why do jews not turn lights or put the cooker on saturdays?

Question

my friend was working in a jewish house wher he was asked to put the fire in a cooker at the same time he was also asked to turn the lights on whilst he worked and he had to turn it off when he finished. i genuinely want to know. i don't mean any harm

is this not usuary and enslavement?

Answer 1

yeah..it's almost as bad as going into a cult building and eating a god's flesh and drinking his blood -- and demanding that children participate in cannibalism with you.

Answer 2

It's based on the 39 melochot - the 39 types of work that were done in order to build the original tabernacle (in the desert), although I've heard some say the building of the first Temple (Solomon's). I can't remember all the relevant things but creating or extinguishing fire is one of them, so, if you switch a light on, you're vreating a form of fire (possibly the spark inside the switch), likewise driving. It's not the driving that's the problem but the fire inside the engine.

So, the cooker is turned on very low on Friday afternoon and not touched again until Saturday night. A cover (called a blech) is placed over the burners and the pans of food are placed on the blech so that they keep warm.
Remember, it's the LETTER of the law that counts, not the SPIRIT, so, a timeswitch is OK for lights because your are not doing the work. Likewise you can set a timer to record the TV, operate the heating etc.

Writing is not allowed either. An invalid cannot be taken to the Synagogue on Shabbos because the wheel marks are considered a form of writing.

However, if you want something done, you can make an arrangement with a non jew to do the work on Shabbos. He/she is called the Shabbos Goy. Not being Jewish, the rules don't apply to them.

Oh yes, one small point - EVERY jewish law gives way to the saving or preservation of human life so those who use Jesus healing on Shabbos don't really understand Jewish law. As one Rabbi put it, Jewish law is something to live for, not to die for.

Answer 3

Do not ignite fire in any of your dwellings on the Sabbath." [Ex. 35:3]

This prohibition dates from times when lighting a fire was a major effort, involving the gathering of wood, the building up of the fire in the hearth, the lighting of the flame using primitive methods. It really was hard work. Nowadays it is normally a matter of flicking a switch, but modern Jews explain the prohibition in the following terms:

The Torah forbids 39 different categories of activity on the Sabbath. Yet only one — lighting fires — is explicitly prohibited in the Torah. Why?

Why does the Torah qualify the prohibition of lighting fire with the phrase, "in any of your dwellings"? Is it not forbidden to start a fire in any location?

The control and use of fire is unique to mankind. It is the basis of our advances in science and innovations in technology. Even now, fuel sources for burning — coal and oil — are what power modern societies. In short, fire is a metaphor for our power and control over nature, the fruit of our God-given intelligence.
What is the central message of the Sabbath? When we refrain from working on the seventh day, we acknowledge that God is the creator of the world.

One might think that only the pristine natural world is truly the work of God. Human technology, on the other hand, is artificial and perhaps alien to the true purpose of the universe.

Therefore, the Torah specifically prohibits lighting fire on the Sabbath, emphasizing that our progress in science and technology are also part of Creation. Everything is included in the ultimate design of the universe. Our advances and inventions contribute towards the goal of Creation in accordance with God's sublime wisdom.

Along with the recognition that all of our accomplishments are in essence the work of God, we must also be aware that we have tremendous power to change and improve the world. This change will be for a blessing — if we are wise enough to utilise our technology within the guidelines of integrity and holiness.

Answer 4

The Shabbath for Jews begins on Friday night and lasts until Saturday night.

They are not allowed to do any work and this includes turning on and off lights. They usually have timers so the lights come on automatically.

All cooking is done on Friday and is kept warm. Slow cookers, the oven kept on low, and a special plate placed on top of the cooker which keeps the food warm is allowed.

Answer 5

God created the world in 6 days, on the seveth He rested. He called the the Sabbath Day and commanded Isreal to honor it. They believe it is a "day of rest" when you can do no pysical labor at all. Ironically they can hire a non-Jew or Gentile to do work for them (like flicking a light switch). I believe they call this a Goishin (spelling probably wrong). This is how Elvis Presley and Collin Powell earned money as kids.

Christians who still believe Jews are God's chosen people respect that they honor this, but I believed everyone missed the point of everything God had told them before. This is the message of Jesus. It's not about the laws, it's about obedience. God wants us to rest and not go go go all the time, but I think this was taken to the extreme. Jesus healed on the Sabbath and said that He was the Lord of the Sabbath. Jewish laws, such as the 10 commandments were made for the benifit of man, not God. He made them to protect us from harm, not to restrict us. It's just like making rules for your children, not for you benifit, but for theirs because you love them and don't want them to do something that can hurt them even thought they don't understand why.

Answer 6

Because Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath and on that day they rest. Strict orthodox jews consider even turning on a light switch to be work. Not sure what they did if there weren't any Gentiles around to do jobs for them on Saturdays though.

Answer 7

They are observing the commandment to rest on the Sabbath. From sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, observant Jews may not perform physical labor. This limits their travel and what they can do. Just what falls under the ban has been debated and codified by rabbis over the centuries. Each time some labor-saving device is invented, they have to decide if it applies. Gas and electrical appliances do.

Answer 8

it's due to their sabbath -- they do not drive cars but walk places they need to go - that is why you will see large groups living near their temples. it's two fold really.... 1) becuase it's work and you are not supposed to work and yes turning on a light switch is working. 2) they generally will not dine out or do anything which causes someone else to work either. more often then not the radios, TV's and such are left off so no one is made to work on their behalf.
in regards to the meal - the women prepare it in advance and dishes are done after.
oh they generally turn the lights on themselves and leave them on until the next day.

Answer 9

Because to someone of the orthodox jewish faith, any work on the sabbath is forbidden - work is construed strictly, and includes cooking, turning lights on and off, walking, etc. I also understand that there are allowed exceptions - eg in areas specially designated by special telegraph poles and wires - there is one in north london - forgive me but I have forgotten the name!

Answer 10

Only Orthodox Jews do this. It is the Saturday Sabbath and any such activity is considered work. So they get someone else, a gentile, to do it, even turn on the radio.

Answer 11

saturday is the sabbath sanctified by god and no one is made to work on that day so the jewish people are trying to create as little if no normal work as defined by the bible for anyone (electric company included)