Shabbat lamp
Encyclopedia
A Shabbat lamp is a special lamp that has movable parts to expose or block out its light so it can be turned "on" or "off" while its power physically remains on. This enables the lamp to be used by Shabbat observant
Shomer Shabbat
A shomer Shabbat or shomer Shabbos is a person who observes the mitzvot associated with Judaism's Shabbat...

 Jews to make a room dark or light during Shabbat without actually switching the electrical power
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...

 on or off, an act that is prohibited during Shabbat.

The Shabbat lamp is manufactured in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 by Kosher Innovations, a Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

-based company. It was invented by Shmuel Veffer in 2004, and since then, tens of thousands have been sold to observant Jews
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...

.

Halakha of the Shabbat lamp

There are various Jewish laws
Halakha
Halakha — also transliterated Halocho , or Halacha — is the collective body of Jewish law, including biblical law and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.Judaism classically draws no distinction in its laws between religious and ostensibly non-religious life; Jewish...

 governing Shabbat lamps that allow them to be used during Shabbat.

The lamp itself is muktzah
Muktzah
Muktza is a Hebrew word that means "separated", or "set aside." The generally accepted view regarding these items is that they may be touched though not moved during Shabbat or Yom Tov , some extend this prohibition to the actual handling of these items...

 during Shabbat, and therefore, it cannot be moved from its location where it is placed. However, the component that is used to open or close the light is not attached, and under Jewish law, has the status of a lamp shade, which can be moved during Shabbat in order to control the amount of light that is exposed.

Shabbat lamps are lit by and only accept a compact fluorescent lamp
Compact fluorescent lamp
A compact fluorescent lamp , also called compact fluorescent light, energy-saving light, and compact fluorescent tube, is a fluorescent lamp designed to replace an incandescent lamp; some types fit into light fixtures formerly used for incandescent lamps...

. These bulbs do not contain electrical filaments like those found in incandescent light bulb
Incandescent light bulb
The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe makes light by heating a metal filament wire to a high temperature until it glows. The hot filament is protected from air by a glass bulb that is filled with inert gas or evacuated. In a halogen lamp, a chemical process...

s, and therefore, according to some rabbinical authorities, do not constitute a fire, but rather, an electrical appliance that is permissible to move in order to change the location in which it is being used or to free up its space, provided that it is not accidentally unplugged. Regardless, during a Yom Tov that does not coincide with Shabbat, the lamp may be moved if it is not unplugged, as moving a candle on such a day is permitted.

The compact fluorescent lamp that must be used also has the benefit of using a minimal amount of energy, as the lamp must remain on for a period of at least 25 hours.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK