• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

For Jews Only: Shabbat and Online Activity

Debater Slayer

Vipassana
Staff member
Premium Member
As a Jew, are there any restrictions or rules that you observe regarding your online activity on Shabbat? If so, what are they?

Thanks in advance!
 

rosends

Well-Known Member
As a Jew, are there any restrictions or rules that you observe regarding your online activity on Shabbat? If so, what are they?

Thanks in advance!
I turn my phone off about 30 minutes before the sabbath and holidays. I turn my computer off as well. No activity online.
 

Rachel Rugelach

Shalom, y'all.
Staff member
Premium Member
As a Jew, are there any restrictions or rules that you observe regarding your online activity on Shabbat? If so, what are they?

Thanks in advance!

I try to keep my online activity to a minimum on Shabbat, although in both Conservative and Orthodox Judaism we should really stay off our computers and cell phones. My rabbi is strict about this, but a lot of members in our congregation are like me and not so strict.

We Conservative Jews also drive our cars to services if we live a distance from the synagogue that is too far too walk. Our rabbi, however, refuses to get in a car on Shabbat. Fortunately he lives only a street away from the synagogue so he can walk.

Our rabbi also leads services during weekday mornings at a nearby Orthodox synagogue, but it's okay for both Orthodox and Conservative Jews to drive to synagogue on days other than Shabbat.
 

Shaul

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
I do not post on Sabbath.

The proscriptions for Sabbath(Shabbot) are a combination of active and prohibition. That is we are to observe(honor) the Sabbath by doing those things, such as Torah study, that honor it. Which is active. We are also supposed to not do certain prohibited things. The most conspicuous being doing no work. The concept of what is and is not work is well developed in Jewish law, halacha. It is basically doing actions that change the physical world. A follow on to this would be using electronic devices which modify the world by using "sparks" or energy, such as computers. So there is one reason to not post on Sabbath. But even if there were not prohibitive action against it, it would still not be a positive honoring or observing of the Sabbath. Posting online is not the most spiritually uplifting thing possible. So posting online during Sabbath should not be done.

Shabbot is figuratively seen as a visit by royalty. When royalty comes we put aside normal earthly activities and delight in their presence. Making a righteous royal wait while you are posting on online would be insulting.
 

Debater Slayer

Vipassana
Staff member
Premium Member
I turn my phone off about 30 minutes before the sabbath and holidays. I turn my computer off as well. No activity online.

I try to keep my online activity to a minimum on Shabbat, although in both Conservative and Orthodox Judaism we should really stay off our computers and cell phones. My rabbi is strict about this, but a lot of members in our congregation are like me and not so strict.

We Conservative Jews also drive our cars to services if we live a distance from the synagogue that is too far too walk. Our rabbi, however, refuses to get in a car on Shabbat. Fortunately he lives only a street away from the synagogue so he can walk.

Our rabbi also leads services during weekday mornings at a nearby Orthodox synagogue, but it's okay for both Orthodox and Conservative Jews to drive to synagogue on days other than Shabbat.

Thank you! These answers are really helpful.
 

Debater Slayer

Vipassana
Staff member
Premium Member
I do not post on Sabbath.

The proscriptions for Sabbath(Shabbot) are a combination of active and prohibition. That is we are to observe(honor) the Sabbath by doing those things, such as Torah study, that honor it. Which is active. We are also supposed to not do certain prohibited things. The most conspicuous being doing no work. The concept of what is and is not work is well developed in Jewish law, halacha. It is basically doing actions that change the physical world. A follow on to this would be using electronic devices which modify the world by using "sparks" or energy, such as computers. So there is one reason to not post on Sabbath. But even if there were not prohibitive action against it, it would still not be a positive honoring or observing of the Sabbath. Posting online is not the most spiritually uplifting thing possible. So posting online during Sabbath should not be done.

Shabbot is figuratively seen as a visit by royalty. When royalty comes we put aside normal earthly activities and delight in their presence. Making a righteous royal wait while you are posting on online would be insulting.

Thanks for the detailed answer!
 

Rachel Rugelach

Shalom, y'all.
Staff member
Premium Member
This is one of my favorite videos from "Jew in the City" -- the YouTube channel of Allison Josephs, who was raised in a Conservative Jewish home and later became Orthodox. I think it aptly describes the advantages of putting down our electronic devices during Shabbat so that we can learn to appreciate "The Sound of Shabbat."

 
Last edited:

Harel13

Am Yisrael Chai
Staff member
Premium Member
As a Jew, are there any restrictions or rules that you observe regarding your online activity on Shabbat? If so, what are they?

Thanks in advance!
I turn off my phone and computer a few minutes before candle-lighting, which in turn is a number of minutes before Shabbat and/or holidays. And then no online activities until the end.
 

Debater Slayer

Vipassana
Staff member
Premium Member
I turn off my phone and computer a few minutes before candle-lighting, which in turn is a number of minutes before Shabbat and/or holidays. And then no online activities until the end.

Thanks for the answer!

(You'll get a staff pay cut for this, though.)
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
As a Jew, are there any restrictions or rules that you observe regarding your online activity on Shabbat? If so, what are they?

Thanks in advance!
You will get different answers depending on the observance level of each individual Jew.

I personally try to limit online activity on shabbat. However, I have a problem with falling asleep during the day and not always being aware what day it is when I awaken. Thus there are occasions I've posted in this forum on shabbat by mistake.
 

Debater Slayer

Vipassana
Staff member
Premium Member
You will get different answers depending on the observance level of each individual Jew.

I personally try to limit online activity on shabbat. However, I have a problem with falling asleep during the day and not always being aware what day it is when I awaken. Thus there are occasions I've posted in this forum on shabbat by mistake.

Thanks for the answer!
 
Top