04-30-2019, 05:13 AM
(04-29-2019, 11:52 PM)RabbiO Wrote: I don't think you yet appreciate that Judaism does not always speak with one voice.
That's true. It's important to mention that Orthodoxy holds that electronics are off-limits on Shabbat, but other branches of Judaism have more flexible opinions regarding such things. It comes down to how one interprets the idea of electricity. Is it similar to fire, as the Orthodox understand it?
Electricity itself is not forbidden, per se, but its similarity to fire (which is forbidden) is brought forth in Orthodox responsa, and the idea of connecting family and bringing them together without distraction is a principle of Shabbat keeping in Orthodoxy. That is, people who play with their phones are distracted. As we see all the time, it's impossible to talk to a teenager who has his eyes glued to his phone. The television is the same. It is a huge distraction.
I think the principle of turning off electronics is an excellent thing to observe in a family setting. Shabbat aims to bring the family together. We have a dinner as a family. We don't use distracting devices. There are lots of great things about this principle, IMHO.
I live alone with roommates. I don't have family with me in Israel, and I end up not keeping Shabbat myself. If I had family around me, I would be far more inclined to observe Shabbat (for the sake of nachat).