Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy

Flygerian wrote:

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Who does it cause to work?
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How is driving a car lighting a fire? Where is the fire? Lighting candles is lighting a fire. Turning on a light? No. Driving a car? Where is the fire?

This interpretation has some merit.

Question: Why did Ancient Israelites light fires in their homes?

Answer:To see and cook

Hence the prohibition could be interpreted to also cover cutting on your lights or the stove, it's a commonsense modern-day application of Torah principles.

shalom

Flygerian wrote:

Spark does not equal starting a fire
So what you're saying is that if people were not at these plants we couldnt use these utilities? Because I never heard of people working there 24 hours just so we can use these things and that if they werent there for 24 hours that we couldnt use them the way we do

I do not believe a spark equates to lighting a fire either, but my belief does not make me right and them wrong.

I am under the impression for safety, maintenance and emergencies a person must work at a utility company if it is running. The company could run without someone there, but in the incidence of an emergency or a break down I believe a worker is required to be there. I have no proof of this, just what I have read somewhere and what I believe.

Frank wrote:

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This interpretation has some merit.
Question: Why did Ancient Israelites light fires in their homes?
Answer:To see and cook
Hence the prohibition could be interpreted to also cover cutting on your lights or the stove, it's a commonsense modern-day application of Torah principles.
shalom

Well now we do not have to light a fire to see. Turning a light on is not the equivalent to lighting a fire. That isnt common sense thats you adding onto whats commanded. Unless the light is a fire (not an electrical impulse) then how can one say they are lighting a fire. Now as for cooking, since some stoves actually use fire, then that is definitely lighting a fire. But as for an electrical stove, that would not be lighting a fire. Now the question of cooking, I believe that would be work. Since Israel had to prepare their food the day before and not on the sabbath.

Seriously__ wrote:

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I do not believe a spark equates to lighting a fire either, but my belief does not make me right and them wrong.
I am under the impression for safety, maintenance and emergencies a person must work at a utility company if it is running. The company could run without someone there, but in the incidence of an emergency or a break down I believe a worker is required to be there. I have no proof of this, just what I have read somewhere and what I believe.

Yea I havent heard of that which is why I was asking. I think thats going far to observing the sabbath though. I dont think the sabbath is for us to strain. Its just a day of rest.

Frank wrote:

Many modern observant "jews" use auto-timers to cut the lights on and off and so forth in order to get around some of these prohibitions. As for non-Hebrews, they are not obligated to observe Sabbath hence "causing them to work" doesn't matter, which is why ancient Israeli's would sometimes hire gentiles to do their work for them back in the day.
shalom

Well they werent supposed to do that. Because they were not to cause their servants to work on the sabbath along with themselves.

Flygerian wrote:

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Well now we do not have to light a fire to see. Turning a light on is not the equivalent to lighting a fire. That isnt common sense thats you adding onto whats commanded. Unless the light is a fire (not an electrical impulse) then how can one say they are lighting a fire. Now as for cooking, since some stoves actually use fire, then that is definitely lighting a fire. But as for an electrical stove, that would not be lighting a fire. Now the question of cooking, I believe that would be work. Since Israel had to prepare their food the day before and not on the sabbath.

Well, the "rabbis" of certain sects within judaism equate the lighting of certain types of bulbs with lighting a fire, it's something that has been discussed and debated endlessly and has resulted in numerous opinions.

Just as some hold that it's permissible to use auto-timers to cut stuff on and off and others don't or believe it's un-neccesary altogether, and then the rules pertaining to the use of a "Shabbos Goy" have also differed as well, lol.