Jewish tradition from Fri eve to Sat afternoon and what it has to do w/elevators?

Question

Im doing my clinical rounds @ a hospital in a town populated w/a fair amount of Jewish people . So when we get there Sat morning about 730a all of the buttons are pushed on the elevators and we stop at each floor on the way up. We didnt know why each afternoon it was "fixed". So then today someone said it has to do with the Jewish religion and them not doing any work? To push the button I guess? Does anyone know or can explain this to me, Im very curious about it and miraculously many people @ the actual hospital dont even know!

Answer 1

On Shabbat we do not do any "work." It's not the English definition of work, but the Hebrew word melacha (creative work) that we aren't allowed to do. Work we are not allowed to do is defined in the Torah as the 39 categories of things that were done to build the Ark of the Covenant.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/39_categories_of_activity_prohibited_on_Shabbat

The 39 categories are on the side.

So, for example, one thing we are not allowed to do is to light a fire. Using electricity qualifies as lighting a fire because of the sparks that are required to complete the circuits and things--so we can't use electricity, which includes pushing an elevator button. A Shabbat elevator is one that stops on every floor so that Jews who have to use it don't have to push the button at all.

Peace

P.S. Shabbat lasts from 18 minutes before sundown Friday to about 40 minutes after sundown Saturday night :-)

Answer 2

Well what you visited was an elevator that's called in Hebrew a "maalit Shabbat", or Sabbath elevator. You see, Jews celebrate the Sabbath, or Shabbat (as you probably already know), which lasts from Friday evening until Saturday night during which--in case you didn't know--they can't use electricity for certain reasons which I'm not going to go over right now.

So in order that the Jews who want to go to different stories of the building would be able to use the elevator, it moves automatically from floor to floor so that they can use it without actually activating it. Get it?

Answer 3

There are three categories of Jews. On of them are devout or Hasidic Jews. They observe the Sabbath, Friday PM to Saturday PM, by not working. They see operating an elevator as working so the elevator will open at every floor during the sabbath to allow them to use the elevator and not operate it. During Sabbath, they also do not cook or turn the electricity on or off. Many use timers for their electrical appliances.

Answer 4

SHOMER SHABATZ, SHOMER SHABATZ

Three thousands years of beautiful tradition from Moses to Sandy Koufax. You're right, I'm living in the past

Saturday, Donny, is Shabbos, the Jewish day of rest. That means that I don't work, I don't get in a car, I don't ******* ride in a car, I don't pick up the phone, I don't turn on the oven, and I sure as **** dont operate an elevator

Answer 5

They are not allowed to operate equipment on the holy days like the sabbath, like turning on a light switch. This is technically considered work which is forbidden. It is OK if someone else pushes the button for them and they just go along.

Answer 6

VERY Orthodox Jews do actually consider pushing buttons on microwaves, light switches, TVs and yes - elevators as work.

As explained to me, it goes back to the work that would have to be done if we didn't have these inventions. the Rabbis in history have said is It is work to cook, to light lanterns, to entertain and to walk more than a certain distance (including up stairs). therefore, the Very Orthodox consider anything that enables them to do these things to be work

Answer 7

some folk take "no work on the sabbath" to include no operating machinery ... but it it runs automatically, they have no problem with it

silly actually