The Shabbat Elevator Debacle Continues

Never missing an opportunity to take a religious issue and paint it in the most ugly shades of hate possible, Haaretz provides the following daily cartoon:

The Haaretz English edition is more reserved (Could it be that its more reserved so as not to appear antisemitic in front of the whole planet? There are notable anti-religious exceptions like Bradley Burston, the translated articles from Gideon Levy, etc.)

Their English edition story about the Shabbat Elevator ruling brings reactions from residents at an Ultra Orthodox nursing home, and is far more newsworthy.

Tovei Ha'Ir residents have been using elevators on the Sabbath for years - this is the only way they can get from their rooms on the upper floors to the dining hall and synagogue.

One of the retirees, a Haredi man, barely concealed his sarcasm when he responded, "What changed suddenly? What was kosher until now is suddenly treyf?"

Another woman was releaved to hear the edict was issued by Rabbi Yosef Sholom Elyashiv, the head of the Lithuanian Haredi community.

"Lucky for me that he isn't my rabbi," she said. "I only follow the Gerrer rebbe," she said.

Residents were unanimous in their opposition.

This is an edict that will not work," one said. "If we all adhere to it, not only will we not leave our rooms on Shabbat, but life in places like Manhattan will come to a standstill."

Meanwhile, the Hareidim website brings an even more ridiculous angle. Citing an unnamed source, "close to R' Shalom Elyashiv" -- "the cartoon that was published in a secular newspaper shows the depth of their frustration that there are Jews willing to climb up the stairs for 12 floors, so as not to transgress the Shabbat."

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Tzomet Blasts Anti Shabbat Elevator Ruling

R' Yisrael Rozen, head of the Tzomet Institute [post about Tzomet] slams the halachik (Jewish law) ruling forbidding Shabbat Elevators.

"In one shot, the announcement turns the Shabbat of sick and elderly from pleasure to distress. Every Rabbi signed on the ruling received from me numerous requests to meet with me [to discuss the Shabbat Elevator issue], but I received no answers."

Interviewed on the Chareidim website, R' Rosen stated he is obligated to listen to the Rabbis, but only after they meet with him and here my reasons in favor of a Shabbat elevator. If afterwards, they will issue a halachik ruling, I will follow it. He added, "Meanwhile, the Rabbis have never heard this side of the issue [in favor of Shabbat elevators]. I have proof that great Charedi/Ultra Orthodox Rabbis use Shabbat elevators in hotels on Shabbat.

According to R' Rosen, he and the Tzomet Institue rely on the rabbinic rulings of R' Shlomo Zalman Aurbach and his students such as R' Yehoshua Neubert, the author of Shmirat Shabbat k'Hilchata.

"It is inconceivable that one announcement changes Shabbat from a day of pleasure to a difficult day despair."

TheYeshivaWorld follows up with the following quoting from an interview on Radio Kol Chai:

In addition, Rabbi Rosen questions those in the “court of the rabbonim”, explaining gedolim are obviously called upon to affix their signatures by rabbis who have access to them deciding to bring this specific issue to their attention. He asked how such a decision can be reached, quoting experts in the field, when Zomet, which is one of two institutes in the field working to find technological advances that can be incorporated into permitted shabbos use, was not contacted by any of the rabbonim who brought this to the attention of gedolei yisrael shlita. He stated, “I am not a ‘bal plugta’ with any of the gedolim” but question how such a ruling can be issued without even conferring with rabbinical experts such as those at Zomet.

Rabbi Rosen added that it is difficult for him to comment since the p’sak circulating in chareidi circles is not detailed.

Rabbi Rosen told Kol Chai Radio that he feels the gedolim at times are led by those who have access to them, pushing certain issues before them and in this case, opting to ignore the experts who address the issues for the past years, relying on torah giants such as Reb Shlomo Zalman.

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R' Elyashiv: Shabbat Elevators Forbidden

Yated Nee'man Newspaper: In a landmark Halachik (Jewish Law) ruling, 4 of the foremost rabbis in Israel, R' Shalom Elyashiv, R' Chayim Kanievsky, R' Nissim Karlitz and R' Shmuel Vosner have forbidden the use of "Shabbat Elevators" (elevators which automatically go up and down on shabbat, stopping at every other floor; who would have thought that Wikipedia would have an entry on it!?).

They say outright that one may not rely on any certification from any organization, and that its an outright desecration of the Shabbat to ride in a Shabbat elevator (up or down).

I'm curious who is behind this -- its not like these Rabbis woke up one morning and said, "hey, lets make everyone's life incredibly difficult." Though it could be someone else did...
Shabbat Elevators are prevalent everywhere throughout the world -- in Baltimore, there was even a landmark shabbat elevator case this past summer.

"After a lengthy legal battle that involved allegations of First Amendment violations, the board of Strathmore Tower voted to install a Shabbat elevator in the 56-unit, nine-story condominium on Park Heights Avenue on Tuesday, Aug. 18.

At the request of some Strathmore Tower residents, the state of Maryland Commission on Human Relations looked into the matter. In 2008 it issued a report in which it found “probable cause” that discrimination by the condo board had occurred against the condo’s Orthodox residents. The finding raised the possibility of legal action against the condo board at the time of the investigation.

Prof. Kenneth Lasson of the University of Baltimore School of Law has been representing the complaining residents to the commission on a pro bono basis. Mr. Lasson said he spoke to commission members following the board’s most recent vote and “they are very pleased to hear this finally went through.”

The commission will be monitoring the situation to ensure that the Shabbat elevator is in fact installed, Mr. Lasson added.

“The commission also wants to see that Strathmore Tower’s bylaws are amended to reflect that accommodations for religious preferences will be made and there will be no discrimination of the basis of religion,” he said. Baltimore Jewish Times

Crazy legal issues like this are non-existent in Israel. Now we just need to either see if elevators are really forbidden, or build a better one, which isn't.



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