Question: I leave my hotplate on a (manual)
time-switch on Shabbos. Can I adjust it on Shabbos if I want it to come on or
go off earlier or later?
Answer: Rambam (Shabbos 3:1) and the Shulchan
Aruch (OC 252:1) write that one can begin a melacha on Friday even
though the action will continue running into Shabbos. Thus, R’ Yaakov Breisch (Chelkas Yaakov OC 71), R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Minchas Shlomo
1:13), R' Eliezer Waldenberg (Tzitz Eliezer 1:20:9), R’ Yehoshua Neuwirth
(Shemiras Shabbos Kehilchasa 13:26) and R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yabia Omer OC 3:17) write
that one may set timers before Shabbos.
R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe OC 4:60), however,
disagrees, writing that one may only use timers for one’s lights. Firstly,
timers are akin to instructing a non-Jew to perform a melacha on one’s
behalf which is prohibited. While the Gemara does allow certain actions to be
set up beforehand to run on Shabbos, that only applies when the action process
began before Shabbos. Additionally, it undermines the sanctity of Shabbos and
had such technology at the time of chazal, they would have prohibited
its use. As people always had non-Jews come into their houses to light and extinguish
their lights, lights remains an exception (See Rema OC 276:2).
R’ Moshe Feinstein (Igros Moshe OC 4:91:5; YD 3:47:4), R’ Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss (Minchas Yitzchak 2:110; 3:37), R’
Binyamin Zilber (Az Nidberu 3:25; 4:46:7) and R' Eliezer Waldenberg (Tzitz Eliezer 1:20:9) hold that timers are muktza and must
therefore not be adjusted on Shabbos.
R’ Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, R’ Yehoshua Neuwirth (Shemiras
Shabbos Kehilchasa 13:28) and R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yabia Omer OC 3:18:2) hold that
timers aren’t muktza, however. Thus, while one isn’t allowed to
adjust the timer to switch on or off earlier than planned, one may adjust the
timer to prevent or delay the timer from switching the appliance off by pulling
pins out (Minchas Shlomo 1:13). Likewise, one may adjust the
timer to prevent or delay an appliance that is off from coming on.
In
conclusion, one may adjust a manual timer on Shabbos if necessary, but only to
extend the current on or off status.
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