A dramatic halachic ruling issued this week by HaRav Yitzchak Zilberstein, has led a prominent chareidi seminary to cancel a planned trip to the Mount Hermon site.
The ruling was published in the weekly Torah publication Divrei Chemed, which features the teachings of Rav Zilberstein. In a particularly forceful response, Rav Zilberstein ruled that there is an absolute prohibition to enter the Mount Hermon site, since it operates publicly on Shabbos, even if visitors do not use the ski lift or snow attractions.
“It is painful to the heart that such a question is even being asked,” HaRav Zilberstein wrote. “How can one even consider going to a place that publicly in Michalel Shabbos and is Michalel Shem Shomayim?”
The Psak came after administrators from a well-known chareidi seminary approached HaRav Zilberstein with a question. The school was planning a two-day trip in northern Israel and wanted to surprise the students with a visit to Mount Hermon.
They noted that while the site operates on Shabbos, it is technically a public area, and wondered whether simply entering the site, without using any paid attractions, might be permissible.
HaRav Zilberstein rejected this argument entirely. He explained that without the site’s infrastructure, including roads, construction and maintenance, it would not be possible to access or enjoy the area in its current form.
Since the entire operation is maintained by an organization that is openly Michalel Shabbos, even benefiting from the site without using the attractions is forbidden.
He added that beyond the technical halachic issues, there is also a serious concern of chilul Hashem, when Torah-observant Jews are seen frequenting such a place.
Furthermore, HaRav Zilberstein pointed out that if it were clear that chareidim would not visit as long as the site operates on Shabbos, financial pressure might force the operators to close on Shabbos. Anyone who goes there, he said, is indirectly enabling continued Chilul Shabbos.
In especially emotional words, Rav Zilberstein concluded that it is painful that educators are even asking such questions. He compared the situation to a sign barring Jews in Nazi Germany, saying that just as no one would consider entering such a place, it is incomprehensible that people would question entering a site that openly desecrates Shabbos.
Following the ruling, the seminary immediately canceled its planned visit to Mount Hermon. The students will now be traveling to alternative destinations that align with the values of the Torah.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
14 Responses
Y
What about many other places that there is chillul shabbos. Forget about Tel Aviv but even on outskirts of chareidi areas there is traffic on shabbos like Rechov Neveim and kvush echad highway one.
What is the basis in Halacha for this psak? Does Halacha require the boycott of every Jewish owned business and store that remains publicly open on Shabbbos? No Boich sovarhas or rhetoric please. Just mekoros in Halacha.
Smerel:
This is daas Torah and hadrocha that they requested. You dispute its a Chillul Hashem? Ask your LOR and report back to us please.
Now….. mi’ikkar hadin:
No, Halacha does not require boycotting every Jewish-owned business or store that remains open on Shabbat. While there may be communal or personal preferences to avoid supporting public Shabbat desecration (chillul Shabbat) out of sentiment, protest, or to encourage observance, this is not a strict halachic obligation in most cases. However, specific scenarios—such as food-related businesses—can involve additional concerns like kashrut reliability if the owners are not Shabbat-observant, potentially making patronage inadvisable on those grounds.
### Key Halachic Considerations
– **General Purchases from Non-Food Stores**: There is no direct prohibition against buying items (e.g., non-cooked shelf goods like milk, tea, or coffee) from a Jewish-owned store that operates on Shabbat, as long as the purchase itself does not directly assist in a transgression (mesaye’a l’ovrei aveira, or aiding a sinner). For instance, Rabbi Yoel Lieberman explains that while there is a rabbinic prohibition against assisting in sin (citing Tosafot Shabbat 3a, Rosh Shabbat 1:1, Rema Yoreh De’ah 151:1, and Tzitz Eliezer 20:20), buying items during the week does not constitute direct assistance in Shabbat desecration. Some individuals or communities may choose to avoid such stores as a form of protest or to promote Shabbat observance, but this is optional and not mandated.
– **Food Establishments and Kashrut Trust**: For restaurants or bakeries, the issue often shifts to kashrut. If owners are not fully Shabbat-observant, their claims of kosher compliance cannot be trusted, as Halacha requires supervision or reliable testimony from observant individuals. This makes eating there forbidden regardless of Shabbat operations, per standard kashrut rules. However, even here, certain leniencies exist; for example, Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat 3:102) permits buying bread from a bakery open on Shabbat if it was baked on a weekday and there is no doubt about its kosher status.
– **Communal Boycotts**: In some contexts, like in Israel, boycotts of shopping centers open on Shabbat have been discussed or implemented to address chillul Shabbat or protect observant workers’ livelihoods. However, such actions require guidance from halachic authorities, as circumstances vary greatly, and private initiatives are discouraged without rabbinic direction. A notable anecdote involves Rabbi Aryeh Levin, who influenced a store owner to close on Shabbat through kindness rather than confrontation, highlighting that positive engagement can be more effective than boycotts.
In summary, while supporting Shabbat observance is encouraged, there is no blanket halachic requirement to boycott all such businesses. Decisions should consider context, alternatives, and consultation with a rabbi if needed.
Moderators Note: Thia comment says “mi’ikkar hadin”
Make sure no one paskens even one word from this comment clearly written by chatgpt which is 1000000000% proven 100000000 times to fabricate all ma’arei mekomos, including full text of shulchan aruch and rambam and teshuvos seforim and anything in between.
The fact that it was written by chatgpt is one thing. Then this anonymous “maven” calls this “mi’ikkar hadin” and then uses chatgpt to prove his “mi’ikkar hadin”.
Just wondering if you are using chatgpt in your law office to win cases? Do you check everything? Or just blindly present it as “mi’ikkar hadin”?
Much like Smerel, I’m interested in seeing the basis for this. I’m skeptical that Rav Zilberstein even wrote it as a Psak Halacha. These are not easily accessible immediately from outside of Israel.
Much as with the cholent psak from a few months ago, more talk comes from hockers than people interested in halacha. Rav Zilberstein is not an idiot and something tells me the firsthand source won’t say it exactly the way the article does as a psak halacha, sounds more like a not recommended thing than an “absolute prohibition”. How did Rav Zilberstein word it?
There are plenty of places that are opened to the public on shabbos, and many religious people go there.
One example is the biblical museum in Jerusalem. Many religious people go there. It’s always packed on chol hamoed…..but they are open on shabbos….
If you close off all the attractions and fun things to do because a place operates on shabbos- then all you have left are kevarim to visit- and then we wonder why people go off the derech. Because everything is assur…..
I can understand shopping in shomer shabbos stores. But walking down a street that has chillul shabbos is a problem if you live in mixed area.
He compared the situation to a sign barring Jews in Nazi Germany No loving Jew would have the audacity to set foot upon accursed Germany.
There is a חרם on Germany from May 8th, 1945 thru May 8th, 2945.
Were they going to visit (walk thru) on shabbos, and he said no? Or were they planning a weekday trip…on which case why would they even think to ask if it was an issue?
The Rav’s psak states: “If it were clear that chareidim would not visit as long as the site operates on Shabbos, financial pressure might force the operators to close on Shabbos. Anyone who goes there, he said, is indirectly enabling continued Chilul Shabbos…”
Using this logic, why would a frum yid be allowed to purchase goods or services from ANY business that is open on shabbos? Wouldn’t their boycott also serve to pressure the owner to reconsider their chilul shabbos? Why would be see rabbonim flying on airlines that operate on shabbos, or even enter the airport? What about the company that operates public transportation, communications companies, etc. It would seem there have to be limits on applying this logic to define the scope of allowable commercial establishments that can be patronized.
I do believe you are supposed to solicit businesses of Shabbos observers versus not when you have a choice so that answers your question
In line with the above comment by @smerel – one may want to make a Hashkafic point by boycotting a business that is openly and proudly Mechalel Shabbos, and there is absolutely an element of Kidush Hashem/Chilul Hashem involved, but what are the “technical halachic issues” he cites as a reason for this to be Assur? This is not an attempt to “bash” the statement – just a request for halachic clarification.
an Israeli Yid
shmerel a place that publicly is mechallel shabbos and is well known supporting them is aa chillul hashem
Chilul hashem itself is enough reason for it to be a halachic issue