[Jesse-N30785]

The Torah states (I can’t quote chapter and verse, and I don’t have a copy handy) that the Shabbat is a day of rest and one may not do any work. It goes into a bit more depth than this, but basically the sages specified in the Talmud the details of what is and isn’t permitted. With regard to electricity, it’s permitted to take advantage of an electrical appliance – but you can’t control or operate it. For example, you can enjoy air conditioning, but can’t set the thermostat. You can’t tell someone else to do it for you, either. I have a friend whose father used to turn the television on on Friday afternoon and leave it on all day so he could watch the Brooklyn Dodgers on Saturday afternoon. Cars (buses, taxis) are not permitted. You’re quite right that it is a very serious concern for anyone in a secular environment, like the United States. I can’t imagine a student living in a dorm with a non-Jewish roommate and observing a satisfying Shabbat. There is obviously a lot more to the subject, but this is it in a small nutshell.

User Detail :  

Name : Jesse-N30785, Gender : M, Religion : Jewish, Age : 40, City : Herzliya, State : NA, Country : Israel, Occupation : engineer, Education level : 4 Years of College,