Israel Railways officials’ have been insisting the Chilul Shabbos over recent weeks Is a matter of Chilul Shabbos, leading to coalition friction between chareidi parties, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz. The chareidim insist this is nothing to do with pikuach nefesh, demanding a halt to the chilul Shabbos.
On Monday morning 25 Menachem Av, Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) revealed the ‘Pikuach Nefesh’ behind the chilul Shabbos, a letter sent by the director of Israel Railways Boaz Tzafrir to Director-General of the Transportation Ministry Keren Turner in which is states clearly the work is being done on Shabbos to save money, nothing more. The letter explains if the work was carried out during the week as the chareidim are demanding, Israel Railways would lose close to NIS 10 million, preferring to save the money at the expense of Shabbos. It must be added that Israel Police warns if the work is carried out during the week, it could result in a “real life-threatening danger”.
In the letter, railway officials explain that carrying out the work on weekdays would result in cutting service from 22:00 until 06:00 and this would impact 10,000 commuters during the night, adding that in situations in which additional time is required, this would then impact morning rush hour.
During the night, the railway transports 60% of its freight because of available tracks. Tzafrir expressed concern over the fright division which employees hundreds of people – once again pointing to monetary concerns, not pikuach nefesh.
Tzafrir adds in the letter that if the work cannot be carried out on Shabbos it will delay moving over to electric cars on the Tel Aviv – Jerusalem line scheduled within two years or demand the closure of the line serving Tel Aviv south for four consecutive months.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
Whoever is writing these articles needs to proofread!!!!!!
Let’s be real. This construction requires shutting down the busiest road in the country. It’s a massive highway.
The cost to moving this to weeknights includes both staffing costs, as well as delays.
We believe in shabbos. We treasure shabbos. I wonder of we, those who know and appreciate the value of shabbos, would be willing to do pidyon shvuyim for shabbos. If we came with a check to cover all of these losses, what an amazing kiddush hashem that would be.
If you hold that the existence of the medinah is a matter of pikuach nefesh. And you hold that any activity that furthers the existence of the medinah is also a matter of pikuach nefesh. Then you could hold that any activity that in any ways improves the medinah is allowed on Shabbos. If you hold this way, you are a “modern orthodox”. If you actually believe it to be true, well then have I got this great bridge you …