In a conference of European Rabbis that is taking place over the next few days in Bucharest, Hagaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef, the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel suggested that the Admor from Gur instructs his fellow Rabbonim to outlaw any travel on Israel railways due to the Chillul Shabbos being performed in constructing and fixing rail lines throughout Israel.
Rabbi Yosef spoke about the desecration of Shabbos that is taking place in Israel by Israel Railways and the Israel Electric Company. He said that it would be correct and prudent to use generators to power Shabbos accepted appliances and not rely on the electricity from the power company during Shabbos.
Rabbi Yosef admitted that according to the strict law there is nothing wrong with using Israel Railways on a weekday, however, he said that it is forbidden to publicize that he said that because then the Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz would hear about it and say “See the Chief Rabbi said it was okay.”
According to his speech, Rabbi Yosef told the Admor that the majority of the rail lines were built during the weekdays and therefore it is permissible to travel on the trains. However, he told the Admor, if they were to create a wide-ranging law that would be declared as a Hora’at Sha’ah by all of the Moetzes in the Chareidi world to outlaw travel by train, it would certainly be a cause for concern among those who make plans to have work done on Shabbos.
Rabbi Yosef said that the Chief Rabbis are willing to join such a declaration as it would cause the work being done on Shabbos to cease.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
Great idea. Another excuse for Chareidim who rely on public transportation to get to work to stay home. Will the government simply pay for uber to drive them back and forth? Who comes up with these ideas
I still don’t get it.Railways, highways,etc.get built in the U.S.and elsewhere on a 5-day work week, why does Israel continue to build on Shabbat?
“Forbidden to publicize”- except for YWN of course.
Maybe someone a little more worldly should explain to the learned Rav that you cannot say things at an open conference that you don’t want to be repeated. “Rabbi Yosef admitted that according to the strict law there is nothing wrong with using Israel Railways on a weekday, however, he said that it is forbidden to publicize that he said that ….. “. The world does not operate that way. Does the Gerrer Rebbe instruct other Rabbonim what to say? I don’t think so.
docelisheva, i doubt you are correct about the US. in anycase it is more efficient to work on infrastructure when usage is lower. hence, shabbat work is planned. to a chiloni convenience trumps halakhic laws.
gadolhadorah, as if chareidim need another excuse for not working. uber in israel is not as popular or (as) discounted as in the US. they can use Gett or does that require rabbinic control. but there must be more heimishe alternatives to drive you around. more fuel emissions allow us to thank God more for the air we breathe.
i for one think there is someone in the CR responsible for new ways to complicate lives; remember get your chumrah of the week in by erev shabbat