While much excitement surrounds the launch of Jerusalem’s new express train service to Tel Aviv, which for now is limited to Ben-Gurion Airport, HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau, a prominent rov in the Gerrer community, questions if one may travel on the new line due to the chilul Shabbos.
In the rav’s letter, which was published in Hamodia, Rav Landau writes that unfortunately, there was a great deal of Chilul Shabbos befarhesya surrounding the construction and this compels Gedolei Yisrael to rule on the matter, which he adds will undoubtedly have ramifications vis-à-vis the light rail line in Tel Aviv (Bnei Brak) which is currently under construction.
חוות דעת הלכתית, כי היות שהקו החדש של הרכבת מירושלים התחיל לפעול בימים אלה, והיות שפורסם בעבר שחלק מעבודות התשתית לרכבת זו נעשו, לדאבוננו, בשבת, בזדון ובפרהסיה על ידי יהודים ושאינם יהודים
ראוי הדבר, שפוסקי הלכות ידונו ויחוו דעתם, האם מותר, מתאים וראוי, ששומרי שבת יסעו ברכבת זו ויהנו ממעשה שבת
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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11 Responses
It would be a very bad idea not to allow the people to use a train. The Rebbes need to find a way to allow it. This is a very big convenience and should not be taken away. Imagine not using the D train to go from Boro Park to Manhattan..
What kind of nonsense is this? If he wants the rabbbonim to make a gezera, for public policy reasons, that’s fine. They can do so, and those who accept their authority will obey it, while the rest of us will be free to ignore it.
But to suggest that they PASKEN that riding the train is forbidden as a matter of halacha, and therefore that (in their opinion) this is binding on all Jews?! How can he suggest that? It’s ziyuf hatorah. It’s black letter law that if someone breaks shabbos, whether beshogeig or bemeizid, others are allowed to benefit from it immediately after shabbos. No rov has the right to pasken otherwise. Someone who paskens otherwise is not a rov, and is committing a sin worse than chilul shabbos.
Again, a rov can say “al pi din riding the train is permitted, but I think it’s a bad idea, so under my prerogative as a rav umanhig beyisroel I hereby forbid it to those who accept my authority.” Gezeros and takonos are part of the system of halacha. But the issur is not under the rubric of hilchos shabbos but under that of hilchos kevod rabbo.
milhouse & Co
religiouse freedom rabbi laundau has just like you. he may pasken according to S’U. Those who dont want to listen, have the religious freedom not to listen. so whats your problem. Of course by the riboni shel oilom you have no religious freedom. RABBI LAUNDAU has freedom of speech too..why you want to take it away from him?
by the way …did you learn thru hilchos shabbos that you know and came to conclusion if allowed or not..start by learning hilchos shabbps 318…there is the topic of when a yid makes malacha for another yid in shabbos(the topic there is cooking ). . Also in hilchos shabbos approx 244 .TOPIC, when a house built on shabbos. Also remember whan the malacha was done publicly the chillil hashem is much more severe and knus (penalty) is also
Milhouse & Co
by the way …did you learn thru hilchos shabbos that you know and came to conclusion if allowed or not..start by learning hilchos shabbps 318…there is the topic of when a yid makes malacha for another yid in shabbos(the topic there is cooking ). . Also in hilchos shabbos approx 244 .TOPIC, when a house built on shabbos. Also remember whan the malacha was done publicly the chillil hashem is much more severe and knus (penalty) is also
yid18
if you think its bad idea ignore and join all others who think like you
Milhouse, this is not a “new gezeira.” A Jew who does work is muttar miyad because we’re not worried they’ll do it again. So the rabbonim have said that a Jew who there is a worry that he will do it again, the gezeira applies, to at least k’dai she’ya’su. In other words, they have a din of a goy for these halachos.
Rav Ovadia (and the other gedloim) about 30 years ago assured a siddur that was printed on Shabbos by Jews for the very same reason.
It’s very very hard not to benefit from work done on Shabbos by Jews who have the din of a Goy (for these holochos) in this country.
It pains me to even have to comment on this Who am I to even question Harav Landau. If my rov would say not to use this train I certainly would listen. The problem is this if even one respected rov will permit this then the entire shulchan orach becomes a joke book Ch”v. There are many teens and young adults who already laugh at our rabbonim whether its technology, Eruv, music, and a host of other issues. and I’m talking about those who consider themselves “frum” Of course, the rabonim can make takonos and speak out but many of our youngsters say when the rabonim get their act together we’ll perhaps listen until then we will do what we want.
I gather that the Rabbonim will ban eating food in Eretz Yisrael because there was chillul Shabbos in producing the milk, chocolate bar, kichel, rugalah, etc. whatever is is you’re eating
I’m not sure if my comment makes sense upon seeing what I wrote, next time I need to think before I hit submit
Big A,
You don’t have to apologize,you make a lot of sense and might i add much more sense than this Rabbi