Sabbath mode

Background

Halakha forbids Jews from doing "work that creates" on Shabbat. Some observant Jews interpret this to include various activities including making a fire, preparing food, or even closing a switch or pressing an electronic button. A range of solutions has been created for those who need to use electronic (or electronic-controlled) devices on the Shabbat, including a special "Sabbath mode" for otherwise standard appliances.

Appliances

Oven

While according to Halakha, raw food may not be cooked on the Shabbat, food that was already cooked beforehand may be kept warm until mealtime. In the past, the Sabbath-observant would leave their food heating on the stove where it had been covered with a blech (metal sheet), or in the oven in which it had been cooked before the onset of Sabbath. Contemporary consumers seek to use their kitchen's oven to keep food hot for Sabbath consumption but must be assured that in opening the door to retrieve food, no Sabbath laws will be inadvertently contravened. An example of this would be ovens which are programmed to remove power from their heating element when the door is opened – use of this oven would not be possible on the Sabbath without making modifications.{{cite magazine |magazine=Torah Times

On weekday holidays (Yom Tov), food may be cooked, but turning the heat on is prohibited.{{cite web

For an appliance to be compliant with religious requirements when Shabbat mode is operating, the standard six- or twelve-hour automatic shutoff should be overridden, and all lights and displays (for example, a light that might go on when the door is opened) should be disabled.{{cite web

In more recently designed ovens, Shabbat mode will often feature the ability to adjust the temperature of the oven without any feedback to the operator of the oven.{{cite web

With some Shabbat mode ovens that are controlled using a keypad to set the temperature, there is a random delay triggered after a button is pressed before the temperature change takes place.

In June 2008, nine Haredi poskim signed a public pronouncement (Kol Kore) stating that it was forbidden to raise or lower the temperature by reprogramming on Yom Tov using the Star-K Kosher Certification approved Shabbat Mode feature.{{cite web

Refrigerator

A Shabbat mode refrigerator includes, at a minimum, the ability to disable all lights or other electrical activity from occurring when the refrigerator door is opened. Some Shabbat mode refrigerators include a timer for the compressor so that opening the door, which would normally indirectly cause the compressor to turn on as soon as the temperature rises, will have no immediate effect on the electrical operation of the appliance.

Lamp

Main article: Shabbat lamp

A Shabbat lamp is a special lamp that has movable parts to expose or block out its light so it can be turned "on" or "off" while its power physically remains on.

References

References

1. [http://manuals.frigidaire.com/prodinfo_pdf/Lassomption/318205313en.pdf "Setting the sabbath feature"] {{Webarchive. link. (2016-03-03 , p22, Example from an electric wall oven manual)
2. (11 Feb 2007). "Keeping Appliances Kosher".
3. [http://www.bosch-home.com/us/products/refrigerators/built-in-refrigerators/B30BB830SS.html?source=browse Sabbath mode], Example of a refrigerator
4. (1 September 2008). "Entrepreneurs Find Ways to Make Technology Work With Jewish Sabbath". The New York Times.
5. (12 December 2007). "How to be religious - and enjoy a Shabbat espresso". Haaretz.
6. (21 April 2007). "Military mouse keeps Shabbat". Ynetnews.
7. (2018-04-09). "Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 253".
8. (2018-04-09). "Using an approved 'Sabbath Mode' on Shabbos".
9. [http://www.vikingrange.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m5380033_F20905.pdf "Holiday Mode for Sabbath Observance"], Wine cellar