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Video: Meet the ‘KosherSwitch’

‘KosherSwitch’ is a controversial and revolutionary new technology that purports to allow Orthodox Jews to turn light switches on and off on Shabbos without violating Jewish law.

The following video was released by the ‘KosherSwitch’ team to explain the technology to the general public as they launch a Crowd-Funding campaign to bring their invention to the market.

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92 Comments

  • Chaim

    Whats with this “permitted” garbage?
    Is that what we have come to?
    Shomer vzachur…seriously

  • concerned jew...

    Most Rabbonim, including those with partial clips of them seeming to support it in the video, are actual opposed to this! how do you put it up without even mentioing that? You can be machshul Jews, either in giving money or thinking it is indeed “kosher”

  • Rabbonim

    I heard that Rabbi Manis Friedman and Rabbi Mordy Hecht (experts in Halacha) gave their full endorsement for this. So what’s the problem?

    • Pedant

      Where? Is it in print? That’s number one.

      I don’t know who Rabbi Mordy Hecht, but Rabbi Manis Friedman is not a rov but a venerable teacher.

      That said if vaad Rabbi Glukovsky or Rabbi Dovid Shochat or the like write in favor, then have at it.

      Sometimes, things really are that simple.

  • re #6

    With all due respect to both individuals mentioned, while they may be great guys, both of them are NOT moreh Horah bepoel!

  • To 6

    Because neither of them are experts in this area of halacha. And you heard wrong. Because they didn’t.

  • no reputable posek permits it

    This has been all over the Israeli press and no reputable posek permits it even tzomet (they specialize in Shabbat technology abd are modern orthodox/mizrachi) says it’s not permitted for use on Shabbat
    .

  • Yehuda

    Me’ikar Hadin all switches are kosher,

    Nobel prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman recounts that he was approached by young rabbis in a seminary who asked him “is electricity fire?”. He replied, “no”, but asked why they wanted to know, and was shocked that they weren’t interested in science at all, but just wanted to interpret the Talmud. Feynman said that electricity was not a chemical process, as fire is, and pointed out that there is electricity in atoms and thus every phenomenon that occurs in the world. Feynman proposed a simple way to eliminate the spark: ‘”If that’s what’s bothering you, you can put a condenser across the switch, so the electricity will go on and off without any spark whatsoever—anywhere.’ But for some reason, they didn’t like that idea either”

    • Pedant

      Interesting.

      There is a Teshuva where Reb Moishe decides that the electric range tops have a din of fire, if I recall correctly, it’s been a while…but he didn’t explain why, I believe he mentioned time restraints.

      Also breaking and building a circuit in itself is forbidden, I’ve been told, though I never heard why.

    • Milhouse

      It depends what you’re turning on or off. Electricity is not fire, but a glowing filiament is, and so is the spark that sets off a flourescent light. LEDs seem to be a different story; I’m not sure what issur, if any, there could be with them.

  • to #6

    since when is rabbi manis an expert in halacha? he is an expert in many other things but did you see a halachig responsa from him? the same goes to Rabbi Mordy hecht. he might be an expert in many things.

    i have an other issue with the video.

    The halachos of “amirah lenochri” are comples but one thing is certain what they guy did in the video is 1) assur al pi halacha. there is no heter of telling or hinting a goy to do a melacha in such an instance (rambam shabbos chapter 6) 2) its very disgusting…

    the same goes to the mother who plays the game. The child is right (Rambam Shabbos 12 Halacha 7)

    • Milhouse

      What are you talking about? The video explicitly says that the guy trying to get a goy to turn off his bedroom light was wrong. You don’t have to cite the Rambam for that, we all know it’s not allowed, unless there’s a medical necessity or some other special circumstance that we’re not told about. But the mother in the video did nothing wrong; where in the Rambam did you see otherwise?

    • mz

      To Mr. Milhouse: Concerning the mother, whom you claim did nothing wrong. please see Mishnah Berurah 343:4 who seems to disagree with you.

    • Milhouse

      Maybe you need to look again in the MB. He says nothing against what the mother is doing. There is a huge difference between treife food and shabbos. For instance the Alter Rebbe paskens explicitly that it is permitted (other than for the father) to give a child a cookie with writing on it, even though you know he is going to eat it.

  • rabonim

    I heard rabonim say only in case of emergency medical situations not for regular shabbos and yom tov use

    • emergency

      for that matter, so is a regular light switch permissible in a medical emergency!

  • Hooray! We fooled Hashem!

    Hashem must love it when we try to fool Him with such tchotchkes.
    Who are we really fooling, Hashem or ourselves? How is this not muktza?

    • Hmmm

      Sounds really intelligent, Who are we fooling by having Shabbos timers? Or by using an Eruv? Or by having a jew turn on a fire to cook?

      Halachah is Halachah, what Halachah allows is allowed and what Hallachah forbids is forbidden, plain and simple…

    • a

      Ignorance. Would you say the same thing about the heterogeneous Iska or the michiras chomets contracts? You are being mivaze talmidei chachmim and tzadik I’m birabim. Hillel hazaken and the Alter Rebbe were way beyond your ignorant comment

    • CH mother

      I agree with “Hooray!” . One wonders about all the halachikly permitted tricks we use. Yes, I know. Torah permits this and that. But I wonder. Have our children taken the lesson that we can ‘work around’ the letter of the Law?

      A chasid zogt, vos men tor nit, tor men avada nit, un vos men meg, darf men nit.

    • Milhouse

      If you agree with “Hooray” then you don’t care at all about the Torah or Hashem but only about your own made-up religion. Yes, we can often get around the letter of the law, and if so we are not breaking it so we are doing no wrong.

  • Pedant

    Absolutely anything can be done with intelligent use of timers, even cooking, but mid 20th century Rabbonim spoke against the practice. Some people don’t use light timers for that reason but he general practice is to use them it seems because nispashet haminhag I am guessing.

    Congregation Ahavas Yisroel should hold a workshop on the device, so that frum people know to stay away.

    • dave

      I’d argue (from a balebatish view) that a timer is different since no act is being done on shabbos itself, but this switch even if (again if) me’ikar hadin there’s no problem, I’d feel it problematic to do an act on shabbos which similar to an act done in the week.

      Now feelings are not what determine halacha, but if I feel it a little less shabbosdik because of this, I wouldn’t use it.

  • we lived till now

    we have lived till now… why cant it just continue the way it is.. as much as this is great…
    but technology cant make things better EVERY time. I think this needs to be double checked first

  • Treif Switch

    I cant see any major rabbi calling this KOSHER. Even if it was allowed and permissible, how do we teach children the difference between using this and regular switches. Its completely not necessary and totally Not Kosher.. Its as Kosher as the book Kosher Sex

    • Milhouse

      The same way we teach them the difference between kosher food and treife, or between things you’re allowed to wear outside on Shabbos and things you’re not.

  • To #13

    The issue was never the flow of electricity. The issue is the issur deoraisa of the appliance in question and the issur dirabanan of completing a circuit.

  • ivris

    chadesh yomeinu kekedem.
    I miss the sanctity of the “old days”. it was precious.

  • please

    It would be a great thing, why is diferent the opening and closing a fridge

    please we just have to accept it as a kahal
    then there wont be any maras ayin

  • I love the video

    The same people who wont want to understand and use this are against the use of a an ERUV which shlomo hemelch did and people thought he was…. it is called a Chochma!!!!

    ERUV people walking and carrying on shabbas looks like a terrible thing yet the Gemorah calls it a great mitzvah

    same here as long as it has a heter from the OU or Rabbi Hemiman its ok

  • Jp

    Has the institute for science and Halacha in Jerusalem paskened on this?
    The Shabbat switch game the lady was doing is bad chinuch according you lot of mechanichim and that is something that does not need a heter.

  • no one special

    The psak is clear to me. What I can not understand is why this switch is necessary. Who needs it?

  • Pinchos Woolstone

    Let us see a approbations from well known community wide Botei Din of international repute.
    Until then wait for purchasing.

  • Pinchos Woolstone

    What is the opinion of the Crown Heights Beis Din, Dyan Raskin in London, the Beth Din of the OU.
    Machon Haroah in Monsey, the Beis Din of the Chief Rabbinate in Israel.

  • out of context

    It seems the words of dome of those rabbinic were taken out of context.
    this is totally not in the spirit of Shabbos! Besides for Maris ayin or other issues like lets say you forget to move it to shabbos mode on erev shabbos and then someone flicks the switch.
    Either way its Uvdin dechol.
    wave, totally reform Judaism.

  • to #13 Yehuda

    I’ve heard that electricity is forbidden because of a number of reasons not just fire (boneh, nolad, and makeh b’patish are some that are offered) maybe that’s not the mainstream plan, but if you added a condenser to it, it would still be fire when turning on/off a light, wouldn’t it?

  • This invention will open a can of worms

    Because this technology is not limited to just light switches, it can be applied to any electrical device.
    Even though you are only moving a piece of plastic witch is blocking or unblocking a beam sensor, you are going to cause it to turn on or turn off.
    No different than throwing a tennis ball on a switch to turn it on or off. And this is no different than walking through a light beam activated electric door, and in this case you are not even touching anything, you are just blocking the return light reflection that causes the door to stay open.
    They say necessity is the mother of all inventions, so what next? Kosher L’pesach Challa?

  • This device needs Certification

    OU or OK needs certify this device to be Kosher on Shabbos.

    • Yehuda

      Not all Rabonim agree

      the laws of Shabbos that were created by Hashem are akin to the laws of gravity, they cannot be violated,

      The laws of Shabbos that seem to the naked eye as chilul Shabbos are man made and can be destroyed like the 1st and second Beis hamikdosh,

      God given laws cannot be violated just like the laws of nature,

  • Action causes Reaction

    No matter how you look at it, It is “Cause & Effect”
    Lets say I set a smart camera to take a picture of a fruit bowl at random times and programed it to recognize if the banana is removed from the bowl it should do a function like turn off a light.

    But then again, there is no isure when you open the fridge, and we all know by opening the fridge you are letting in warm air in which the thermostat will feel and turn on the compressor.

    Keep the Shabbos Holy

  • OY VEY!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Oy vey, these modern rabbis are going to make frum yidden be michalel shabbos. If you are a smart Torah knowledged Jew then you know for sure that this is an issur mdirabanan. Don’t let yourself get fooled by someone that is trying to make business off you.
    BE SMART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Yehuda

      Issur derababnan is not biblical chilul shabbos,
      otherwise we are all guilty of not listening to all Rabonim, (technically impossible)

      the laws of Shabbos that were created by Hashem are akin to the laws of gravity, they cannot be violated,

      The laws of Shabbos that seem to the naked eye as chilul Shabbos are man made and can be destroyed like the 1st and second Beis hamikdosh,

      God given laws cannot be violated just like the laws of nature,

  • Shalom, California

    The Technology is old & very well known for many years. It’s a Grama Switch which is very controversial it is allowed only for hospitals etc..
    It’s not approved by the Poskim of the Eidah Hacharidit and the like. By the way Tsomet is known to be very lenient.

  • MORDY

    HOW IS IT THAT THEY USE UNLIMITED HOT WATER FOR COFFEE ON SHABBOS IN PLACES LIKE THE OHEL. ISN’T THIS THE SAME IDEA ?

  • simple minds

    I’m sticking to my Shabbos clock for the lights & timers on my appliances. It seems a money-maker & nothing else. As for Rabbi Friedman – I have the greatest respect for him, but he’s not a Posek. And Rabbi Mordy Hecht? I knew him as a teen & bochur. I don’t think so – he is a sincere person but he is not a posek either.

    When Rabbi Levi Garelik or Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky come out & say clearly it’s Kosher – then I will think again.

  • spirit of shabbes only question

    We could use it bedieved. I dont see difference of this and shabbes hot water makers, refigerators etc.
    Vechai bahem. If you know someone who isnt frum yet maybe devices like this will make them more willing to give shabbos a shot.

  • Jewish girl

    If flicking the plastic piece on makes the green light go on how is that permitted??

    • another jewish girl

      nope. you flick the shabbos mode BEFORE shabbos which activates the ‘always on’ eletricity mode

    • Milhouse

      Um, no, you’re both just making stuff up at random. Why don’t you just watch the video and see for yourself what it is?

  • izzy

    To # 13

    We dont use swiches because there is a Issur when one puts a peice of metal together to complete a circuit. Nothing to do with fire.
    To # 16 Hashem does not want to make our lives hard do you know that when the refrigerator came out people were very skeptical to use it.

  • Two Rabbonim

    I checked out the website of “kosher switch” and the two Lubavitcher Rabbonim (Rabbi Manis Friedman and Rabbi Mordy Hecht) are indeed on the list of Rabbis endorsing this. It even has tin heir bio stating that they are Lubavitch.

  • Ignorant

    Learn about how the technology works before judging. Would you be cryin “Chillul Shabbos” if you understood how it works?

  • Bais Din

    The Rebbe had a bais din established in Crown Heights and even with machlokes. r”l, among its members, there is a need to ask shailos, especially if it affects the whole community. A site that calls itself with the name of the Rebbe’s shachunah should ask the members of the Bais Din before publicizing more this controversial item.

  • Dovid M

    Funny you bunch of talibans don’t see the positive side. Stop playing the big frum chochomin! It’s 21st century. We have the example of the Rebbe. We don’t live n caves.

    • Ezra

      Really? And does “the example of the Rebbe” include mocking people as “you bunch of [T]alibans” and “big frum chochomi[m]”?

    • Citizen Berel

      I see the positive side!

      You can engineer a shabbos what looks exactly like a weekday. What’s not to like?

      Score!

    • Milhouse

      That is exactly what it is (allowing for your misspelling). So what is wrong with that?

  • והאלקים יבקש את נרדף

    Light! This will add in shabbos lights. The Baal Shem Tov always wanted everything to be brighter, physically.

  • mz

    I have not seen it anyone mentioning anything beyond the “groma” problem. The problem I thought of was the Issur of “mimtsoi cheftsicha” (see SA HORAV 306:1&5). Especially this sentence: אלא שעושה איזה מעשה המותר אפילו הליכה בלבדה ומעשה זה או הילוך זה הוא בשביל כדי לעשות אחר השבת איזה דבר שאסור לעשותו בשבת בין מן התורה בין מדברי סופרים שנמצא מזמין עצמו בשבת בפועל ממש לא בהרהור לבד לדבר האסור בשבת I think all the more so doing an action that will effect a Melacha to happen on its own, similar to setting a trap on Shabbos to capture animals which is forbidden.
    Another aspect is the Halacha that one may not on EREV Shabbos light a candle and then place it in a glass with water so that it goes out when it reaches the water – Kal Vochomer when you do an action on Shabbos that will eventually cause a Melacha to happen.

  • Bubba Meise

    I guess we have freedom of religion in this country. Conservative Jews don’t think that turning on a light
    switch on Shabbat is like building a fire. However, orthodoxy holds that causing a flow of electricity to make a light turn on is prohibited. So to say whether you flick a switch directly or allow electrons to strike a plate and thereby activate a circuit, you are pretty much doing the same thing. You can believe it’s O.K., but I wouldn’t call it orthodox Judaism.

  • R. Schlüsselbund

    “Did they try this out with cyclomatic complexity?”

    I know the steps they took to avoid that very problem. The Node that you mention has been updated to fit modern switches and partesis. As long as the voltage does not fluctuate or increase the light receptors they can stay within the above mentioned range of the capacitors.

  • losing the spirit

    common! We all were raised as not doing it at all! We will get used to this and not even know we are actually doing the real one! please!! give me a break!

  • i dont understand?

    by you moving the plastic piece you are causing a melacha to be done correct?

  • Yehuda

    the laws of Shabbos that were created by Hashem are akin to the laws of gravity, they cannot be violated,

    The laws of Shabbos that seem to the naked eye as chilul Shabbos are man made and can be destroyed like the 1st and second Beis hamikdosh,

    God given laws cannot be violated just like the laws of nature,

    • @Yehuda

      Yes they can. Humans have been doing that for a centuries and it’s pretty simple to violate.

  • YMSP

    Typical Modern-“Orthodox” shenanigans. They asked several rabbis if this could theoretically be used for a choleh, etc. and then present their heterim in those specific cases to be general haskomos. There are teshuvos from Reb Moshe that show that something that ends shebisa (rest-refraining from work) on Shabbos cannot and should not be matired/permitted. This is a mixture of fraud with “Choose Your Own Religion” YU mentality.

  • hey

    if this is going to be the shabbos light switch the kids are not going to know that u cant turn on or off a light