Shabbat Archives | Rosh Yeshiva Responds

21 06, 2026

Uber or Bicycle on Shabbat: Visiting Baby and Wife in the NICU

June 21st, 2026|Amirah LeGoy, Choleh, Eiruv, Orach Chayim, Prohibitions, Shabbat, Uvda D'Chol|

QUESTION

A family has a premature baby in the NICU. Barukh Hashem (thank God), the baby is doing okay, but he needs to remain there until he gets bigger and stronger.

The parents have two other very young children at home, and they want to be with their children while also being present for their baby in the hospital. The mother is planning to go back and forth over Shavuot and Shabbat using pre-ordered Ubers. The father can either bike or take an Uber.

Is there a preference between biking and taking an Uber?

ANSWER

1 03, 2026

Contacting non Shabbat-observant people in a different time zone when it’s Shabbat for them, but not for you

March 1st, 2026|Family, Kibbud Av Ve'Eim, Orach Chayim, Prohibitions, Shabbat, Technology|

QUESTION

Is it permissible to have a phone call with someone non-observant in a time zone where it is currently Shabbat for them? I am assuming there is no particular need beyond the relationship. Does it make a difference if it is
a) a close relative/parent
b) if they call you rather than you calling them
c) if there is a need, but not a life-threatening need?

ANSWER

No, one may not have such a phone call.

There is a concept in the Gemara of מסייע בידי עוברי עבירה (mesaye’a bidei ovrei aveirah – assisting transgressors) which is distinct from the issur of לפני עוור (lifnei iver

8 02, 2026

Charging Hearing Aids on Shabbat

February 8th, 2026|Choleh, Orach Chayim, Prohibitions, Shabbat, Technology, Technology, Uvda D'Chol|

QUESTION

1 02, 2026

Managing Motion-sensor Lights in Hallways/stairwells on Shabbat

February 1st, 2026|Orach Chayim, Prohibitions, Shabbat, Shulchan Arukh, Technology, Uvda D'Chol|

QUESTION

New York, NY

A young man told me that his building recently installed motion-sensor lights in the stairwell and hallways, and that it is impossible to avoid triggering them. He will verify, but we are fairly certain that they are LED lights. What should we advise in this situation, especially given that this is becoming increasingly common?

ANSWER

Yes, this is going to become a widespread issue, especially as NYC has already enacted a law requiring buildings to install energy-saving motion sensors in

25 01, 2026

Kiddush: Wine or Grape Juice When Alcohol Is Not an Option or Not Preferred

January 25th, 2026|Kiddush, Seudah, Havdalah, Orach Chayim, Shabbat, Shulchan Arukh|

QUESTION

Washington, DC

R’ Melamed (Peninei Halacha Shabbat 1:6:3, Shabbat 1:6:6) writes that kiddush ideally should be made with wine and that it is a mitzvah to share from the same cup with one’s wife. How should one balance those two values/mitzvot if one’s wife either doesn’t care for wine or doesn’t drink wine? Specifically, this arises when one’s wife is pregnant and not drinking alcohol.

ANSWER

Personally, I am makpid to use wine, particularly on Friday night. There is a real question, if we are talking objectively and setting aside

Starting Seder Earlier

28 03, 2025

Starting Seder Earlier

March 28th, 2025|Kiddush, Seudah, Havdalah, Marriage and Family, Orach Chayim, Pesach, Uncategorized|

QUESTION

What is the earliest time for the first cup for the start of the seder?

ANSWER
It is common during the summertime to bring in Shabbat early and to make kiddush and have our Friday night meal before it gets dark. This is based on the principle of tosefet Shabbat, extending the sanctity of Shabbat into the day before. However, when it comes to Pesach, many Rishonim rule that matzah may not be eaten before it is full nightfall (tzeit hakokhavim) because of a number of verses that state that matzah and the korban pesach (Pesach

27 02, 2025

Afternoon Purim Se’udah Going into Shabbat Dinner (Poreis Mapah Umekadeish)

February 27th, 2025|Berakhot, Kiddush, Seudah, Havdalah, Orach Chayim, Purim|

Download a printable version >

QUESTION

New York, NY

Can one have a Purim Seudah late in the day, and have it enter into the Shabbat meal? What special considerations are there if we want to do this in the shul as a community Purim/Shabbat dinner?

ANSWER

This definitely may be done. It is based on the principle poreis mapah umekadeish

25 07, 2024

Using a Vegetable Spiralizer on Shabbat

July 25th, 2024|Orach Chayim, Prohibitions, Shabbat, Technology, Uvda D'Chol|

QUESTION

Israel

May one use a spiralizer on Shabbat, assuming one is making vegetable noodles that include the vegetable’s peel (e.g. zucchini zoodles)?

ANSWER

I can’t see why this wouldn’t be permissible; it just cuts something up. I imagine the question here is whether it is uvda di’chol, but that would not be a problem, since this is something that is done in the home context. As I wrote elsewhere

Rav Moshe (Igrot Moshe OH 4:74, Tochein 4) was asked whether an egg- or cheese-cutter should be forbidden on the basis of uvda di’chol. He first points out the irony that a labor-saving device would

25 07, 2024

Davening Parts of Shabbat Mincha Before Mincha Gedola to Ensure A Minyan

July 25th, 2024|Keriat HaTorah, Minyan, Orach Chayim, Shabbat, Shacharit, Mincha and Ma'ariv, Shulchan Arukh, Tefillah|

QUESTION

St. Louis Park, Minnesota

In our shul, we currently have Mincha on Shabbat right after Kiddush. I’m trying to keep it going as long as possible because our minyanim are slim, especially if it involves coming back out in the cold to a shul that currently does not offer seudah shelishit.

Due to the time of Mincha Gedola, we have a sizable time gap between Kiddush and Mincha. We have already moved Shacharit as late as possible and I give a small shiur to fill part of the gap, but some congregants are unhappy. We currently begin Ashrei in time to reach Mincha Gedola by the Amidah.

23 06, 2024

Having a non-Jew help after a communal Shabbat meal

June 23rd, 2024|Amirah LeGoy, Orach Chayim, Prohibitions, Shabbat|

QUESTION

France

Is it okay to have a non-Jew come at the end of a communal Shabbat meal to do any of the following?

1. Unplug the hot plates
2. Turn off the lights
3. Take the trash out (in a yard that belongs to the whole building)

If the answer to any of the above is yes, which of the following is the best way to relay the message to the non-Jew?

a) Ask directly (though we don’t actually need to)
b) Make a not-so-subtle allusion to the fact

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