nogods4me

We have had a recent dust up in the Baltimore area after a condo's Board of Directors voted against converting one of the condo elevators to a "Sabbath Elevator". Many of the Jewish residents are claiming discrimination.

Apparently , observant Jews are not allowed to even press elevator buttons on the sabbath, so "sabbath elevators" are those that are set to stop and open the doors on every floor, every time, during sabbath.

Man, what weird things people do in the name of religion.

I know I would hate to rise the elevator in a tall building if it were sabbath equipped, sheesh.

WWJD4aKlondikeBar

Why can't these horribly oppressed Jewish people just hire a hell-bound xtian to push the buttons for them? At their own expense, of course.

steamer

If they can't push an elevator button, then how will they use the doorknobs on their apartments or use the keys to get in?

nogods4me

I think it is the electric switch in the elevator button that is the problem.

But you have to push a button to call the elevator, so does this thing just run constantly, stopping and opening the doors on every floor, for the entire sabbath? That is nuts.

Mageth

They aren't allowed to make a spark to start a fire on the Sabbath, and some dumbass in the past equated electricity with "fire".

steamer

That's funny. I guess my assumption that they couldn't use mechanical mechanisms would just be viewed by them as just plain whacko. This on the other hand makes total sense.:Cheeky:

James Brown

Oh it gets better. Turning on a battery-operated device on Sabbath is lighting a fire. Driving a car is lighting a fire. If a battery-operated flashlight is turned on and remains burning through Sabbath, then you're okay, but moving the lit flashlight on the Sabbath is forbidden, because that's working. If a fire is burning, and a metal rod is close enough nearby to absorb radiant heat and grow warm by the time Sabbath rolls around, then that too is considered lighting a fire, which is forbidden. However, if you find a piece of metal growing warm because of a nearby fire on the Sabbath, you may not move the metal rod away, because that's extinguishing a fire, also forbidden.

Here's more for your edification: Electricity and the Sabbath

Anat

And during the Gulf War of 1991, when Israelis were anxious for news about missile attacks, the religious folks determined it was OK to have the radio on at low volume during the Shabbat, and in case the alarms went off it was permissible to use a stick to turn the volume higher. (IIRC someone also suggested training pets to do so, despite the fact that some religious authorities object to unnecessary contact with pets of Shabbat.) Just imagine all that creative energy directed to a really worthwhile purpose...

Splarnst

Religious stupidity never ceases to amaze me.

Clete

So they can't push the button but using a fucking elevator is okay!? Talk about obeying the letter of the law but not the intent.