With the move to standard time, Shabbos candle lighting in Yerushalayim on Shabbos Parshas Toldos 5774 will be 4:14pm. The Chief Rabbinate of Israel realizes that for many, getting home in time for Shabbos is not an easy matter.

The Chief Rabbinate is reminding employers of the law, specifying retail chains and catering halls that are closed on Shabbos. It should be pointed out that kashrus aside, the law does not permit compelling one to work on Shabbos, which the law classifies as the “day of rest”, l’havdil, America’s Sunday.

Retail chains should be closing at least two hours before candle lighting time in that city. The last worker must be out of the place no less than one hour before candle lighting.

A chupah held on erev Shabbos must be over 12:00pm. The dessert must be served to guests no later than three hours before candle lighting time.

Regarding visitor centers, they must stop operating no less than 90 minutes before candle lighting time. They cannot resume working less than a half hour after Shabbos end.

YWN-ISRAEL adds that one area where this is not seen is Machane Yehuda, for the vendors are working far past the permitted hour. The insistence of many shoppers to come as late as possible to seek out bargains leads to major chilul Shabbos.

Another area that may merit mention is the fact that many many guests in Yerushalayim wait until the latest possible moment to order a taxi to the Kosel on erev Shabbos. While many taxi drivers are indeed non-Jews, there are still many Jewish cabbies and calling them too late may make one an accomplice to a taxi driver’s chilul Shabbos.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)