. In the narrow sense, the term refers to an act of supplication or intercession directed towards a deity or a deified a ...
at home. In particular, Orthodox Judaism frowns upon those who purchase a home too far to walk to a synagogue, then state they can only reach the synagogue by car, or those who live within a practical walk to a synagogue, but prefer attendance at one that can only be reached by car from their home.
Certain professionals who perform life-saving duties, such as
physician
A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...
s, may be permitted to drive during Shabbat to their place of employment in order to perform these duties, and may be permitted to drive home following the completion of their work. A non-professional who drives to a hospital during an emergency is not permitted to drive home, once the emergency situation has been stabilized. Parking and turning off the vehicle may not be permitted under these circumstances either, although moving the car out of the emergency lane is viewed with more leniency.
In practice, though truly Orthodox Jews generally do not drive during the Sabbath, some Jews use their vehicles to reach Orthodox synagogues for services. Some
Modern Orthodox
Modern may refer to:
History
*Modern history
** Early Modern period
** Late Modern period
*** 18th century
*** 19th century
*** 20th century
** Contemporary history
* Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century
Philosoph ...
synagogues have a large number of non-Orthodox congregants who drive to their services. While some of these facilities allow congregants to park in their own lots, others will close off their parking and require those who drive to park elsewhere.
Conservative
The
Conservative Movement examined the issue of driving on Shabbat during the 1950s and decided to allow limited use of the automobile strictly for the purpose of attending synagogue services. The need to reexamine the ruling came in response to demographic shifts, as many Jews were moving into suburban communities and no longer in walking distance of their synagogues. In accordance with these rulings, driving is not permitted for any other reasons, including attendance at a social function at the synagogue that has no prayer involved (such as a
Bar or Bat Mitzvah reception), as doing so is viewed as serving man and not God. Nevertheless, many Conservative Jews take this leniency further to allow driving for almost any reason they wish. Some Conservative Jews who follow a more stringent practice will refrain from driving at all during Shabbat, or will reserve driving for rare occasions for which they find it unavoidable.
The Conservative movement made the decision to permit driving to synagogue based on the changes in the way people were living. Since most people in the modern world live too far from a synagogue to walk, few Jews would possibly be able to attend synagogue without driving, which they believe could lead to the collapse of Jewish observance.
There are some within the Conservative movement, however, who frown upon the Conservative practice of driving during Shabbat on the basis that other Jewish laws are typically broken when driving takes place. These include the handling of one's wallet or purse (''a
muktzah
Muktzeh (Hebrew: "separated") is a concept in Jewish rabbinical law. Muktzeh objects are subject to use restrictions on the Sabbath. The generally accepted view regarding these items is that they may be touched, though not moved, during Shabba ...
item''), since it contains one's
driver's license
A driver's license is a legal authorization, or the official document confirming such an authorization, for a specific individual to operate one or more types of motorized vehicles—such as motorcycles, cars, trucks, or buses—on a public ...
; the purchase of
gasoline
Gasoline (; ) or petrol (; ) (see ) is a transparent, petroleum-derived flammable liquid that is used primarily as a fuel in most spark-ignited internal combustion engines (also known as petrol engines). It consists mostly of organi ...
, a business transaction; and the distance of travel, which usually extends outside the boundaries of an eruv.
During the 1990s, the Conservative-affiliated Masorti Movement in Israel took the stricter view and banned all driving on Shabbat on the basis that no one in Israel works on Shabbat, and that it is possible to pray at home simply by opening a
siddur
A siddur ( he, סִדּוּר ; plural siddurim ) is a Jewish prayer book containing a set order of daily prayers. The word comes from the Hebrew root , meaning 'order.'
Other terms for prayer books are ''tefillot'' () among Sephardi Jews, '' ...
.
More importantly, aside from all the 'minor' transgressions above, according to many authorities, one is actually transgressing the biblical decree not to ignite a fire on Shabbat.
Reform
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its ethical aspects to its ceremonial ones, and belief in a continuous sear ...
, which does not consider ''
halakha
''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical commandm ...
'' binding, has long permitted driving during Shabbat.
Most members of Reform congregations drive to services, as well as to other Shabbat activities.
One rationale permitting driving on Shabbat is that in society where cars are common, it is more 'restful' to drive to observe a positive mitzvah (attending Shabbat services).
Riding in a vehicle
While the operation of a motor vehicle clearly violates Shabbat laws, another question is if it is permissible to ride as a passenger in a vehicle driven by a
gentile
Gentile () is a word that usually means "someone who is not a Jew". Other groups that claim Israelite heritage, notably Mormons, sometimes use the term ''gentile'' to describe outsiders. More rarely, the term is generally used as a synonym fo ...
during Shabbat.
Some Orthodox rabbis have ruled that besides the appearance being given, since a passenger being present in a vehicle may cause the vehicle to require additional fuel versus the absence of that passenger, this practice is generally not permitted. However, it may be permissible if a Jew has a medical reason to be transported in a vehicle that is short of life-threatening.
Some Orthodox rabbis believe that riding in a pre-programmed
self-driving car
A self-driving car, also known as an autonomous car, driver-less car, or robotic car (robo-car), is a car that is capable of traveling without human input.Xie, S.; Hu, J.; Bhowmick, P.; Ding, Z.; Arvin, F.,Distributed Motion Planning for S ...
may be halachically permissible, but may be against the spirit of the law.
Special situations
Life-threatening emergencies
In the event of a life-threatening emergency, all of the laws of Shabbat, including those related to driving, are suspended.
Medical emergencies
When it is necessary to drive someone to the hospital, the driver must put the car in
park, leave the
engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.
Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power ...
running
Running is a method of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. Running is a type of gait characterized by an aerial phase in which all feet are above the ground (though there are exceptions). This is ...
, and leave the door open, since closing the door will cause the
dome light to turn off. A non-Jew should then be asked to park the car.
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein
Moshe Feinstein ( he, משה פײַנשטיין; Lithuanian pronunciation: ''Moshe Faynshteyn''; en, Moses Feinstein; March 3, 1895 – March 23, 1986) was an American Orthodox rabbi, scholar, and ''posek'' (authority on ''halakha''—J ...
is famous for allowing someone in this position to drive home (in certain situations), even though there is no medical reason to drive home, so that someone who is in need of medical treatment will not forgo that treatment because they would be stuck at the hospital until the end of Shabbat.
[Jonathan Wiesen]
Driving Home on Friday for the Observant Physician: Toward a New Mindset
"R. Feinstein’s predominant belief is that one is not allowed a return journey home if the individual departs for the mission assuming that it will take a long time. If, however, it is the type of trip which is typically of a short duration, then one may return home even if it involves the violation of biblical prohibitions. If we were to prevent individuals in the latter case from returning home, that may cause them to be hesitant to attend to such situations in the future." Others require that travel home from the hospital be conducted by a non-Jew, for example a taxi driver.
[
]
Visiting others in hospital
If a close relative is taken by ambulance to the hospital on Shabbat, it may be permissible to accompany that relative. If the relative is not coherent, others may be required to provide authorization for life-saving treatment, and the mere presence of visitors can have a salutary effect on patients.
Labor
Labor
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the la ...
is considered a life-threatening emergency, thereby permitted driving during Shabbat. If a woman is transported to the hospital as a result of false labor, and then sent home, she must be driven home by a gentile.
Security
When there is a threat on human life from belligerent foes, driving is permitted. Therefore, police, army, and other security personnel are permitted to drive. It is common in Israel
Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
that observant Jews that otherwise abide by the prohibition of driving, drive while in the army or when patrolling their town as a volunteer Civil Guard.
Non-life-threatening health problems
When a medical issue occurs that is not considered life-threatening, but is of discomfort to a person, or may endanger one's limb, it is acceptable to ask a gentile if available to drive the patient to a hospital or physician.
Fertility treatment
Some rabbinical authorities have ruled that in the event that a couple is undergoing treatment for infertility and has the need to receive a treatment during Shabbat that cannot otherwise be avoided, transportation provided by a gentile can be arranged prior to Shabbat, in which the gentile opens and closes the doors of the car for the Jew. All arrangements must be made in advance.
In Israel
In Israel, streets in some Haredi
Haredi Judaism ( he, ', ; also spelled ''Charedi'' in English; plural ''Haredim'' or ''Charedim'') consists of groups within Orthodox Judaism that are characterized by their strict adherence to ''halakha'' (Jewish law) and traditions, in oppos ...
neighborhoods are barricaded on Shabbat in order to prevent non-Shabbat-observers from driving.[Settings of Silver: An Introduction to Judaism By Stephen M. Wylen]
/ref> In Mea Shearim
Mea Shearim ( he, מאה שערים, lit., "hundred gates"; contextually, "a hundred fold") is one of the oldest Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem outside of the Old City. It is populated by Haredi Jews, and was built by members of the Old Yish ...
, residents have been known to throw stones at those driving through their neighborhoods on Shabbat. However, they must set aside the stones for use on Shabbat. In most Israeli cities, public buses do not operate during Shabbat.[ Part of the population in Israel view it as sinful to drive on Shabbat and are annoyed by those who drive through their neighborhoods on Shabbat.Israel's Higher Law: Religion And Liberal Democracy in the Jewish State By Steven V. Mazie]
/ref>
See also
*Electricity on Shabbat
Many Jews who strictly observe Shabbat (the Sabbath) refrain from using electrical devices on Shabbat, with the exception of passive enjoyment of devices which were set up before Shabbat. Various rabbinical authorities have pronounced on what ...
*''Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchatah
''Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchatah'', also pronounced ''Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchosoh'' ( he, שמירת שבת כהלכתה, , keeping Shabbat according to its law; published in English as ''Shemirath Shabbath''), is a book of halachah authored by R ...
''
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Driving on Shabbat in Jewish Law
Laws of Shabbat