From the Virtual Desk of the OU VEBBE REBBE Question: What’s the rule on having someone work for you on Shabbat? We have someone come in to help us out only on Shabbat, and we lay money on the side for her to take when she is done. We want to hire someone to come just to serve a Shabbat or Yom Tov meal. Is this permitted? Answer: There are rules as to how to make use of non-Jewish help on Shabbat while avoiding halachic prohibitions. If you have a specific question in that regard, we will be glad to help you. There are several recent works that deal with modern applications of the issues (including some in English). Your question deals more with the matter of payment. The problem of payment for work on Shabbat is in regard to a Jew being paid for his work. The main way around that problem is to avoid earmarking payment for the Shabbat work but to lump it together with work done during the week (even if the majority of work is done on Shabbat) (see Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 306:4). However, whatever a non-Jew can do on a Jew’s behalf for free on Shabbat, he may be paid for. [Ed. note: Reread the last sentence. Crucial to the topic (but not discussed in this answer). Exactly what a non-Jew can and cannot for a Jew is a complex issue. There are many misconceptions in this regard. People think that if you don't ask the non-Jew to do the task, then there is no problem. Many times, there are problems. People misunderstand the issue of hinting. And more. This answer only relates to the question of payment. And, of course, there is also the issue of a Jew doing (permitted) work on Shabbat for pay. Complex.] You raise the question of whether the actual payment can be made on Shabbat, and this is an issue even if the work was done during the week. The Mishna Berura (325:19) forbids calling the non-Jew on Shabbat to receive his payment, and the Shmirat Shabbat K’hilchatah (30:29) extends this to pointing out to him where the money is. The reason for the prohibition is that dealing in this way is included in the rabbinic prohibition of mekach u’memkar (commerce). For this reason, any discussion of payment should be done before or after Shabbat (otherwise, it becomes quite complicated - see Shulchan Aruch, OC 323). However, it is permitted to be involved during the week in negotiations and monetary discussions even regarding work which the non-Jew will do on Shabbat in a permitted way. Therefore, if the money is put aside before Shabbat, and the worker knows to take the money on her own without further discussion (and she certainly does it for her own benefit), then there is no problem Regarding a worker to help serve a Shabbat or Yom Tov meal, it is permitted (see Mishna Berura 512:8). Ask the Rabbi Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the weekly parsha sheet published by Eretz Hemdah. You can read this section or the entire Hemdat Yamim at
www.ou.org or www.eretzhemdah.org. If you would like to receive Hemdat Yamim by email, on a weekly basis, please send an email to
lists@eretzhemdah.org with the message: Join Hemdatya - Please leave the subject blank. One must sweeten anger with compassion. Utterly righteous people who have never tasted sin are also worthy of mercy - lest they grow proud of their righteousness and become arrogant, which is the severest of sins. Every positive command in the Torah can be summed up thus: Act wisely. And every negative command in the Torah can be summed up thus: Don't be a fool. REASON HaShem's blessing devolves only on something concrete. We find (Melachim Bet 4:2) Elisha telling his disciple's wife: "Tell me what you have at home", whereupon she answered, "your maidservant has nothing at all other than a measure of oil". Elisha told her to borrow as many vessels as she could and smear some oil in each. Then they miraculously filled with oil. G-d first created "something from nothing". From that time of B'reishit, He only creates something from something. REASON If a poor person arrives at his door requesting something to eat, it would be possible to assist him. REASON To remember to thank HaShem for having eaten, having been satisfied, AND having left over. (see also Melachim Bet 4:43) WORDS OF WISDOM WORDS OF WIT by Shmuel Himmelstein A great talmid chacham was sitting with his talmidim when he suddenly asked them, "Do you believe in HaShem?" For a second, they were all taken aback, but then a powerful chorus of "Yes" echoed around the table... We may find an answer by reviewing Avraham and Sarah’s respective reactions to the news of Yitzchak’s approaching birth. Sarah laughs inwardly and is consequently rebuked for her skepticism. In contrast, Avraham falls on his face and laughs with joy. According to the commentaries, Avraham’s celebration is the inspiration for Yitzchak’s name. Yitzchak’s birth. She no longer thinks of herself, but exclaims, “Hashem has made laughter for me; whoever hears will laugh for me”. Citing the Midrash, Rashi notes that many were grateful on account of Sarah: ‘Many barren women were remembered together with her, many sick were healed that day, many prayers were answered with hers, and there was great rejoicing in the world.’ This midrash effectively expresses the way in which we Jews should laugh. It indicates the positive, universal power of prayer and the explosive potential that can be released when we identify joyfully with the blessings of another. No wonder that Hashem commanded the father of our people to call his son Yitzchak. Sincerely yours, Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center [The Vayeira Homepage]
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