Shabbos During Wartime: Halachic Guidance
Rabbi Yitzchok Isaac Landau, Chief Rabbi of Bnei Brak provides Halachic guidance on Shabbos during wartime • Full Article
By Rabbi Yitzchok Isaac Landau, Chief Rabbi of Bnei Brak
• It is permitted for a phone to be charging on silent mode during Shabbos, so one can call for help if needed.
• One should not turn on the radio for no specific reason, as it does not involve pikuach nefesh. It is okay, however, to leave it on a “silent wave” before Shabbos.
• A person who is in severe anxiety involves danger to life. In such a case, therefore, he should be taken to be treated.
• When in a dark bomb shelter, one should not turn on a flashlight, unless the darkness causes extreme anxiety, in which case it becomes a life-threatening situation, and it is permitted.
• If one needs to go down to a bomb shelter, it is permitted to bring a phone due to potential pikuach nefesh, but without turning it on. If a life-threatening situation ensues, of course it should be turned on and the proper help should be called.
• If when going down to a shelter and there is concern about stumbling on an obstacle, or on the stairs etc., one can turn on the light in the stairwell or entrance.
• A person who is in middle of davening Shemoneh Esrei and a siren goes off, he should stop and go to the shelter or protected area, and continue from where they left off.
• A soldier on call who is instructed by his commander to be available, can take his phone with him, but keep it on silent mode. In a place without an eruv, he should remain at home near the phone.
• If an on-call soldier gets a phone call from the commander – he should answer.
• If someone needs to go out to the front on Shabbos, it is permitted to take his tefillin with him even though he cannot put them on that day, because a soldier going out to battle without his tefillin that will be with him in the coming days, will not be calm enough to fight properly.
• In an area where there is a realistic possibility of missile strikes and the shul has no bomb shelter or other protected space – one should not go to the shul.
• In an area where there is no truly dangerous missile threat, one can go to a shul without a shelter or protected area.
• We should say additional psalms of Tehillim after Shacharis and Mincha. It is very worthwhile to give tzedaka during the recital of Tehillim.
• We do not say Tehillim after Maariv.
• It is permitted to carry pepper spray on Shabbos in a place with an eruv.
(From a Zoom lecture organized by Lemaan Yilmedu’s “Halacha B’Milchama” project)
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